I included a bit about this in Friday's Week in Review, but I wanted to give the topic its own post. Last week, I attended the 2010 Stone-Campbell Conference, an annual academic conference for colleges affiliated with the Stone-Campbell/Restoration Movement – Churches of Christ, Christian Churches, Disciples of Christ. It's organized by William Baker at Cincinnati Christian University, and several people had recommended that I make a connection with the event. I'm glad I did. I was struck by a few things: There … [Read more...] about Finding Community at Christian Academic Conferences
christian scholarship
Outrageous Idea 6: Building Academic Communities
The final chapter in George Marsden's The Outrageous Idea of Academic Communities Christian Scholarship [Oops! - Ed.] proposes that even the most impressive work of individual Christian scholars is not enough; Christian scholarship needs "a strong institutional base." Scholars, like everyone else, depend on communities. If like-minded academics do not form their own sub-communities, then they will be dependent entirely on the communities that already exist. These, of course, have little place for inquiry concerning … [Read more...] about Outrageous Idea 6: Building Academic Communities
Outrageous Idea 5: The Positive Contributions of Theological Context
Are there positive contributions to be offered by a theological context? George Marsden responds with a hearty yes. Why? Because he believes (or should I say thinks, understands, or perceives): Scholars do not operate in a vacuum, but rather within the frameworks of their communities, traditions, commitments, and beliefs. Their scholarship, even when specialized, develops within a larger picture of reality. So we must ask: What is in that larger picture? Is there a place for God? If so does God's … [Read more...] about Outrageous Idea 5: The Positive Contributions of Theological Context
Outrageous Idea 4: What difference could it possibly make?
In chapter 4 of The Outrageous Idea of Christian Scholarship, George Marsden asks, "What difference could 'Christian scholarship' possibly make?" He quotes a critical reviewer who wants to know whether Notre Dame teaches "Roman Catholic chemistry" or if Calvin offers "Presbyterian anthropology". Marsden answers with two suggestions: the analogy of a gestalt image, and the setting of scholarly agendas. Quick question: Has your scholarly agenda been shaped by your faith in Christ? Have you been drawn to particular … [Read more...] about Outrageous Idea 4: What difference could it possibly make?
ESN Book Club: The Outrageous Idea of Christian Scholarship
In June, we hosted our first ESN Book Club, an experiment in online book discussion and community based around John Stott's classic, Your Mind Matters. In October, we're going to host our 2nd ESN Book Club, this time discussing another classic, George Marsden's The Outrageous Idea of Christian Scholarship. In 1996, George Marsden published The Soul of the American University: From Protestant Establishment to Established Nonbelief, which traces the history of American universities from their origins as explicitly … [Read more...] about ESN Book Club: The Outrageous Idea of Christian Scholarship