Student Development addresses conflict within friendship among students with this year’s fall student awareness week, which will occur from Nov. 3-6.

Biola professors will host lectures, workshops and chapels on ways to form deeper relationships and manage everyday conflict. The importance to keep Christ central in relationships serves as the main focus of awareness week, according to senior psychology major and spiritual development intern Andrew Bustos.

“The goal of this week is to have students be aware of friendship, and that it’s a lot deeper than we expect it to be,” Bustos said. “To think of friendship in an entirely different way –– to have Christ be the center of your relationships.”

ADDRESSING FRIENDSHIP

This year’s awareness week addresses the prevalence of friendship and the numerous issues students face, Bustos said. Students remain unaware of how to react in various situations, like counseling friends through tough times, Bustos said.

“The higher up you go in the education system, it becomes more focused. These awareness weeks are designed to come alongside that very focused curriculum and to expose students to material they might not otherwise be exposed to,” Bustos said.

Associate professor of theology Matt Jenson and associate professor of photography Kurt Simonson will speak at the Monday chapel, according to the student development event website. Simonson will also speak about male friendships at a session Monday evening called “I Love You, Man,” which will include a photography project showcasing pictures of Simonson’s close friends.

During their session, Jenson and Simonson will reflect on their friendship. Jenson believes  friendships are essential to a Christian life and though he and Simonson come from different disciplines, they both experience the power of friendship, Jenson said.

“Both of us have a sense that friendships are often taken too lightly. We’ll look at friendship as a sustaining piece of Christian life,” Jenson said.

Bustos said the speakers will give students the opportunity to connect and further discuss the topic after the week comes to a close.  Speakers will provide their own perspectives as well as a biblical understanding of friendship. The theme verse of the week is John 15:12-15 where Jesus talks about loving others as he loved humanity.

PROFESSORS PROVIDE INSIGHT

Journalism and integrated media professor Carolyn Kim analyzes how technology affects the ability to form relationships in today’s society and how to use technology beneficially in relationships at a luncheon on Nov. 5.

Assistant professor of communication studies Arianna Molloy will speak about how conflict  reveals the spiritual geography of life through friendships at the Wednesday morning chapel.

“Rather than being poetic and going deep, analyzing rich texts, I’d really like it to feel more like I’m sitting down with students and having coffee and we’re talking about the conflict that they’re going through in their life,” Molloy said.

Sherry Harrah from Grace Evangelical Free church in La Mirada will host an After Dark chapel

where she will discuss how Jesus’ friendship with his disciples provides a model of intimate friendship.

Metro Goldwyn Mayer founder Mark Joseph will hold a lecture Thursday night about the relationship between C.S. Lewis and J.R.R Tolkien titled “Tolkien and Lewis on Friendship,” along with a discussion about the release of a documentary on their friendship next year.

Todd Pickett, dean of spiritual development will center the Friday chapel on reflecting topics discussed throughout the week.