Bushnell University hosted a two-day spring symposium entitled “Excavating Culture,” facilitated by Dr. Marcus “Goodie” Goodloe and Dr. Paul Louis Metzger, two nationally respected voices at the intersection of theology and culture. The event was a continuation of Bushnell’s Becoming Beloved Community series, an ongoing exploration of biblical perspectives on pressing issues. This year’s event set the stage for conversations around how culture and assumptions shape our ability to engage in meaningful, Christ-centered community, leading to better understanding and thoughtful action.
In chapel on Day One, Dr. Goodloe reflected on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s enduring legacy of justice, faith, and servant leadership. He challenged the audience to embody courageous conviction in everyday life. He led our campus community through a reflection of The Lord’s Prayer from Matthew 6, inviting us to imagine what it truly means for the kingdom of God “up there” to be brought “down here” through lives that embody love, justice, equality, and freedom in Christ. Goodloe also spoke to our student athletes, covering topics from his book H.A.B.I.T.S.: Six Steps to the Art of Influence. The athletic department adopted H.A.B.I.T.S. for small group team discussions in the fall semester.
Day Two featured Dr. Paul Louis Metzger, who guided listeners through a theological excavation of human dignity in what he described, quoting Pope Francis, as a “throwaway culture.” Drawing from his very personal journey as a caregiver to his son Christopher, who experienced a traumatic brain injury, Metzger emphasized that ”you matter more than things.” He explored how culture often buries the person beneath the persona and how our calling as believers is to see and affirm the sacred in others.
Since its inception, the Becoming Beloved Community series has brought together ministry leaders, theologians, and community members to engage in dialogue and scholarship on the theology of culture and persons. These events continue to nurture on-campus conversations that extend beyond the University into the broader Eugene and Pacific Northwest communities. You can view the recordings of all these and past sessions at bushnell.edu/belovedcommunity.