The International Center for Religion and Diplomacy attempts to reduce violence by engaging the religious ideas behind the violence. While most American policymakers ignore religion, Douglas Johnston enters into madrassas and uses the teachings of their indigenous religion to generate respect for human rights, womens’ rights, and religious tolerance. This lecture was given as part of the Gospel & Culture Lecture series featuring Douglas M. Johnston.
Type: Talk
Culture As Liturgy
Christians engaged in cultural renewal need to be cognizant of how cultural practices viscerally shape our desires. We are shaped by the cultural spaces we inhabit and the cultural habits we practice. Unless we realize what subliminal messages these cultural liturgies are sending, we will be unaware that they are drawing our hearts to an alternative and un-Christian vision of the Kingdom. This lecture was given as part of the Gospel & Culture Lecture series featuring James K.A. Smith.
Marketplace As Social Justice
Challenging the Darkness – Towards a New Christian Renaissance; QandA
As we discuss how the church can engage an increasingly post-Christian culture in the west, it is helpful to take a step back from our own times and historically examine how Christianity has dealt with cultures that seemed implacably opposed to it. Christianity was never expected to convert the Roman empire; nor was it expected to convert the barbarian tribes after Rome fell. Yet, it both cases it succeeded despite the odds. Similarly today, Christians must hold onto hope for a revival in the modern west. This lecture was given as part of the Gospel & Culture Lecture series featuring Os Guinness.
Challenging the Darkness – Towards a New Christian Renaissance
As we discuss how the church can engage an increasingly post-Christian culture in the west, it is helpful to take a step back from our own times and historically examine how Christianity has dealt with cultures that seemed implacably opposed to it. Christianity was never expected to convert the Roman empire; nor was it expected to convert the barbarian tribes after Rome fell. Yet, it both cases it succeeded despite the odds. Similarly today, Christians must hold onto hope for a revival in the modern west. This lecture was given as part of the Gospel & Culture Lecture series featuring Os Guinness.
Justice and Mercy
The ministry of justice and mercy connects Christians to the needs of the whole city. This talk looks at the biblical definition of justice and how it looks to carry this out practically at a church. This talk was originally given as training for lay leaders at Redeemer Presbyterian Church.
Natural Law, God, and Human Dignity (QandA)
Natural law theorists believe that since all humans are made in the image of God, every person possesses irreducible capacities for rationality, freedom, and moral discernment. Natural law theorists argue that these shared natural capacities can function as a common language between Christians and non-Christians as all of us try to make sense of life’s most difficult questions. This lecture was given as part of the Gospel & Culture Lecture series featuring Robert George.
Natural Law, God, and Human Dignity
Natural law theorists believe that since all humans are made in the image of God, every person possesses irreducible capacities for rationality, freedom, and moral discernment. Natural law theorists argue that these shared natural capacities can function as a common language between Christians and non-Christians as all of us try to make sense of life’s most difficult questions. This lecture was given as part of the Gospel & Culture Lecture series featuring Robert George.
Art Matters for God’s Sake
Art is of enormous consequence. It can transform our world. Art can give us hope when the world seems hopeless. Art provides us with stories through which we make sense of the world. Yet, despite these artistic gifts, artists often go unnoticed by our society. For the Christian artist, their calling is ultimately not to success but to faithfulness to God. This lecture was given as part of the Gospel & Culture Lecture series featuring Dr. Adrienne Chaplin.
