Dialogue, discernment, and creative tensions in Jesuit higher education

Abstract

Like most higher education institutions, Catholic universities experience changes and pressures due to university rankings, education marketisation, and diverse student bodies. As part of the Catholic Church, these institutions must also be faithful to their unique religious identity and mission. In this paper focusing on Jesuit institutions, the concept of creative tension is explored as it operates in the student, faculty, and institutional levels. For students, Jesuit universities make efforts to balance both professional and holistic education; for faculty, the focus is on the balance of professional and institutional involvement; for institutions, the balance of teaching and research, and service for justice and faith. The paper discusses how these tensions are present in Jesuit schools, and how its creativity is the product of dialogue and discernment.

Keywords:

• Society of Jesus
• schools
• reconciliation
• dialogue
• discernment

Acknowledgements

The author thanks Benjamin Tolosa Jr., Roberto Conrado Guevara, Luis Carmelo Julian, Noel Clemente, Rofel Brion, Rizalina Simpas, and the members of the Ateneo de Manila University Loyola Schools Office of Campus Ministry for engaging discussions that ultimately led to this article. The author also extends thanks to the editors and anonymous reviewers for their comments and suggestions.

Disclosure statement

The author declares no potential conflict of interest.

Notes

1 Newman (2015, 125).

2 Schools are herein used to refer to postsecondary or higher education institutions.

3 See Appendix 1.

4 Eloquence is understood in the Jesuit tradition as eloquentia perfecta or the Jesuits’ rhetorical tradition (see Mailloux 2013). Rhetoric is central to the liberal arts curriculum of the Jesuits, and eloquence is understood as ‘the good person writing and speaking skilfully for the common good (10).’ In the present conceptualisation of eloquence, Jesuit schools use classes on composition, communication or rhetoric to provide this training to their students.

5 Dialogue occurs through faculty forums and town halls, collaborative conversations for research projects with each other, and consultations with different stakeholders such as Jesuits, socio-civic organisations, and government offices.

6 Given that discernment is a present apostolic preference for the Jesuits, I note some articles that deal with the intersection of discernment and education. Delclos and Donaldson (2014) talk about Jesuit discernment in the context of liberal arts education while Fr. Adolfo Nicolás SJ (2011) proposes the importance to be more discerning in the Jesuit education apostolate. However, as to my present knowledge, there is yet to be a monograph or journal article that discusses fully the importance and steps of discernment for higher education administration.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Jose Eos Trinidad

Jose Eos Trinidad is with the Departments of Sociology and Comparative Human Development at the University of Chicago. He is also affiliated with the Department of Interdisciplinary Studies and the Institute for the Science and Art of Learning and Teaching, Ateneo de Manila University. His research intersects organizational sociology, educational policies, and quantitative methods.