Any parent, who has a child heading off to
University, especially if they need to reside away from home, is obviously
concerned with the welfare of their child. There are a number of horrific stories
of what these young adults could be exposed to, even in a University Residence.
Add to this the fact that so many students, particularly first and second year
students, discover, only too late, how the freedom of residing away from home
and parents, often leads to them, at the very least, failing their subjects and
as a result dropping out of University completely.
The Westridge Study Centre offers an ideal
solution to concerned parents looking for cost effective university
accommodation, close to the University of Johannesburg and Wits University,
which will provide a caring and nurturing environment for young students, while
also exposing the student to the moral values that all Christian parents want
their children to learn.
Westridge Study Centre is a university
centre in Parktown, Johannesburg. Westridge was begun by a group of young
professionals and businessmen in 2003 that wanted to establish a leadership
centre for young men in university. Their leadership ethos is one based on a
Christian identity. Westridge encourages and challenges young men to make
Christian values present in their own environment, among their peers and in
their families.
In Westridge, special emphasis is made on
work (as study) done conscientiously, for the glory of God and for the service
of others. The staff in Westridge is of the view that there is no better way to
reintroduce Christian values into society than by living truly as a Christian
in one’s own environment and by helping one’s colleagues and friends discover Christ.
Westridge carries out this mission by offering professional, spiritual and
cultural activities.
The atmosphere in Westridge, respectful of
each individual’s freedom, stresses that freedom has to be exercised with a
sense of responsibility. Westridge’s aim can be summed up in three phrases:
professional prestige, unity and integrity of life and striving for holiness.
Take a look at their website, Westridge Student Centre, for more
information.
what about students who are from other religious and cultural backgrounds? Is this for Christian students only or would the student have to convert?
ReplyDeleteInteresting user name "attack". Should we read anything into it?
ReplyDeleteI have asked one of the chaps from the Westridge Centre to reply to you, which I am sure they will do in time.
I would however like to comment on your question about whether the student would have to convert to Christianity.
Converting to Christianity is not like choosing, for example, to belong to a Suzuki Motorcycle Club instead of a BMW Motorcycle Club. Christianity is about a personal relationship with our Lord. This relationship leads to a change in the whole person as a consequence of this relationship.
So, it is impossible for anyone to say that someone "must convert" to Christianity in order to meet the criteria for admission to a residence. This is because that conveys that conversion is a purely human decision or act, which is not. Rather it is a falling in love with our Lord Jesus, not an arranged marriage.
The student centre does have, as one of its focusses, the reintroduction of Christian values into society. So it seems apparent that if one of the parties in this centre does not share these same values, the experience may prove to be counter productive for both parties.
Anyway I don't represent the centre and I leave them to respond to you. Good luck.
The person who posed the question of membership may have failed to read the entire description of what we do at Westridge. Perhaps s/he should read the second last paragraph on freedom and responsibility insofar as the act of conversion is, in his or her opinion, a purely human act.
ReplyDelete