JESUS STUDIES

JESUS AND DIANE KAY OLSON CARE DEEPLY ABOUT AND LOVE THE OUTCAST AND FORGOTTEN PEOPLE OF THE WORLD

When I was teaching at the university, I taught courses in cultural studies because cultural studies is all about the ways in which people are outcast and marginalized due to their race, ethnicity, gender and other factors -- in essence, I went into cultural studies because I have JESUS' BIG HEART for the outcast and forgotten of this world. There is so much value to the field in terms of teaching students about how people are outcast and othered so that we, as a culture, can address these forms of ostracization and othering. I am very proud of my work and teaching in cultural studies, and I have reenvisioned that work through my website www.jesusstudies.org because many people who work in cultural studies have a heart for the outcast and forgotten of the world and cultural justice issues, like I do.
Also, listening to Britt Nicole this evening -- she is a wonderfully positive, Jesus-loving singer who builds you up instead of tearing you down like some Christian music does. I have totally had enough of the kinds of Christian music (particularly by male Christian singers like Tenth Avenue North and Jeremy Camp) that put females down, which is so wrong. It makes me angry to hear that music that accuses female listeners under the guise of "Christianity" -- it is just so wrong. I have totally heard enough of it, and am making serious changes in my listening to Christian music. I am currently not happy with the Christian station that I have been listening to for this reason (www.life107.com) because it is so male-dominated in its play lists. I will always be a JESUS-LOVING feminist at heart because I believe that women have greater faith in Jesus and understand Jesus much better than many male Christians. Jesus was very feminine in his nature and defended women and the outcast of society, and totally supports the work in cultural studies and feminism because it follows our LORD'S HEART for the outcast and forgotten and oppressed.
LOVE ALWAYS,
DIANE

A NEED FOR STUDIES IN JESUS, OUR SAVIOR AND LORD, AT UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES

WHEN I WAS TEACHING WRITING AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS DURING THE 1990's, I HAD MANY CHRISTIAN STUDENTS WHO WANTED TO WRITE ABOUT THEIR LOVE FOR JESUS, AS THEIR SAVIOR AND LORD.  THESE WERE SOME OF THE MOST LOVING AND CARING STUDENTS THAT I HAVE EVER TAUGHT, AND THEIR WRITINGS ABOUT JESUS WERE PROOF THAT WE NEED MORE CLASSES ABOUT JESUS IN OUR COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES. FOR WHILE MANY OF MY COLLEAGUES (WRITING TEACHERS) WANTED TO CENSOR THESE STUDENTS' WRITINGS BECAUSE THEY  (THE TEACHERS)  DID NOT UNDERSTAND THESE STUDENTS' PASSION FOR AND LOVE OF JESUS AND THE TRANSFORMING POWER OF FAITH IN JESUS FOR THE WORLD, THESE STUDENTS' PAPERS ABOUT JESUS STOOD, ALL THE SAME, AS TESTIMONY TO THEIR PASSION FOR AND FAITH IN JESUS AS THEIR LORD AND SAVIOR AND AS TESTIMONY TO THE NEED FOR COURSES ABOUT JESUS IN OUR UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES -- COURSES THAT TEACH ABOUT JESUS' GREAT LOVE, GRACE, FORGIVENESS AND COMPASSION FOR ALL OF HUMANITY AND TEACH STUDENTS ABOUT WHAT IT MEANS TO FOLLOW JESUS AND SERVE THE WORLD AROUND THEM WITH THE LOVE, GRACE AND COMPASSION OF JESUS CHRIST.  JESUS HAD AND STILL HAS GREAT LOVE FOR AND COMPASSION FOR THE MOST BROKEN, HURTING, FORGOTTEN AND SICK PEOPLE OF THE WORLD, AND WE NEED COURSES THAT TEACH STUDENTS THAT JESUS' GREAT LOVE, CARE AND CONCERN FOR THE BROKEN AND OUTCAST PEOPLES OF THE WORLD IS VERY ADMIRABLE AND WORTHY OF FOLLOWING IN HIS FOOTSTEPS.  COURSES ABOUT JESUS COULD LEAD STUDENTS TO CAREERS AS MINISTERS, MISSIONARIES, FAITH-BASED SOCIAL JUSTICE WORKERS AND FAITH-BASED HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVISTS.  WE NEED TO CREATE COURSES THAT STRENGTHEN AND BUILD OFF OF THESE STUDENTS' LOVE, PASSION FOR AND FAITH IN JESUS AND JESUS' LOVE AND COMPASSION FOR THE MOST HURTING AND BROKEN PEOPLE OF THE WORLD, RATHER THAN CENSORING THEIR PASSIONS FOR CHRIST.  THE STUDENTS' PAPERS ABOUT JESUS STOOD AND STILL STAND AS TESTIMONY THAT WE NEED JESUS COURSES IN OUR UNIVERSITIES TODAY -- NOT JUST MORE COURSES ABOUT CHRISTIANITY AS A RELIGION BUT COURSES ABOUT JESUS' TEACHINGS WHEN HE WALKED THE EARTH AND JESUS' COMPASSION AND GREAT LOVE FOR HUMANITY, AS OUR LORD AND SAVIOR.  JESUS DID NOT COME TO EARTH TO START A RELIGION, RATHER HE LOVINGLY AND COMPASSIONATELY CAME TO EARTH TO HEAL, REDEEM AND SAVE ALL THAT IS BROKEN AND IN NEED OF REDEMPTION AND RESTORATION IN OUR WORLD AND JESUS' MISSION TO DO THESE THINGS WAS BASED ON HIS AND OUR HEAVENLY FATHER'S GREAT AND AMAZING COMPASSION, LOVE AND GRACE FOR THE WORLD. AND THEN JESUS SENT HIS HOLY SPIRIT, THROUGH US AS BELIEVERS IN CHRIST,  TO DO LOVING AND GRACEFUL AND COMPASSIONATE WORKS OF HEALING AND MINISTERING TO OTHER PEOPLE AND BRINGING JUSTICE AND PEACE TO THE WORLD AROUND US.  AND WE NEED COURSES THAT TEACH THESE THINGS ABOUT JESUS, OUR HEAVENLY FATHER AND THE HOLY SPIRIT TO OUR STUDENTS WHO ALREADY HAVE A LOVE OF AND FAITH IN JESUS AND WITH THAT LOVE AND FAITH, CAN SERVE THE WORLDS AROUND THEM, IN THE NAME OF JESUS, AND EMBARK ON CAREERS THAT SERVE THE LORD JESUS AND THE OUTCAST AND FORGOTTEN PEOPLE THAT THE LORD DEEPLY LOVES AND CARES ABOUT.  WE NEED COURSES THAT REPRESENT THE HEART OF CHRIST FOR THE WORLD AND BUILD OFF OF STUDENTS' LOVE FOR JESUS AND SHOW STUDENTS HOW THEY CAN USE THAT LOVE AND HEART FOR CHRIST TO SERVE THE WORLDS AROUND THEM.  LOVE ALWAYS, DIANE K. OLSON