A friend who works in campus ministry asked me for advice recently. He had heard about a difficult situation at another university and was wondering what I would say to the student: There is a student in a philosophy class here, where the professor is incredibly disrespectful towards Christians. How do you usually encourage your students to respond, and what advice do you usually give them? It appears there are not many Christians in the class, and if there are, they all laugh at the professor and go along with … [Read more...] about How Should Students Respond to Anti-Christian Professors?
How Are Faculty and Students “Blessed to Be a Blessing?”
Three weeks ago, I began taking the Perspectives on the World Christian Movement course at my church. Founded in 1974 and organized by the US Center for World Mission, Perspectives explores “the biblical, historical, cultural, and strategic dimensions of world evangelization.” It's a required course for many people joining the missions field, and it seemed like a good follow-up to Urbana 12, as well as a good way to get to know some new people at my church and in my community. We're currently in the biblical … [Read more...] about How Are Faculty and Students “Blessed to Be a Blessing?”
Is Bible Belt Christianity Relevant to Christians in Academia?
Last week, as I began my review of Omri Elisha's Moral Ambition, I quoted a line that resonated strongly with me: Here in the Bible Belt, going to church doesn't make you a Christian any more than going to McDonald's makes you a hamburger. In the comments to my post, however, not everyone agreed about the strength of this sound bite. As I've reflected on the conversation, I've wondered if the difference in understanding is related to a difference in context —specifically, the difference between hearing the line in the … [Read more...] about Is Bible Belt Christianity Relevant to Christians in Academia?
Omri Elisha: The Moral Ambition of Evangelical Christians
Last year, I began a series reviewing academic perspectives on evangelical Christians, beginning with James Bielo's Words Upon the Word and T.M. Luhrmann's When God Talks Back. I'm picking up this series again with Moral Ambition: Mobilization and Social Outreach in Evangelical Megachurches by Queens College anthropologist Omri Elisha. Elisha's work came highly recommended by two trusted sources. First, friend-of-ESN and occasional guest blogger Kevin Birth suggested I review Moral Ambition when I asked for … [Read more...] about Omri Elisha: The Moral Ambition of Evangelical Christians
What I Remembered at Urbana 12
Last month's Urbana 12 taught me a few things —for example, on a panel of three people, it takes a long time for each panel member to answer each question from the audience. The more important lessons, though, were reminders more than anything else. Three lessons, in particular, have been helpful to me as I've been processing God's messages to me through Urbana 12. http://vimeo.com/56574579 Every person serves God in a unique way. There is no one career that all Christians have to follow. Since I've been going to … [Read more...] about What I Remembered at Urbana 12