Head to Head! Heart to Heart!, the 11th annual Poehler Faith and learning lecture, is one of the last Honors required convocations for the spring of 2012. The two distinguished speakers are Dr. Dale Trapp and Rev. Dr. Thomas Trapp. The two brothers start off the convocation by providing humorous dialogue through their family history. After covering their past they explain their three different births, two that they have experienced (birth into this world and birth into the kingdom of God). From there the convocation moves to their academic and spiritual pursuits which they tackle as two heads and two hearts. Their passion is being able to relate the academic studies that they teach at Concordia University and relating it to why people walk this earth and the eternal life they will walk after this life. Dr. Dale Trapp spoke first on the two covenants, creation, crucifixion, and eternal life. Rev. Dr. Thomas Trapp speaks next on his faith and learning/teaching. He expands on each subject by relating them to his life and how he has experienced them individually and together. The brothers switch off, each speaking on their specialized studies, experiences, interests and how they relate them to their faith.
Rev. Dr. Thomas Trapp spoke for some time on the difference of justification and sanctification. He uses words such as active and passive to relate mankind and how it is affected by the presence of an active God. All humans are dead and passive until they are sanctified by God. Dr. Dale Trapp compared the mysteries of science to the miracles of faith. He states that the point is not the explanation but the process of learning and working towards answers. Neither science, faith, nor the combination of the two can explain life. Both of these professors specialize in different academic arenas and started their presentation at opposite ends of the academic spectrum. These two brothers embody the very teaching method that the honors program tries to encourage in Concordia's students: to integrate our various academic studies with one another and with our calling to walk with God. The lessons of the material world are learned to answer the questions of how, what, when, and how much? Faith answers question of: why? To separate the things of the world from God is to live life with unanswered questions.
In honors class I am encouraged to take each individual subject and connect not just with the information but the concepts. By learning a concept and its origins I can then weave the different areas of my life into one lesson. Listening to the Trapp brothers I was able to get an example of how a committed life to academics, dedication to a family, and faith can be intertwined to form a balanced and happy life. As a college student and believer young in her faith, I strive to understand what God is, what He wants, and what am I supposed to do. What this convocation made me think about was how I need to learn that there are mysteries and miracles in the world that do not need to be explained. I need to apply the integrated learning system given to me through honors and use it not only to understand concepts but use it to know when to try and understand concepts.
Rev. Dr. Thomas Trapp spoke for some time on the difference of justification and sanctification. He uses words such as active and passive to relate mankind and how it is affected by the presence of an active God. All humans are dead and passive until they are sanctified by God. Dr. Dale Trapp compared the mysteries of science to the miracles of faith. He states that the point is not the explanation but the process of learning and working towards answers. Neither science, faith, nor the combination of the two can explain life. Both of these professors specialize in different academic arenas and started their presentation at opposite ends of the academic spectrum. These two brothers embody the very teaching method that the honors program tries to encourage in Concordia's students: to integrate our various academic studies with one another and with our calling to walk with God. The lessons of the material world are learned to answer the questions of how, what, when, and how much? Faith answers question of: why? To separate the things of the world from God is to live life with unanswered questions.
In honors class I am encouraged to take each individual subject and connect not just with the information but the concepts. By learning a concept and its origins I can then weave the different areas of my life into one lesson. Listening to the Trapp brothers I was able to get an example of how a committed life to academics, dedication to a family, and faith can be intertwined to form a balanced and happy life. As a college student and believer young in her faith, I strive to understand what God is, what He wants, and what am I supposed to do. What this convocation made me think about was how I need to learn that there are mysteries and miracles in the world that do not need to be explained. I need to apply the integrated learning system given to me through honors and use it not only to understand concepts but use it to know when to try and understand concepts.
