John Jay Institute Fellow Profile - Karen Rupprecht
Education: Marquette Univeristy, B.A., Georgetown University, Ph.D. (candidate)
Hometown: Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Karen Rupprecht had never known a time without Christian faith as the center of her life. Raised as the daughter of a Lutheran pastor, yet, at age twenty-three Karen marked the beginning of a spiritual and intellectual exploration in comparative religions during a Peace Corps assignment in the Islamic Kingdom of Morocco, North Africa. This cross-cultural experience challenged her to closely examine alternative worldviews–Islam and the secularist philosophy of her Peace Corps colleagues. She didn’t find comparable conceptions of the Christian themes of redemption, forgiveness, and grace in either secularist ideology or in Islam. It was this insight that reaffirmed her confidence in the Christian faith. Her experience in Islamic Morocco made her ache once again for the spiritual refreshment and nourishment of true Christian fellowship in a community of scholars. Knowing that the John Jay Institute provided such an experience, Karen applied and was accepted as a Fellow in the Fall 2008 class. The value of the JJI experience of spiritual, moral, intellectual, and professional formation after two years in a spiritual desert was incalculable.
She stated it this way, "I knew Mr. Crippen from my time as a Witherspoon Fellow, which was itself a transformative experience, so the prospect of participating in the more intensive John Jay Institute Fellowship was an opportunity I could not turn down. It was clearly one of the most meaningful times of study, challenge and growth in my life."
Karen is now pursuing doctoral studies in political theory at Georgetown University. As she continues to explore God’s calling on her life, she expects that God is leading her to practical work in foreign policy and political action. We recently had the opportunity to ask her some more specific questions about her time at the John Jay Institute.
What was the most memorable aspect of the Fellowship?
While it’s difficult to isolate any one aspect of such an integrated experience, the wonderful friendships forged during the Fellowship with other Christians committed to the pursuit of truth stand out in my memory as particularly meaningful.
What was the most challenging aspect of the Fellowship?
The reading and writing load was demanding, and balancing the rigorous academic training with community life and hospitality was a tremendously valuable learning experience for me. But I would have to say the most challenging aspect was fitting everything into each day—it was hard work.
How has the Fellowship prepared you for your future vocational plans?
The Fellowship provided a tremendous example of academic learning as an integration of faith and reason that enabled me to approach my graduate studies from a greatly enriched perspective. It also sharpened my awareness to various strains of thought running through political and moral philosophy that are contrary to Christian truths, providing me with invaluable intellectual tools for my immersion into the virulently secular world of academia.
Tell us about your future plans.
I recently began doctoral studies in political theory and international relations with a focus on religion and politics in the international geo-political arena. Upon earning my Ph.D., I plan to pursue either an academic career teaching political theory or a government career in foreign policy.
What would you like to tell the donors who underwrote your Fellowship?
Knowing how seminal the Fellowship was for my own spiritual and intellectual formation as well as that of so many others— many of whom are already beginning to demonstrate leadership in the public square—I firmly believe that donating to the John Jay Institute is one of the best investments a Christian can make in the future cultural and political leaders of our society.
