We gather on the ancestral and unceded lands of the Chinook people as well as the Multnomah, Kathlament, Clackamas, Cowlitz, Tualatin, Kalapuya, Molalla and other Peoples who lived nearby, harvesting the abundance of the Columbia River region and the Willamette Valley for thousands of years before people of European descent came to this territory. Transparency is essential to creating and nurturing life-giving communities. So, we acknowledge the history of violence, displacement, migration, and settlement and policies of assimilation that bring us to this moment. We pay respects to their elders, past and present. We also acknowledge the Native peoples who live here now and continue caring for the Earth with us and with other current inhabitants. Together, we will honor this sacred land for as long as we draw breath.
Mac's Classroom Philosophy
To make classes as relevant as possible, we create an environment in which students feel safe to explore and further shape their individual religious identity. Faith seeks understanding (CCC, 158). I encourage students to share their insights and questions. More important than memorization of facts is the pursuit of deeper meaning of gospel values. Information does not become knowledge until a person wrestles with the information in the depths of one’s mind and heart and then applies it to one’s living. To that end I encourage students to apply critical thinking to the material in this course.
Every individual in the class has the right to learn in a safe environment, and therefore has the responsibility to create and foster that classroom environment for one another. We have dignity because we are all made in the image of God, and all deserve to be treated with respect. This means doing your best, treating others respectfully, encouraging each other, and maintaining a classroom environment that is conducive to learning by both listening and speaking at appropriate times.