Welcome to GMU
Excellence, Flexibility, Affordability
Dr. Murray describes his amazing experience at GMU in an interview with President Grudzen and VP for Communications Mary Aktay.
Global Ministries University Granted Membership in The International Council for Open and Distance Education (ICDE)
Global Ministries University is proud to announce its membership in the International Council for Open and Distance Education (ICDE), “the leading, global membership organization that works towards bringing accessible, quality education to all through online, open and distance learning” (https://www.icde.org/).
GMU joins over 190 higher education and research institutions in over 70 countries, which are part of the ICDE global community, serving an estimated 15 million+ students enrolled across 6 continents. ICDE represents its members and provides advocacy and leadership around the advancement of online, open, and distance learning. For over 80 years the global community of ICDE has continued to meet the challenges in distance education and digital transformation.
With collaborative partnerships with organizations around the world working towards the common goal of accessible, quality education for all, ICDE members share their expertise, insights, and resources “to bring inclusive, flexible, and quality learning and teaching to all in the digital age” (https://www.icde.org/).
ICDE is supported by the Royal Norwegian Ministry of Education and Research through the Norwegian Agency for International Cooperation and Quality Enhancement in Higher Education and is an affiliate member of the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization.
ICDE is a key partner in the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) under which the ICDE community undertakes activities and projects that contribute toward the global mission of the Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG4) to “ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all” (https://www.icde.org/).
Membership in ICDE enhances GMU’s dedication to quality higher education rooted in excellence, affordability, and flexibility while embracing equality, diversity, and inclusivity.
GMU is honored to be a member of ICDE and is committed to its values and common goals of advancement of more accessible online education and the attainment of Sustainable Development Goal 4 through ICDE’s partnership with UNESCO.
Felipe Ligeiro FL, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
Seminar on Religion and Science
Instructor: Gerald Grudzen, Ph.D
The compatibility of faith and reason or faith and science has historically been recognized in the monotheistic religions for over two millennia. Nevertheless, the growth of religious and political fundamentalism in our present era can be traced to a lack of understanding of how these twin pillars largely created the foundation for our Western civilization. Religious and political fundamentalism are examples of illusory ideologies lacking a foundation in critical thinking or scientific reasoning.
This seminar will examine the complementary roles that religion and science have played in the birth of western universities and how the scientific method has been part of theological inquiry since the Middle Ages. Rather than offering two disparate worldviews, religion and science can and should be integrated to foster a complete and thorough understanding of our history and our world.
Statement by President Grudzen Calling for More Gun Control
Photo by Maria Lysenko on Unsplash
The following statistics appeared in a recent story on National Public Radio:
100: Number of people killed by guns in the U.S. every day
12: Number of children who die every day from gun violence in the U.S.
950: School shootings since Sandy Hook, including 27 school shootings so far this year
18 to 21: Peak ages for violent offending with firearms
8 million: Number of AR-15s and its variations in circulation
9 in 10: Number of people who will die after attempting suicide with a gun
98: Percentage of mass shooters who are men
89: Percentage of gun owners who favor preventing the “mentally ill” from purchasing guns
77: Percentage of gun owners who favor background checks at private sales and gun shows
54: Percentage of gun deaths that are suicides; 43% are murders
79: Percentage of murders that involved a firearm
<1: Percentage of people who defended themselves with their guns in violent crimes
The numbers are staggering in their scope, but they also cry out in their candor. The simple solution to the crisis we face is sane and sustained gun regulation. President Biden has just signed a bi-partisan bill on gun safety into law, the first major federal legislation in decades, but it is only one small step that must be built upon if we are to wrest ourselves from the grip of the gun lobby and see an end to the gun violence that plagues our nation.
The argument for the Second Amendment’s upholding a “well-regulated militia” fails horrendously in the face of the carnage committed precisely because of the lack of such regulation.
GMU calls on people of all faiths and political affiliations to uphold the preservation of “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness” by advocating for stricter gun control and an end to our worship of weapons, which is literally killing us – and most heartbreakingly, our children.
Sacred Blessings!
Jews, Christians, Muslims, Baha’is, Sikhs, Hindus, Buddhists, and Indigenous Nations will all be celebrating their sacred holy days and cultural traditions in close proximity this year. This convergence reminds us of the interconnectedness of our communities and presents an opportunity to recommit to our highest ideals.
Sadly our world is once again scarred by war and violence. Each of our spiritual traditions is rooted in compassion and mercy. There is more that unites us than divides us. The Divine Presence is expressed in all of creation and embodied in all of humanity. It is time to transform our world in hope and love through our religious and spiritual traditions working together for peace and harmony…
President Grudzen Issues Statement on Ukraine
Global Ministries University joins the chorus of educational institutions, political and religious leaders, and faith communities around the world in condemning the invasion of Ukraine. World opinion is on the side of peace not conflict.
War is never the answer. The Ukrainian people face loss of life, mass destruction of their homeland, economic and environmental ruin, and a bleak future of deprivation. The Russian people do not want this war either and are protesting in the streets of Moscow and St. Petersburg. The humanitarian consequences will be devastating. Three million people have been displaced.
Vladimir Putin has violated Ukraine’s territorial integrity and sovereignty. In addition, he has breached the treaties Russia has signed and authorized, including the Charter of the United Nations.
GMU endorses the response of United Nations Secretary General António Guterres urging “immediate cessation of hostilities, protection of civilians and civilian infrastructure, preventing any actions and statements that may further escalate the dangerous situation in and around Ukraine and prioritizing diplomacy to address all issues peacefully.”
Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it. Like the world in the 1930’s, we stand on the edge of an abyss. We can choose to step back from the brink and stop a dictator’s aggression or we can allow the horrors of war to consume us again.
Pope Francis is calling for a Day of Fasting for Peace on Ash Wednesday, March 2. Global Ministries University adds its collective voice to the global prayers for peace and for the people of Ukraine.
Divine Presence
We pray for the people of Ukraine and the people of Russia
We pray for all those who are afraid; that your comfort surrounds them in this time of great fear.
We pray for all those who have the power over life and death; that they will uphold life and strive for life in its fullest.
We pray for those who promote war; that they will remember that you direct us to turn our swords into ploughshares and seek peaceful resolutions to our problems.
We pray for leaders on the world stage; that they are led by compassion, mercy and justice.
Above all, we pray for peace for Ukraine.
Amen
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Voices of Women Building Human Solidarity – Third Free Presentation
View the second webinar on YouTube.
New Course on William James and The Varieties of Religious Experience
Presenter: Sterling Harwood, Ph.D.,
Sterling Harwood, Ph.D., will offer a five-week course on the famed American philosopher William James, who is noted for his study of the nature of religious experience from the perspective of psychology, empirical science, and philosophy. James’s famous essay on The Will to Believe debated the question of what evidence is needed for asserting a belief in God and the truths of faith. James argued that belief is a forced option required from a pragmatic standpoint. James also wrote the most noted text on the philosophy of religion, The Varieties of Religious Experience. This course will focus on James’ understanding of mystical experience as developed in his writings. James set forth the psychological foundations on the nature of religious experience and its importance for the discovery of practical meaning for human existence.
Doctor Harwood earned his doctorate in Philosophy and Juris Doctor degrees from Cornell University. He has taught philosophy at Evergreen College in San Jose for over 25 years. He has previously taught an ethics course for GMU and is the author of several books on ethics and philosophical issues.
This course will run for five weeks beginning the first week of August on Zoom. It will be interactive in nature and run for 90 minutes per session. The cost is $100 plus the $25 application fee.
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International Interfaith Conference: Building Human Solidarity in Light of Pope Francis’ Encyclical, Fratelli Tutti
GMU co-sponsored an international and interreligious conference in Kenya and Indonesia,“Building Human Solidarity in the Light of Pope Francis’ Encyclical Letter: Fratelli Tutti“ with the Institute for Interreligious Dialogue and Islamic Studies (IRDIS) and the State Islamic University, Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta, Indonesia (UIN). Other sponsors included the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue (PCID), the Harmony Institute, Umma University, the Maryknoll Office of Global Concerns, and the Pontifical Institute for Arabic and Islamic Studies (PISAI)
Community Chaplaincy Program
The Community Chaplaincy program is a unique preparation for grassroots change. It offers a team teaching approach to critical and timely topics among which are body wisdom, trauma, grief, deep listening and resilience – topics relevant to all and much needed in society, local and global. The Community Chaplaincy Program challenges participants to look deeply within; to grow in depth and wisdom, empowering her to profoundly hear and respond to individuals or groups in need. ~ Terri K., MS, MCHES, CWC
Learn more about GMU’s exciting new program here.
GMU’s Response to the COVID-19 Crisis:
The Mirror of Our Minds: Paths to Wholeness in the Era of Coronavirus
This Free Zoom session was held on Wednesday July 1, 2020 at 4 PM PDT (7 PM EDT) with psychologist Manuel Yaniz PhD. Learn more .
Podcast of Psycho-Spiritual Discussion
on Mental Health Issues Associated with
Coronavirus COVID-19
Spirituality in the Age of Coronavirus
Inspiration and Hope from the Parliament of the World’s Religions
Prayer for healing anxiety in uncertain times ~Bridget M Meehan
Marita Grudzen presented “Spirituality A Way to Sustain and Connect in the Era of Covid-19,” A Forum of the Jewish Community Center in San Francisco on Thursday May 28, 2020, 1:00-2:30 pm (PDT)
Global Ministries University is an online international contemporary theological learning platform that is inclusive, supportive of creative thinking, and honors the sacred in all religions and spiritual traditions.
Questions?
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