Baylor Interdisciplinary Core freshmen have the chance to expand their knowledge of Middle Eastern culture through a field trip to the Dallas Museum of Art, the Dallas Central Mosque and Al-Amir Middle Eastern Restaurant in North Dallas.
Half of the BIC freshmen made the trip Saturday.
The rest will make the trip this upcoming Saturday as a part of the second required BIC World Cultures course.
Dr. Lynn Tatum, associate director of Middle Eastern studies, coordinated the trip.
“One of the cultures in the class we examine is the Middle Eastern culture,” Tatum said. “To understand a culture you have to understand its religion, its art, its architecture, its history, its music, its flavors and its worship style. So this is really a day for the students to examine the Islamic religion from the lectures that they have had in class.”
After spending two hours in the museum, students observed a prayer ceremony in the mosque.
They also participated in a question-and-answer session with some of the mosque volunteers.
The students ended the day by eating authentic Middle Eastern cuisine at a genuine Lebanese restaurant.
Fairbanks, Alaska freshman Joe Byrnes enjoyed the hands-on opportunities that the BIC program provided.
“Besides watching some of our professors belly dance at the Lebanese restaurant, my favorite part about the trip was just experiencing the Islamic culture with my own eyes after studying it in class,” Byrnes said. “The best part about BIC is that you can get a real sense of other cultures from a firsthand account through reading primary texts and going on field trips like this. You form your own opinions and views rather than simply read someone else’s.”
Grapevine freshman Brent Salter said spending time with fellow BIC students was just as beneficial as the trip.
“Spending time with my classmates was the most enjoyable part of the trip because the BIC students are so diverse,” Salter said. “The field trip served as a catalyst to learn about different cultures not only through the places that we were going to but also through the different students we were with. In addition to the very generous and informative Muslim volunteers at the mosque, several Muslim students helped explain other things about the mosque and Islamic traditions. “
From a Christian prospective, Tatum believes in the value of associating with other cultures.
“It’s very important for Christians to understand the world around us,” Tatum said. “If you take New Testament examples, Paul was constantly in interaction with the pagan world around him. Also, while Jesus was a Jew, many of the biblical writers, Luke for example, were not.”
Last semester BIC freshmen participated in other field trips, including a visit to a Jewish synagogue and Hindu temple.
Salter’s experience in examining other religions through the BIC program has given him a deeper perspective into his own faith.
“It’s a very good thing to learn about other religions in other cultures,” Salter said. “Knowing the points of similarities and differences gives us a better sense of what our religion is all about in relation to others.”
Byrnes also agreed with the usefulness of learning about other cultures.
“Our society is becoming more globalized every day,” Byrnes said. “You could meet a Jew, a Muslim or a Hindu anytime and having that awareness of their culture is vital.”