Maybe you’ve wondered this too: how does my faith relate to my scholarship? It might be easy to affirm with the Apostle Paul that “in him [Christ] all things hold together” (Colossians 1:17, NIV). But too often, the assumptions in Western twenty-first century culture about what counts as a fact Read more…
Christopher Watkin’s new book, Biblical Critical Theory: How the Bible’s Unfolding Story Makes Sense of Modern Life and Culture, is receiving significant attention. I see it mentioned regularly in blog posts (like this one), email newsletters, and at academic and ministry conferences. With a Foreword by the late Timothy Keller, it’s Read more…
Last week, the most recent Postgrad Initiative email was sent out which introduced the idea of “Cultural Apologetics for Academia.” “Cultural apologetics” as opposed to traditional apologetics was framed as “showing how academics in all disciplines can introduce the gospel in a winsome way.” This quote from Collin Hansen was included in Read more…
My dear postgrad friends, We are quickly approaching the end of this academic year, according to our secular educational calendars. In our church calendar, we’ve just celebrated the cosmos-redeeming feast of Easter. And now we also come to this final installment of our reflections this year on the relationship between Read more…
Dear Toby/i, I’ve been thinking about the off-hand comment you made in our seminar last week – when you exclaimed (I think, in frustration with how personally challenging you’re finding the material we were discussing) that your beloved subject matter has become far more complex and nuanced than you ever Read more…
Dear Martin/e, This academic year, I’ve been reflecting with you on the topic of questions when it comes to the life of a Christian engaged in postgraduate studies. I’ve been working with the assumption that I hear from many Christian postgrads that there is a perceived tension between faith and Read more…
Happy New Year Paul/ette! Thank you for your courage in our seminar today! Many eager and anxious students are quick to speak up about what they think they know with certainty. You were braver today in giving voice among your peers about your questions! In fact, as I’ve come to Read more…
Dear Stephan/ie, Your question is such a good one: What difference does it make to my studies that I’m a Christian? I have also found that many churches (and even Christian ministries to students) assume that the only points of contact between scholarship and faith are evangelism and morality. But, yes, Read more…
Dear Robert/a, I’m so glad you came to see me in my office yesterday. It was good to hear how the year is going for you. It was also good to see your courage on display – it’s not easy to approach your professor with questions like the ones you’re Read more…
Dear Christian Graduate Student, In my last post, I encouraged you to begin the academic year with a sense of adventure when it comes to the research questions you entertain, formulate, and pursue. We can have freedom to be academically curious because we live in God’s Creation and Jesus calls Read more…