Many people have wondered, like me, what the WCA “Big Questions” enrichment program is all about. With Mr. Knerr and Mr. Burke, you can expect the discussions to be interesting and deep, and no surface level conversations. 

Mr. Knerr is exciting, elusive, funny, kind, and brings an interesting perspective to the conversation. I believe everyone should try to get perspective from other people, especially to grow as a person. I also believe the enrichment gives many opportunities to students who want to discuss topics, learn something new, and bond more closely with others. 

These the questions they have tackled so far:

Why does God allow us to suffer? Is there ever a clear reason why he allows us to suffer?

Why is Christian art often so bad? What does good art look like? How can art heal?

How should the church be involved in politics?

Are there really political solutions to moral problems?

What is the most difficult challenge in maintaining your faith in intellectually challenging environments?

Are many people wounded by their experiences in church? How does it affect them?

How is our neighbor when we think about the condition of modern culture?

On Wednesday, October 13, the Big Question enrichment brought in guest speaker Mr. Sarra and discussed the purpose of art, and other questions like, what is art? They introduced the subtleties of art leading to how art influences us in life. 

This enrichment’s topic and discussion can vary greatly from meeting to meeting. The Big Questions enrichment meets most Wednesdays and Thursdays. If you are interested in joining, you can talk to your counselors and/or talk to Mr. Knerr and Mr. Burke. 

Here are some students enrolled in the program and their thoughts:

“I enjoy learning how Christianity is integrated through art and other things in this world,” said Calvin Van Heest, junior.

“It teaches us to think more critically about life and society around us. Critically thinking about life points to a supernatural creator and just how powerful our God is,” Jadyn Patton, junior. 

“I really like the teachers and how they seem to care about the subject. They have good material prepared and they bring in extra people who are experts in the subject to get a better understanding,” Reagan Beachy, junior.