nurturing servant leaders in religious education - Scholarly ...

While the differences of people were acknowledged in the actions of CES to embrace
culture, cultural awareness did not eclipse the belief that there is a greater common
thread that binds people together. CES was again seen as “a” programme to help
assist others. The efforts shown through the various programmes of the Church to
meet the needs of different cultures was an outcropping of servant leadership, but was
not the express goal of the CES in regards to embracing all peoples. Director C
explained,
There is an appreciation of culture. There is a value in culture. CES, helps us,
meaning myself, the students, understand priorities and these values which culture
can fit under, and the place of culture in there. The beauty of the, I guess, the
Gospel, and what CES is, I think, promoting, is not so much in our cultural
diversity, but in our doctrinal unity…it’s not that CES itself has a particular
programme when working with different cultures, to help you in terms of
leadership and leading within these various cultures. You learn that on the job, in
other words, in working with the people…the training we receive from senior or
top management down is, they are general leadership principles that are felt to be
applicable in all cultures and in all countries. There is an element upon, or a
responsibility upon the director to then take that and, not so much change, but
mould and marry cultural issues with general leadership principles that have been
passed on (DC).
Regenerative aspects of culture
When asked what they felt was good about teaching in the Aotearoa/New Zealand
context, participants indicated that they felt their students were “down to earth” and
expressed themselves in a way that was very sincere and touching. The opportunity to
work with people from diverse cultures was also seen as a positive. Another trend in
the answers was a belief that as New Zealanders, members were all on the same
plane, that the perceived relative infancy of the Gospel in their families, or in
Aotearoa/New Zealand had an effect on the way in which they related to each other.
Also, the opportunity to stand up and be an example was expressed as a way in which
to interact with and touch the environment of those “others” that might not have
positive role models in their lives.
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