Treveccan Stories: A Call to Intercultural Humility

In the beautifully diverse Kingdom of God, faculty member Kathy Mowry shares how we really do belong together.

Trevecca has changed dramatically since I was a student in the 1980s. At that point, most people looked like me with the exception of a couple of international students. Sadly, I didn’t get to know any of them well.

Kathy Mowry headshotI grew in many areas as a disciple of Jesus during my time on campus, but learning how to be interculturally competent was not one of those. It would take years before I was fully awakened to this vital area of Christian formation.

The development of intercultural competency in the lives of Jesus’ disciples can be traced back to the books of Luke and Acts. Luke’s gospel shows Jesus constantly crossing barriers and leading his disciples out of their comfort zones. Jesus always drew the circle wide enough to include those whom others excluded.