Central to that initiative is ShareDream.org, a timely and refreshing resource for people from all walks of life, a non-political effort to solve important societal challenges through the efforts of two organizations: Good of All and Anderson University.
The ShareDream.org web site introduces a six-part curriculum for churches and individuals offered by Harper Collins Christian.
Using the moral principles of the 1954–1968 Civil Rights Movement in America, Share the Dream leads people to reflect on what it means to love your neighbor; to understand what’s right and wrong and take responsibility; to appreciate and protect authentic freedom; to be fair to all persons; not to give up on the goodness of humanity; and to have optimism and hope for the future.
Officials at both organizations have worked over the last year to make Anderson University the home of Good of All, a non-profit organization whose mission is to promote human dignity in America and around the world by advocating civility and respect for freedom of conscience in the digital age.” Good of All challenges voices that publicly erode civility. This fall, the affiliation becomes a reality for both organizations.
The announcement will be celebrated at the Anderson University Fall Convocation in September, marking the opening of the academic year. Dr. Matthew Daniels, founder of Good of All, will join Anderson University President Evans Whitaker onstage to celebrate with 4,300-plus students, faculty, board members and visitors.
With ideals grounded in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of 1948, Good of All brings together people of different nationalities, religious convictions, political affiliations, races and ethnicities who are united in support of a vision for society that affirms human dignity. In 2009, Good of All received a major grant from the Templeton Foundation for its initial development. Since then, it has engaged with academic partners on three continents and reached more than 40 million people (about twice the population of New York) online.
To best position Good of All’s mission to thrive, Dr. Daniels and its board of directors say they sought out Anderson University as its home because of its complimentary mission and uncommon campus culture of academic strength, humility and civility. The organization likewise chose AU for its commitment to educating students to embrace and live out the classical cardinal virtues of wisdom and good judgment, fairness and impartiality, courage, perseverance, reasonableness and self-control, as well as the theological virtues of faith, hope and love. These qualities have characterized the faith-based university since its founding in 1911 and are particularly emphasized and inculcated into the campus culture by President Whitaker, who has led the University for almost 22 years.
“Anderson University is a different kind of university. Here, the students and faculty are incredibly smart, and they can disagree about important issues and still be friendly to one another, help and encourage one another. It’s a place of uncommon civility that models robust discourse, kindness, wholesome citizenship and ethical leadership,” Dr. Daniels said.
As the relationship grows, Good of All plans to develop with Anderson University a voluntary curriculum for other higher education institutions with the goal of transcending politics and decreasing violence in the United States and the world. A similar offering has already been developed for secondary schools in the United States and the 56-member Commonwealth of Nations’ Youth Peace Program.
The non-violence program enjoys the endorsement and praise of a growing number of leading voices around the world, including General Richard B. Myers (USAF, retired), former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; and Dr. Barry C. Black, Chaplain of the U.S. Senate and former U.S. Navy Chief of Chaplains.
General Myers not only believes the central mission of the curriculum can treat some of America’s civil ills, but he also believes the program can ultimately help bolster our national security. General Myers has expressed that societal division ultimately weakens a nation’s defenses.
“There are multiple and painful signs that civility is being eroded in America – with negative consequences for freedom of conscience, democracy, and human dignity itself,” Dr. Daniels said. “Public discourse is increasingly shrill, rude and negative. Discussions that respect the freedom of others to have their own views are increasingly rare. Instead, the views and consciences of others are often attacked and silenced. There is growing crudeness, vulgarity and deception in our public life that undermines our society and sends the wrong message to our children.”
“Good of All is a movement to affirm our common humanity, to promote civility, and to defend freedom of conscience, freedom of speech, freedom of association, and freedom of privacy,” Dr. Daniels said.
President Whitaker warmly welcomes Daniels and Good of All to Anderson University.
“We are delighted to join with Dr. Daniels and support Good of All’s critical mission and participate in its advancement,” he said. “We are thrilled to welcome Matt to our growing faculty of exceptional scholars. We look forward to him being a part of the AU family.”
Dr. Daniels joins the Anderson faculty as Distinguished University Professor of Law, Human Rights and International Affairs.
Dr. Daniels comes to Anderson University from the Institute of World Politics, a private graduate school of national security, intelligence and international affairs in Washington, DC. His academic focus is on human rights and counterterrorism. He will also develop a digital human rights ambassador program, headquartered at Anderson University, that will engage students at AU and other universities in promoting universal human rights through digital media.
After attending inner-city public schools in New York City, Daniels received a full scholarship to Dartmouth College, where he graduated Phi Beta Kappa in 1985. He later received a Public Interest Law Scholarship at the University of Pennsylvania Law School, where he obtained both his law degree and a master’s in public administration. He was subsequently awarded a doctoral fellowship in American Politics to study judicial policymaking and the rule of law at Brandeis University, where he received his Ph.D.
