As we approach the end of another contentious election cycle, it would be easy to be discouraged, dismayed, or disappointed in the discord and disunity of our country. But as Christians living and working in academic spaces, we may be uniquely equipped to navigate division and political paralysis as we seek to individually and corporately restore civility in our country. Specifically, the posture of intellectual humility, the process for empirical argumentation, and the practice of intellectual debate can be valuable … [Read more...] about Postures, Processes, and Practices to Overcome Political Paralysis
Public Intellectuals
ESN Conversations This Fall
We're so excited about the fall lineup of ESN Conversations! If you haven't registered already, take a look at tomorrow's webinar with Elaine Howard Ecklund, and please browse the rest of the lineup below. September 15, 1 pm (US Eastern Time): Elaine Howard Ecklund, Why Science and Faith Need Each Other Register here: http://tinyurl.com/eecklund One area where Christians can be peacemakers is in building good conversations that bridge between communities of faith and communities of science. Drawing on her … [Read more...] about ESN Conversations This Fall
Highlighting Community: Apply for the Harvey Fellowship
ESN likes to share opportunities for Christian scholars. Today a friend in the Harvey Fellowship program describes her experience and invites ESN members to apply. After I graduated from a rigorous Christian college, I thought I knew a thing or two about the integration of faith and learning. Without a doubt, my alma mater gave me an excellent start. But since graduation my journey as a follower of Christ and as an academic has been most powerfully shaped by my experience as a Harvey Fellow. I was fortunate to … [Read more...] about Highlighting Community: Apply for the Harvey Fellowship
Writing Exercises My Respect Muscles (Writing As a Spiritual Discipline Series)
“Respect, I think, always implies imagination—the ability to see one another, across our inevitable differences, as living souls.” (Wendell Berry, The Art of the Commonplace) In South Africa where I lived for many years, the basic “hello” greeting, sawubona, translates literally, “I see you.” In this mundane greeting, people declare to each other a tiny reminder that “I see you as a human, and I respect you.” Writing offers an opportunity to say the same: “I see you; I respect you.” In writing, we slow down long … [Read more...] about Writing Exercises My Respect Muscles (Writing As a Spiritual Discipline Series)
Reimagining the Sacred & the Cool: A Literary Symposium (Highlighting Community)
Missing Books and Culture? Want to have awesome conversations about literature and faith? Wishing you could hang out in a cool Christian study center this spring? Our friends at Upper House, a Christian study center in Madison, Wisconsin, have a way to address all three of those longings. John Wilson of Books and Culture will be a panel moderator at Upper House's literary symposium on April 7, an event designed to gather Christians across the region for thoughtful conversations in an amazing space. Browse … [Read more...] about Reimagining the Sacred & the Cool: A Literary Symposium (Highlighting Community)