English L'Abri

Contemporary sociologists argue that the way we see the world is socially created within cultures. “Girls wear pink and boys wear blue,” for example, is not a universal law but something created within twentieth-century Western culture through discourse around what it means to be male and female. If reality is socially created, then it can be recreated. But is this true of all of reality? Can gender, religion, morality, and even our own humanness be shaped and reshaped as we choose? A lecture given by Jim Paul (L'Abri Worker) at English L'Abri on 22 September, 2017. For more information, visit labri.org/england and for more L'Abri lectures, visit the L'Abri Ideas Library. For further reading:The Social Construction of Reality (Peter Berger and Thomas Luckmann)The Abolition of Man (C.S. Lewis) This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit englishlabri.substack.com

The third and final talk from our summer day conference on the Bible. Printed materials from the event are available at this link. This is a partial recording of a longer, interactive session.For further study, visit Myrtlefield House for a very useful source for ideas about reading the Bible as literature. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit englishlabri.substack.com

The second of three talks from our summer day conference on the Bible. Printed materials from the event are available at this link.For further study:Jesus and the Eyewitnesses (Richard Bauckham)How We Got the Bible (Neil R. Lightfoot)The New Testament Documents: Are They Reliable? (F. F. Bruce)The Historical Reliability of the Gospels (Craig Blomberg) This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit englishlabri.substack.com

The first of three talks from our summer day conference on the Bible. Printed materials from the event are available at this link.For further study:Scripture and the Authority of God (N.T. Wright)Words of Life: Scripture as the Living and Active Word of God (Timothy Ward)Knowing Jesus Through the Old Testament (Christopher J.H. Wright)Additionally, you can find the two videos from The Bible Project played during this talk at the links below:"What is the Bible?""The Story of the Bible" This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit englishlabri.substack.com

Saint Augustine once wrote, 'For when we ask whether someone is a good man, we are not asking what he believes, or hopes, but what he loves.’ This lecture explores the primacy of love in the Christian life by encouraging the cultivation of a love for God which deepens our enjoyment of God’s good gifts.A lecture given by Phillip Johnston (L'Abri Worker) at English L'Abri on 4 August, 2017. For more information, visit labri.org/england and for more L'Abri lectures, visit the L'Abri Ideas Library. For further reading:You Are What You Love: The Spiritual Power of Habit (James K.A. Smith)Making Sense of God: An Invitation to the Sceptical (Tim Keller), particularly the fourth chapter, ‘A Satisfaction That is Not Based on Circumstances’The Confessions (St. Augustine)’The Making of Modernity’ (Andrew Fellows), available at the L'Abri Ideas Library This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit englishlabri.substack.com

The present time is filled with an incredible amount of options in practically every aspect of life. Our job is to choose—to exercise our abilities to understand, analyse, and decide. This lecture discusses how we arrived at a time of such abundant choice and explores the consequences of this reality for our daily lives.A lecture given by Lili Reichow (L'Abri Worker) at English L'Abri on 30 July, 2017. For more information, visit labri.org/england and for more L'Abri lectures, visit the L'Abri Ideas Library.For further reading:The Tyranny of Choice (Renata Salecl)The Paradox of Choice (Barry Schwartz) This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit englishlabri.substack.com

The modern world is desperate to live and to die. Medicine has never been more able to prolong and protect life, yet many are equally determined to end their lives. This lecture explores the effects of psychological trauma on a person’s relationship to life and death, the place of shame in suicide and self-harm, and what can be done to help those who are suffering.A lecture given by Tom Smiley (Clinical Psychologist) at English L'Abri on 21 July, 2017. For more information, visit labri.org/england and for more L'Abri lectures, visit the L'Abri Ideas Library. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit englishlabri.substack.com

This lecture focuses on the circumstances that gave rise to the #BlackLivesMatter movement, as well as the American evangelical church’s response to both the racial climate of the USA and the Black Lives Matter movement.A lecture given by Mary McCampbell (Assosciate Professor of Humanities, Lee University, USA) at English L'Abri on 14 July, 2017. For more information, visit labri.org/england and for more L'Abri lectures, visit the L'Abri Ideas Library. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit englishlabri.substack.com

Having previously explored the Dutch Christian philosopher Herman Dooyeweerd's context, critique of modernity, and philosophical anthropology, this lecture discusses his understanding of Western cultural development with a particular focus on his unique philosophy of history and concept of the religious ground motive.A lecture given by Josué Reichow (L'Abri Worker) at English L'Abri on 7 July, 2017. For more information, visit labri.org/england and for more L'Abri lectures, visit the L'Abri Ideas Library. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit englishlabri.substack.com

The philosopher Alvin Plantinga recently wrote, “There is superficial conflict but deep concord between science and theistic religion, but superficial concord and deep conflict between science and naturalism.” Both Christianity and Judaism rely on Biblical passages to describe the way God acts in the world. This lecture develops an approach to reading these texts that is generally in line with Plantinga’s insight.A lecture given by C. John "Jack" Collins at English L'Abri on 30 June, 2017. Jack Collins is Professor of Old Testament at Covenant Theological Seminary in St. Louis, Missiouri (USA).For further reading:The God of Miracles: An Exegetical Examination of God's Action in the World (C. John Collins)Where the Conflict Really Lies: Science, Religion, and Naturalism (Alvin Plantinga) This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit englishlabri.substack.com