Emerging Scholars Blog

InterVarsity's Emerging Scholars Network

2014 Ancient Evangelical Future Conference

Surrounded by “Mere Believers”

William Wilberforce defined Christian as “a pilgrim travelling on business through a strange country.” — Marc Baer

Among “Mere Believers” in the hallways of Trinity School for Ministry. Note: A full picture of this panel below.

Last week when registering for the 2014 Ancient Evangelical Future Conference at Trinity School for Ministry, I found myself surrounded by the testimony of many who have gone before us in Christ, including “Mere Believers” who I have enjoyed getting to know better through the work of Marc Baer (author interview). I confess that it has been quite some time since I visited Trinity School for Ministry and I was “moved” when entering this public display of “so great a cloud of witnesses” who cheer us as we press on with the race set before us in Christ Jesus our Lord (Hebrews 11-12). As I stepped into a stream of the history of the people of God, I was reminded that I am but “a dwarf standing on the shoulders of giants”. To God be the glory!

The picture to the right is part of a panel which gives attention to four who blazed the trail before us, including Hannah More and William Wilberforce. Marc’s chapter on Hannah More (1745-1833) in Mere Believers: How Eight Faithful Lives Changed the Course of History (Wipf and Stock, 2013) begins: [Read more…] about Surrounded by “Mere Believers”

James K.A. Smith on “Liturgical Discipleship”

James K.A. Smith, professor of philosophy at Calvin College, addresses quetions regarding Liturgical Discipleship: Worship as the Center of Spiritual Formation. Moderator: Joel Scandrett, Director of the Robert E. Webber Center.

Discipleship, becoming Christ-like, empowered by the Spirit to image God to the world is not magic. Nor is it merely intellectual. It’s a matter of re-forming our loves, re-narrativing our identities, re-habituating our virtue. And that is centered in the practices of the people of God gathered by the Spirit around Christ’s Word and the table.

Love takes practice. Worship is our gymnasium. . . .

— Conclusion to James K.A. Smith’s presentation Liturgical Discipleship: Worship as the Center of Spiritual Formation at the 2014 Ancient Evangelical Future Conference (Theme: As We Worship, So We Believe: How Christian Worship Forms Christian Faith).

The 2014 Ancient Evangelical Future Conference, hosted by the Robert E. Webber Center at Trinity School for Ministry (Ambridge, PA), was a significant opportunity to

  • wrestle with As We Worship, So We Believe: How Christian Worship Forms Christian Faith – personally and with respect to the various communities with which I am connected
  • explore the development of A Theology for Higher Education for ESN
  • expand/deepen the Emerging Scholars Network (and our budding partnerships)
  • envision more of the framing of ESN’s Devotionals for/by Academics.

James K.A. Smith’s presentation on Liturgical Discipleship: Worship as the Center of Spiritual Formation (Youtube, ~ 1 hour) struck a deep chord and I am still giving it prayerful consideration. I encourage you to meditate upon it in preparation for the Lord’s Day. To God be the glory!

A few questions . . . [Read more…] about James K.A. Smith on “Liturgical Discipleship”

As We Worship, So We Believe on Anglican TV

Desire to follow the 2014 Ancient Evangelical Future Conference on As We Worship, So We Believe: How Christian Worship Forms Christian Faith, but unable to attend? No problem. You can find a number of the keynotes from the Robert E. Webber Center conference(s) on Anglican TV. In addition, lots of other resources on Anglican TV, including material by N.T. Wright. I encourage you to check it out 🙂

I’m really looking forward to seeing (even meeting for the first time) a few members of the Emerging Scholars Network at the conference AND connecting with a number of friends from my years in ‘da Burgh! I’ve already started to do such. Furthermore, I think my colleague and friend Paul may have just introduced me to a new member for ESN 🙂

Back to the conference where Edith Humphrey (PhD, McGill University), the William F. Orr Professor of New Testament at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, has just begun to address The Lord is for the Body: Matter and Epiphany in Christian Worship. To God be the glory!

[Read more…] about As We Worship, So We Believe on Anglican TV

“Christian Faculty Mentoring Students” Resources

When Kelly Arispe first dreamed of becoming a professor, she hoped to follow in the footsteps of the mentors who had so deeply enriched her own college experience. . . .  — From Beyond Academics: Kelly Arispe and Spanish Linguistics

Christian Faculty Mentoring Students and Beyond Academics: Kelly Arispe and Spanish Linguistics are two of several excellent resources for Faculty Ministry. As you may guess, I’m really excited about the growing bank of resources focused on gathering students and faculty together. Yes, another subtle plug for what has been referred to as Dinner Table Conversations 🙂

Read, share, discuss, brainstorm on summer/fall gatherings for conversation/storytelling/mentoring. . . .

For additional material visit Faculty Ministry Resources and the Faculty tag at The Well. If you have similar stories to share from your campus, please visit Faculty Ministry Writers’ Guidelines and Write for Us (The Well).

PS. I’m on a road trip to As We Worship, So We Believe: How Christian Worship Forms Christian Faith. I can’t wait not only for the presentations, but for the Dinner Table Conversations (especially meeting on-line friends in person) at the 2014 Ancient Evangelical Future Conference (6/5-6, Trinity School for Ministry, Ambridge, PA). AND writing about them. To God be the glory!