Introduction

Welcome to the borderlands blog for the fall 2014  travel course "The Church, the Public Good, and the Borderlands" offered at Austin Seminary. Each day a few select students will post blog entries in which they reflect on their journey experience to the Texas-Mexico Border (Oct 13-.17). To enrich the learning experience, we invite readers to engage each post with questions or comments. 

Course Description:

This travel seminar introduces participants to the history, landscapes, people, and challenges of the Texas Borderlands. Through selected readings, guest speakers, on-site investigation, and conversation with local religious and community leaders, participants explore issues such as poverty, immigration, crime, health, and environmental concerns in South Texas. The group engages in theological and ethical reflection about these issues, the relationship of church and state, and the role of the faith community in creating the public good. Places visited may include Eagle Pass, Laredo, McAllen, San Benito Brownsville.

Course Learning Objectives:

By the end of this course, students will:

• Have understood the historical significance of colonization and the role of the church and what impact these forces still have on the Texas-Mexico Border.

• Have broadened their awareness of issues, such as immigration, relating to mission in the borderlands and been exposed to a variety of ministry approaches.

• Learn to bring into the critical learning process their own faith based questions, religious experiences, and fundamental convictions to borderlands ministry.

• Have developed a skill set to explain and articulate different aspects of borderlands ministry.

• Begin to understand what it takes to plan and implement a sustainable and responsible borderlands ministry program in the context of a local congregation or ecclesiastical body.