InterVarsity's Emerging Scholars Network
What novel or series of novels provides “windows” to your life, family, community / communities, and / or vocation? Have you (and / or some of your friends) been invited by the Lord to “come home” through a novelist? What is unique about a novel written through the lens of a well-developed Christian perspective on daily life?Read more…
In an essay on Dietrich Bonhoeffer, [Marilynne] Robinson declared that “great theology is always a kind of giant and intricate poetry, like epic or saga. . . .”Read more…
Join me in pressing into the call to hunger and thirst for the Lord (individually and as part of the people of God in a particular place) in the mundane of study, vocation, and practice.Read more…
With summer unfolding, I thought that it would be good to go the direction of Read…Quote…Reflect, beginning with a series on “Balm in Gilead: A Theological Dialogue with Marilynne Robinson” – an InterVarsity Press publication resulting from the 2018 Wheaton Theology Conference.Read more…
“While we should enjoy God’s good creation, and while we should make the most of our time here, this is not our final destination.” — Paul Louis Metzger, The Gospel of John: When Love Comes to Town Read more…
What is my main takeaway for those of us in the context of higher ed? Royce’s conclusion summarizes the book’s call to prayer, knowing and learning from immigrant neighbors, serving, giving, educating our churches and communities/advocacy, and addressing the root issues. Read more…
This final chapter is a call to action, recommending several possible ways you as a Christian can become involved in the immigration dilemma.Read more…
This week, our subject is Chapter 9 of Welcoming the Stranger, “Immigration and the Church Today.” Read more…
I have long thought that the only reason this issue is not more forcefully addressed is because immigration affects “those people,” and that the politicians families and friends are not affected.Read more…
Adam’s admission of his own construction of a one-dimensional image of leadership—the most effective leader being a high-paced, always outward-oriented extrovert—is something I personally resonate with as an introvert, and I believe all leaders and leaders-in-training should reckon with and seek to correct.Read more…
I appreciate that Soerens and Yang do not make economic claims central to their book, but I also appreciate that they have examined some of the most common economic claims related to immigration. Read more…
While in Chapter 5 Soerens and Yang discuss what the Bible says about “welcoming the stranger,” in this chapter they present some of the concerns that many have when it comes to extending more generous immigration policy.Read more…
The long and short of Chapter 5 is that God takes special concern for the foreigner and stranger because of their unique vulnerability.Read more…
As we try to understand the issues surrounding immigration, sometimes the complexities of the US immigration system can seem hard to follow. Today, Royce offers a clear and approachable description, drawing on Welcoming the Stranger. Read more…
Your thoughts, emotions, and responsible actions will not be simple, because you do not face simplicity. We face complexity. And God is asking you to exercise discernment as you follow him into responsible action as we face this moment in our nation.Read more…
Chapter 2 focuses on answering the question “Who are the immigrants among us?” Despite being a nation of immigrants, it is very clear from our public conversations that relatively few Americans have meaningful relationships with recent immigrants. Read more…
Since much of Welcoming the Stranger, Chapter 1 is reflective, I will take some time to reflect and describe why I am hopeful about discussing this immigration publicly with fellow believers and others.Read more…
Last week we introduced a new series by Royce Francis, an associate professor at George Washington University and an ESN author. Today Royce shares his thoughts on the IVP book Welcoming the Stranger, and gives a training update as he prepares to run the Baltimore Half Marathon for World Relief. Read more…
The news around migration to the US over the past few months has been engrossing, and I felt I could no longer remain silent. My engagement with this issue this time around started last year at the InterVarsity Northeastern Regional Faculty Conference.Read more…
The uniqueness of Winsome Persuasion is that it helps readers prepare to engage by laying the theoretical foundation for understanding what constitutes a counterpublic (section 1), discovering the rhetorical and philosophical tools necessary for engagement (section 2), and wrestling with issues specific to Christian counterpublics (section 3).Read more…
A taste of the Christian academic vocation and the greenhouse community as described in “Restoring the Soul of the University.”Read more…
Introduction to “A Subversive Gospel: Flannery O’Connor and the Reimagining of Beauty, Goodness, and Truth” by Michael Mears Bruner (InterVarsity Press, 2017).Read more…
Let us turn to Scripture each day as we take next steps in serving the Lord in higher education.Read more…
If you’re headed to the American Scientific Affiliation 2017 Annual Meeting, join ESN for the following events. Even if you’re not able to go, we would deeply appreciate your prayers. Hope to see many of you there!Read more…