The Jesuit Tradition In Education And Missions

The first section of this volume deals with the formation of the Jesuit philosophy of education and with Jesuit education in Europe and America from its inception to the present. Included are discussions of how the Jesuit traditions of spirituality, education, and formation interface with the status of women, the challenge of modernity, and the renewed quest for authentic spirituality. The second section explores the Jesuit missions, history, and cultural insights, focusing primarily on interactions with native peoples of the Americas, Africa, and Asia. Rather than emphasizing Jesuits as teachers, this section highlights notable cases not previously studied where Jesuits have functioned primarily as learners and pioneers in South America, the American Southwest and Northwest, Africa, and India.

A Jesuit Education Reader is a collection of the best writing on the mission, challenge, and state of Jesuit education. This anthology will prove especially valuable to those who work in Jesuit education and other Catholic and Christian schools.

"An arrestingly new picture of the early Jesuits and the world in which they lived. ...." [from back cover]

There are 28 Jesuit colleges and universities in the United States. All are distinct, yet remain united in their efforts to graduate men and women who are "people for others." Several factors make it challenging for each to infuse Jesuit and Catholic identity on campus today. Expert research indicates that Jesuit educators are taking necessary steps to enhance Jesuit values, but offer no guarantees that the mission will survive over time. Scholarly articles written by those who have been affiliated with Jesuit institutions show that even though many people embrace and carry out the traditions of the Society of Jesus in higher education, there are many who do not, making it more difficult for administrators to achieve their goal of enhancing Jesuit mission and identity on campus. Research points out that because there are fewer Jesuits today, schools have created a multitude of programs and courses to engage faculty, staff, and students in the mission of the institution so that they feel a sense of commitment and responsibility in promoting the ideals and values of St. Ignatius Loyola. While strides have been made in recent years to achieve this goal, evidence suggests that too many students remain uninformed about the significance and meaning of a Jesuit education. Research indicates that educators should do more to encourage their students to focus not only on their careers, but to also on making a difference in the lives of others through service, which is central to the mission of a Jesuit education.

This groundbreaking collection explores the important ways Jesuits have employed rhetoric, the ancient art of persuasion and the current art of communications, from the sixteenth century to the present. Much of the history of how Jesuit traditions contributed to the development of rhetorical theory and pedagogy has been lost, effaced, or dispersed. As a result, those interested in Jesuit education and higher education in the United States, as well as scholars and teachers of rhetoric, are often unaware of this living 450-year-old tradition. Written by highly regarded scholars of rhetoric, composition, education, philosophy, and history, many based at Jesuit colleges and universities, the essays in this volume explore the tradition of Jesuit rhetorical education—that is, constructing “a more usable past” and a viable future for eloquentia perfecta, the Jesuits’ chief aim for the liberal arts. Intended to foster eloquence across the curriculum and into the world beyond, Jesuit rhetoric integrates intellectual rigor, broad knowledge, civic action, and spiritual discernment as the chief goals of the educational experience. Consummate scholars and rhetors, the early Jesuits employed all the intellectual and language arts as “contemplatives in action,” preaching and undertaking missionary, educational, and charitable works in the world. The study, pedagogy, and practice of classical grammar and rhetoric, adapted to Christian humanism, naturally provided a central focus of this powerful educational system as part of the Jesuit commitment to the Ministries of the Word. This book traces the development of Jesuit rhetoric in Renaissance Europe, follows its expansion to the United States, and documents its reemergence on campuses and in scholarly discussions across America in the twenty-first century. Traditions of Eloquence provides a wellspring of insight into the past, present, and future of Jesuit rhetorical traditions. In a period of ongoing reformulations and applications of Jesuit educational mission and identity, this collection of compelling essays helps provide historical context, a sense of continuity in current practice, and a platform for creating future curricula and pedagogy. Moreover it is a valuable resource for anyone interested in understanding a core aspect of the Jesuit educational heritage.

Speaking candidly, twenty-seven noteworthy Jesuits from major areas of Jesuit higher education have contributed essays that discuss how the recent 34th General Congregation has had an impact on their scholarship and role as teachers and administrators.

A survey of Jesuit schools and universities across Europe from 1548 to 1773 by Paul F. Grendler. The article discusses organization, curriculum, pedagogy, enrollments, and relations with civil authorities with examples from France, Germany, Austria, Italy, Portugal, Spain, and eastern Europe.