Letter from the President
Greetings friends!
Our theme for this 49th academic year may be found in two words: “One another.” We have written these two big words on our banners and on our hearts. They are big words and big ideas. ‘One’ means each one of us. You and me. ‘Another’ means each other. They together imply a remarkable dynamic, a fabric of relationships, a special community. It is the one-another reality of Trinity Western that makes this a particular kind of university. How we live out this dynamic reality, the interactive relationship of one-another, will make all the difference in the fulfillment of why we are here together and what we can expect from this 49th year.
In my recent Convocation address to the incoming classes of 2010, I spoke to the students about “One Another” and its connection to love as an action. Love is not self-abandonment; rather to love your neighbour is to also love and act on behalf of one self and one another. Love entails self-completion, self-control, self-denial, and self-surrender to one another and to Christ. It is ultimately the greatest form of self-fulfillment, self-realization, and self-renewal, yet getting beyond oneself, giving your self to another.
Much like the social psychology theory that I studied, the cover art of this issue of Trinity Western reminds me of a social mapping diagram I have drawn many times through the years. The overlapping and interconnecting lines show the bonds of our participation with others and the density of those relationships. These are the threads of our communication and interaction with others—the proximity, frequency, and depth of the fabric of those relationships. They give us pause to see where we can learn and grow to be better participants for others.
As we begin this year, we are mindful that the interconnections between students, faculty, alumni, and friends, whether here or distant, are grounded in the beauty of one-another-community through Christ.
In anticipation of our 50th Anniversary, we invite you to get connected. We are planning some exciting events for the year-long celebration that will kick off in September 2011 and run through December 2012. Stay tuned for more announcements soon.
Wishing you every blessing,
President Jonathan S. Raymond, Ph.D.
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