Campus and Student Life
What happens when students from diverse cultural and faith backgrounds engage with biblical texts and create art based on their understanding of it?
Early childhood education students of Excelsia recently produced a remarkable collection of dioramas that brought Christian faith to life. Crafted as part of their formation units, these dioramas were more than just assessments. They represented student learning journeys of the Bible that explored ethics, worldviews and purpose.
Pragati Sapkota, a Bachelor of Early Childhood Education student whose work was part of the display, grew up in a Hindu culture and had limited exposure to Christianity before commencing her studies.
‘My perspective changed as I understood that Jesus’ teachings are not only religious texts but also valuable life lessons about kindness, service, and humility,’ she said.
Her diorama touched upon key themes from the Gospel of Luke. The trinity reflected the nature of God, the broken stone tomb symbolised salvation, and scenes of day and night portrayed renewal and God’s continuing presence.
For Pragati, the experience also highlighted important links between faith-integrated learning and her future career.
‘Jesus showed compassion, patience, and care for others, especially children and the vulnerable. It encouraged me to think about how I can create a respectful and inclusive environment as an educator.’
Her most significant takeaway was the theme of hope. ‘The resurrection story taught me that difficult situations can lead to new beginnings and that hope persists even during challenging times.’
Connecting values to vocation
For Sargam Thapa, also an education student, the playdough diorama contrasting worldly and godly values is his personal favourite.
Sargam’s work depicted modern forms of idolatry, including money, status, technology and power, juxtaposed with Christian virtues of love, self-control and service, inspired by themes from Romans verses 14–15.
‘The bridge represents our calling as educators, where we choose to act ethically despite these influences,’ he explained.
Sargam’s personal journey spans multiple faiths, having been born into a Hindu family, educated in a Buddhist school, and later embracing Christianity. This multi-denominational background enriched his engagement with the unit.
‘What I really valued was the inclusive environment where students could freely share their unique perspectives.’
Through meaningful conversations with classmates from diverse backgrounds, he discovered how different worldviews can still form a connection through shared humane values. ‘This helped me reflect on the idea that no one is judged differently by God for their beliefs. Instead, we are encouraged to treat others with empathy always.’
For Sargam, it was an eye-opening experience that taught him the importance of respecting diversity and ensuring every individual feels valued.
‘I thought I understood my direction in life, especially after beginning to explore Christianity more personally. But through this unit, I realised there was a lot more to learn in terms of life’s purposes.’
The experience deepened his understanding of vocation. ‘It reinforced for me that work and vocation are closely connected to personal values. Teaching is not just a job, but something that is shaped by how we live, think and care for others in everyday life.’
A truly diverse learning community
What made these artefacts particularly meaningful was that a majority of students were like Pragati and Sargam, coming from a mix of faiths other than Christianity, which meant that this was their first deep tryst with the Bible.
While these students began the semester with little familiarity with Christian teachings, they increasingly discovered themes that resonated with their traditions and backgrounds through regular discussions and activities.
At the heart of the Excelsia experience lies holistic character formation and development. The formation units encourage students to question and reflect upon biblical ideas that shape both personal and professional life.
Students learn about the life and ministry of Jesus, the meaning of the Gospel, Christian ethics and practice, with the primary texts in this unit being the Gospel of Luke and Book of Romans. Rather than simply reading through biblical verses, students interpret them contextually by connecting the scripture to their culture and future professions.
One of the central questions explored was: ‘who is Jesus?’
The dioramas enabled students to communicate their understanding through visual storytelling and critical reflection.
Excelsia graduate attributes in action
Thomas Philip, lecturer in education at Excelsia, noted that students moved beyond theory to examine intercultural questions and compare biblical perspectives with contemporary social challenges.
‘Each artefact was accompanied by written reflections, encouraging students to connect their creative work with academic referencing and analysis. Through this unit, students exemplified the graduate attribute of Christian Ethical Action, which encourages the application of Christian values to personal and professional life.’
Excelsia is committed to developing graduates who are not only academically capable, but ethically grounded and globally aware. The project also showcased other key graduate attributes, including:
- Critical analysis through respectful engagement with diverse perspectives and thoughtful interpretation of texts and ideas.
- Effective communication through visual storytelling and written reflection.
Both Pragati and Sargam concur that this unique exercise helped them step out of comfort zones and engage with unfamiliar ideas, finding connections between faith, culture and vocation.
‘I would encourage other students to approach the unit with curiosity, even if you come from a different cultural background,’ added Pragati.
Sargam’s advice for students starting this unit is: ‘Stay open-minded and take time to reflect deeply on the activities. The more you connect them to your own life experiences, the more meaningful the learning becomes.’
