It is with sadness that we report the imminent closure of the maternity ward at Scripps Mercy Hospital Chula Vista, set for June 23, 2024. This closure underscores systemic issues in maternity care, particularly affecting Medicaid patients and underserved communities. Discover the financial and healthcare disparities impacting Black, Hispanic, and low-income women, and learn about ongoing advocacy efforts to support maternity units and address systemic sexism in healthcare.

I remember when the City of Atlanta was anxiously watching its reservoir levels drop in 2007, much like what Bogota, Colombia is doing now... But there is something uniquely unsettling about when a municipality projects a “Zero Day” for their water supply, as Cape Town, South Africa did in 2018.

William Carey International University is thrilled to announce the launch of our Ph.D. in Global Development Program! For more information on the Ph.D. in Global Development and the application process, visit the program page.

Last week, at their annual in-person meetings, WCIU's Board of Directors honored Dr. Greg Parsons for over 30 years of service to the University.

Today marks 15 years since the passing of Dr. Ralph D. Winter, a visionary dedicated to the flourishing of communities worldwide. In this tribute, Dr. Greg Parsons, long-time Frontier Ventures leader and WCIU Board member, reflects on Dr. Winter's enduring legacy and his profound impact on mobilizing others to join in his mission. Read on to celebrate and remember a remarkable life.

Applications are now open for CCOP2024, a program sponsored by the Eden Vigil Institute for Environmental Leadership and many other amazing partners….

When the prophet Isaiah begins what is famously recorded in Isaiah chapter 6 with the words, “In the year that King Uzziah died. . .“ he was certainly locating his vision historically. This is likely the year 740 BCE. Yet, Isaiah may also have been locating his vision emotionally.

AN ONLINE TRAINING WEBINAR FACILITATED BY WCIU & SEND INTERNATIONAL

WCIU and SEND International came together on May 1, 2024 for an online training focused on Identifying Vulnerable Communities. During our time together, Dr Viv Grigg, Director of WCIU’s MA in Transformational Urban Leadership encourages us on this topic. Sign up for session 2 Engaging Vulnerable Communities at wciu.edu/events

In this video, President Dr. Paul Cornelius shares about his reflections on the compassion of Jesus displayed in the gospels…

Pandemic Theology: Listen, Lament, and Labor: A Theology That Emerged From Those Who Worked on COVID Units is Chaplain Matthew Hoffman’s 2023 book compiling, contextualizing, and reflecting upon his interviews with hundreds of health care professionals who worked during the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic. It is the culmination of his doctoral studies in spiritual care interventions for healthcare professionals and a meditation on the Christian response during times of global suffering. Read the interview here.

"For the last few years, I have been trying to communicate with leaders of various Christian churches to urge them to bring protection and conservation of the environment into the mainstream of their faith and their teachings. I have been suggesting that Easter Monday could be a very good day for the entire Christendom to plant trees." - Wangari Maathai

a webinar presented by wciu

Join our community along with our guests US Senate Chaplain Dr. Barry Black, Dr. David Oginde, & Dr. Pangernungba Kechu on March 26th for a free webinar exploring what it means to be the incarnational presence of Christ in our world.

Check out this post for information on TUL 535 -Leadership in Urban Movements- Enroll to join our upcoming term! Visiting students welcome! Watch the short video below to hear more about the course from Dr. Ravi I. Jayakara!

Check out this post for information on TUL 620 -Leadership in Urban Movements- Enroll in by April 1st to join our upcoming term! Visiting students welcome! Watch the short video below to hear more about the course from Dr. Grigg!

One of my recent essays is “Eight Things I Discovered About Loving Your Enemies at COP28” which features a moral framework (provided by Jesus in Matthew 5 and Luke 6) and a strategic framework (provided by Martin Luther King). At one time, Morrison would have been listed as a climate enemy under the category of Obstructionist Government” or “Powerful Denier.” Australia’s Climate Council characterized the track record of the Morrison Government, at the time of COP26 in Glasgow, as “blocking global collaboration on climate action; promoting the extension and expansion of fossil fuels like coal, oil, and gas; and refusing to step up and set ambitious climate goals.” They claim that, of all Paris Agreement signatories, Australia sat at “dead last” when it came to its new emission reduction targets.

Call For Abstracts: Chinese Cross-Cultural & Transformational Development Led by Women Excellence in Research Prize…

President Cornelius recently attended the National Prayer Breakfast in Washington D.C. In this short video he shares about how the life and words of Rwandan President Paul Kagame greatly impacted him. He leaves us with an encouragement regarding the power of forgiveness and how it contributes to the building and flourishing of our communities.

In the Fijian language, the word for enemies is meca, as in “dou lomani ira na kemudou meca,” which is Jesus’s command to “love your enemies” (Matt 5:44). This essay is my deep dive into what this means, what it feels like, and how it is deployed in the climate crisis. It’s always an exciting moment when one of our participants in the Christian Climate Observers Program (CCOP) gets to meet a US senator at a UN Climate Summit. How often does one have such high-level access to talk about climate change? How often do you meet a politician who cares? The US congressional delegation usually comes in at the start of the second week of the COP. They are greeted by the US Special Envoy on Climate, John Kerry. They come prepared with their talking points, including that one tweetable soundbite. For Sen. Brian Schatz (D-HI) that statement was: “The number one enemy to solving the climate crisis is the fossil fuel industry but the number two enemy is despondency.” Despite the buzz around Schatz’s quote, I however could only receive it uneasily. This, I felt, was one of the worst things the senator could have said at COP28. Read More.