

English L'Abri
English L'Abri
Lectures old and new from workers and guest lecturers at English L'Abri, a residential study center and community open to guests seeking a welcoming place to ask life’s many questions. For more information, visit englishlabri.org englishlabri.substack.com
Episodes
Mentioned books

Jan 25, 2023 • 1h 24min
Smuggling Jesus Back Into the Church (Andrew Fellows)
Andrew shows readers how secularism has reshaped church culture, changing the way many Christians and churches live and worship without being noticed. Both provocative and practical, he challenges Christians to live with radical Christ-like distinctiveness that requires both reformation by the church and revival by the Holy Spirit.Purchase a copy of Andrew’s book here.Listen to and download recent lectures at englishlabri.org/podcast. For more resources, visit the L'Abri Ideas Library at labriideaslibrary.org. The library contains over one thousand lectures and discussions that explore questions about the reality and relevance of Christianity. We ask you to respect the copyright for this audio file which belongs to L’Abri Fellowship. Please note that views expressed in the lecture and discussion times do not necessarily represent the views of L’Abri Fellowship. 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

Jan 25, 2023 • 1h 33min
Defending Pluralism vs. Nurturing Solidarity? Speaking from Faith Without Destroying Society (Dr. Jonathan Chaplin)
Christians rightly argue for the legal protection of plural political visions and excessive regulatory bureaucratic constraints on both personal and institutional religious freedom. They do this pursuant to a theologically well-grounded commitment to religious toleration and a limited state. But how does this championing of pluralism relate to our equally compelling duty of solidarity with our fellow citizens, facing common human challenges and possibilities, needing cooperative action, and with whom we share the image of God? In an age when many claim religious grounds for extreme political positions, how can we defend religious pluralism without destroying society itself?Listen to and download recent lectures at englishlabri.org/podcast. For more resources, visit the L'Abri Ideas Library at labriideaslibrary.org. The library contains over one thousand lectures and discussions that explore questions about the reality and relevance of Christianity. We ask you to respect the copyright for this audio file which belongs to L’Abri Fellowship. Please note that views expressed in the lecture and discussion times do not necessarily represent the views of L’Abri Fellowship. 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

Jan 25, 2023 • 1h 33min
The Changing Purpose of Education through History (Peter Merz)
This lecture will explore the way that the purpose of education has changed through time and what this tells us about how societies have viewed reality and what it means to be human. The purpose of education has always been connected to the idea of human flourishing. This lecture will explore the theme of telos or purpose in education and what this tells us about the values and goals that various societies pursue.Listen to and download recent lectures at englishlabri.org/podcast. For more resources, visit the L'Abri Ideas Library at labriideaslibrary.org. The library contains over one thousand lectures and discussions that explore questions about the reality and relevance of Christianity. We ask you to respect the copyright for this audio file which belongs to L’Abri Fellowship. Please note that views expressed in the lecture and discussion times do not necessarily represent the views of L’Abri Fellowship. 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

Oct 19, 2022 • 1h 38min
Commitment: The joys of loving something in particular (Joel Barricklow)
In a culture that encourages us to explore and keep our options open, we've forgotten the joys to be found in radical acts of commitment to particular things–whether that be people, places, vocations, or even to a particular idea of the good life. Joel helps us understand what commitments are and how they function in our lives. He unpacks why it’s so difficult for us to commit in this cultural moment and then offers some thoughts on why it’s still worth trying as we look at the joys found in committing. Lastly, for those who are interested in attempting a committed life, he’ll want to offer a few simple ideas of how we might view commitment as an apprenticeship.Click here to download a brief outline of the lecture.Listen to and download recent lectures at englishlabri.org/podcast. For more resources, visit the L'Abri Ideas Library at labriideaslibrary.org. The library contains over one thousand lectures and discussions that explore questions about the reality and relevance of Christianity. We ask you to respect the copyright for this audio file which belongs to L’Abri Fellowship. Please note that views expressed in the lecture and discussion times do not necessarily represent the views of L’Abri Fellowship. 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

Oct 19, 2022 • 1h 36min
Deep Hospitality (Marsh Moyle)
Trust is the glue of a healthy social life. This lecture will reflect on how trust grows and how questions of identity disrupt the process. Listen to and download recent lectures at englishlabri.org/podcast. For more resources, visit the L'Abri Ideas Library at labriideaslibrary.org. The library contains over one thousand lectures and discussions that explore questions about the reality and relevance of Christianity. We ask you to respect the copyright for this audio file which belongs to L’Abri Fellowship. Please note that views expressed in the lecture and discussion times do not necessarily represent the views of L’Abri Fellowship. 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

Oct 19, 2022 • 1h 35min
Imaginative Discipleship: How imagination reveals and shapes our hearts (Caleb Woodbridge)
How does the renewal of our imaginations shape our Christian life and witness? How do we cultivate the renewal of our imaginations by the Spirit through the Word, for life in the world? This lecture explores the nature of the imagination and how it connects to the biblical theme of the heart, the importance of imaginative renewal for our discipleship, and suggests some steps we can take to help participate in God's redemption of our imaginations. Listen to and download recent lectures at englishlabri.org/podcast. For more resources, visit the L'Abri Ideas Library at labriideaslibrary.org. The library contains over one thousand lectures and discussions that explore questions about the reality and relevance of Christianity. We ask you to respect the copyright for this audio file which belongs to L’Abri Fellowship. Please note that views expressed in the lecture and discussion times do not necessarily represent the views of L’Abri Fellowship. 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

Oct 19, 2022 • 1h 28min
Breaking through the Iron Cage: Debunking modernity’s conceptual idols (Josué Reichow)
The German sociologist Max Weber used the term ‘iron cage’ to describe the modern project, founded on control and rationality. Modernity brought us a series of ideas that conceptualize reality as if we live in a closed universe (as Francis Schaeffer put it), where there is no real meaning and significance. This lecture will present some of modernity’s main concepts, challenging them from a Christian perspective. Listen to and download recent lectures at englishlabri.org/podcast. For more resources, visit the L'Abri Ideas Library at labriideaslibrary.org. The library contains over one thousand lectures and discussions that explore questions about the reality and relevance of Christianity. We ask you to respect the copyright for this audio file which belongs to L’Abri Fellowship. Please note that views expressed in the lecture and discussion times do not necessarily represent the views of L’Abri Fellowship. 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

Aug 1, 2022 • 1h 21min
Normal People? The Novels of Sally Rooney (Andrew Jones)
Sally Rooney is the 31 year old Irish Marxist author of 3 best selling novels—Conversation with Friends, Normal People and Beautiful World, Where Are You. Normal People was adapted into a hugely successful 12 part BBC series and a TV adaptation of Conversation with Friends is about to air this year. This lecture explores the worlds the novels create and reflect and why they resonate so deeply amongst many within the millennial generation. Listen to and download recent lectures at englishlabri.org/podcast. For more resources, visit the L'Abri Ideas Library at labriideaslibrary.org. The library contains over one thousand lectures and discussions that explore questions about the reality and relevance of Christianity. We ask you to respect the copyright for this audio file which belongs to L’Abri Fellowship. Please note that views expressed in the lecture and discussion times do not necessarily represent the views of L’Abri Fellowship. 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

Jul 30, 2022 • 1h 46min
Living in Harmony: What music can teach us about community (Jonno Saunders)
Everyone wants to live in harmony. But what does it mean? Harmony is a musical term, and in music it’s about relationships, unity and diversity, and dealing with (or accepting) dissonance. We explore what music has to teach us about community life. Listen carefully!Listen to and download recent lectures at englishlabri.org/podcast. For more resources, visit the L'Abri Ideas Library at labriideaslibrary.org. The library contains over one thousand lectures and discussions that explore questions about the reality and relevance of Christianity. We ask you to respect the copyright for this audio file which belongs to L’Abri Fellowship. Please note that views expressed in the lecture and discussion times do not necessarily represent the views of L’Abri Fellowship. 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

Jul 29, 2022 • 1h 36min
Who do people say I am? The representations of Christ in cinema (Arthur Metz)
The fact that Jesus Christ has been represented over 150 times in cinema shows us how much this question still moves us: "Who do people say I am?” This lecture shows how the representations of Jesus in cinema speak more about cinema than about Christ himself, as well as how our own views about Jesus can speak more about us than about Christ himself.Listen to and download recent lectures at englishlabri.org/podcast. For more resources, visit the L'Abri Ideas Library at labriideaslibrary.org. The library contains over one thousand lectures and discussions that explore questions about the reality and relevance of Christianity. We ask you to respect the copyright for this audio file which belongs to L’Abri Fellowship. Please note that views expressed in the lecture and discussion times do not necessarily represent the views of L’Abri Fellowship. 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