Week 5 - Class Lecture Review - Critical Thinking - Rebecca Koenig

This week’s lecture series with Rebecca Koenig focused on critical thinking, exploring how we, as Christians, can approach complex issues with both clarity and empathy. With her background as the Academic Dean for the College of Humanities & International Relations at the University of the Nations, Rebecca brought insights from Islamic law and Middle Eastern politics, giving her teaching a unique and nuanced perspective. Her emphasis on engaging with faith intellectually was insightful, yet, while I appreciated her insights, I found myself wrestling with certain points along the way.

One of her main points was that our language and approach to faith can either draw people closer or push them away. Rebecca urged us to begin conversations by focusing on what we share rather than what divides us. This emphasis on building bridges through thoughtful, inclusive language was a valuable reminder of the impact our words can have.

Another significant part of the week involved discussing how Christians might approach moral issues, particularly around sensitive topics like homosexuality. Rebecca encouraged us to consider these issues from multiple perspectives—not just moral, but also relational, economic, and developmental. She emphasized empathy and compassion, especially for topics that often cause division. This openness was compelling, though at times her tone felt slightly at odds with the open-mindedness she advocated. Still, the conversation was one of the more intense and memorable moments of the week, as we wrestled with balancing biblical convictions with empathy for others’ lived experiences.

As the week progressed, I noticed instances where Rebecca’s principles and teaching style didn’t entirely align. One exchange stood out: she stated, “As Christians, we cannot be hypocrites,” implying that we should hold ourselves to high standards at all times. I respectfully challenged this, suggesting that some degree of hypocrisy might be an inevitable part of human nature, as we all have blind spots and vulnerabilities that can lead us to act inconsistently with our values. To illustrate, I pointed out an example from her own teaching—while she had emphasized that “experiences can be deceptive,” much of her lesson that day relied on her personal experiences. Though I didn’t personally mind this approach, it did highlight a potential inconsistency to support my point. While Rebecca acknowledged this, her continued firm stance afterward felt somewhat rigid, revealing a slight gap between her principles and practice.

I share this with an awareness that my interpretation could be biased. The inconsistencies I noticed may have stemmed from my own pride or a tendency to nitpick. It’s possible that others found her approach entirely consistent, which is okay. This awareness—the ability to question myself and remain open to other perspectives—is, I believe, an essential part of this learning journey.

If there’s one big lesson I’ve learned in recent years and especially in this school, it’s that we, both as individuals and as the Church, are capable of being wrong, even monumentally so. And yet, even with all our limitations, God created us, loves us, and walks with us. He has held humanity’s hand since the beginning, leading us slowly toward the light. Knowing how wrong we can be, yet still being loved, is humbling and freeing. It reminds me that critical thinking isn’t just about applying principles to others but also about remaining open to being taught—by people and by God.

By the end of the week, I took away many beneficial lessons and meaningful moments. I chose to focus on these reflections because they encapsulate a part of me that, like Rebecca, is empathetic yet sometimes avoids saying what I truly think, afraid it might hurt someone’s feelings. Often, rather than expressing my real thoughts, I opt for something safe and non-confrontational. So today, instead of writing a “puff piece,” I chose to be honest and craft something that, in both content and process, would reflect just that—Critical Thinking.