HONORS COLLEGE VISITS CONGRESSMAN JAMIE RASKIN, ADVENTIST CHURCH REPRESENTATIVE AND MORE ON CAPITOL HILL
On Monday, June 5, a group of WAU Honors College students went to downtown D.C. for a full day of ‘Nation’s Capital Learning’ as part of a ‘Law and Religion’ summer class taught by Professor Nicholas Miller. The class is a hybrid graduate course offered through the Andrews University Seminary and cross-listed for Honors College students at WAU. The day included visits to the Supreme Court, the U.S. House of Representatives, the Museum of African American History, and the office of the Adventist church’s representative on Capitol Hill.
During the course of the day, students had the privilege to meet with Congressman Jamie Raskin (D-MD 8th District) and discuss how faith, beliefs, and convictions can help inform public policy in a positive way. Congressman Raskin’s Jewish faith has given him fortitude during some recent difficult days as he led out in efforts to create accountability for the January 6 insurrection while he was facing his own fight with cancer. We are pleased to report that he’s been given a clean bill of health, and we had lively and informative exchanges about trying to protect students from massive debt loads and look for ways to make a fair resolution between LGBT rights and religious freedom. WAU is in Congressman Raskin’s district, and Raskin himself lives in Takoma Park, just up the road from the University.
“The Congressman does not farm these kinds of conversations out to staff members or aides, as he himself is a constitutional scholar and was a law professor before he came to Congress,” said Professor Miller. “He met with us personally, and it was a pleasure for us to meet with such an informed and thoughtful member of Congress who values faith perspectives.”
Students also had the opportunity to visit the Adventist church’s representative on Capitol Hill, Dr. Bill Knott. Dr. Knott gave the students a very informative and inspiring lecture about the progressive social and political engagement that the early Adventist pioneers demonstrated in relation to civil rights, the abolition of slavery, and social inequality. The presentation made a real impact on the students, and of all the things the students did on Capitol Hill that day, they identified that presentation as the most impactful and powerful event of the day. Dr. Knott’s DC office is located next door to the Supreme Court, so a quick visit to the highest court in the land was an obvious addition to the day’s agenda.
The entire day was possible thanks to the organization of Melissa Reid at the North American Division Public Affairs and Religious Liberty (PARL) office.
For more information about how students are involved in learning in the Nation’s Capital, please contact Dr. Jonathan Scriven, Director of the WAU Center for Law and Public Policy, at jscriven@wau.edu.