English L'Abri

The creation has been groaning since the events of Genesis chapter 3, yet for much of the church's history, scant regard seems to have been paid to the duty that God's people might have to alleviate non-human dysfunction. What notable exceptions can we celebrate, and what is our calling today?  In a culture declaring a "climate emergency", how now should we live? This lecture shares a personal perspective and invites insights from others.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

The central aim of this lecture is to reflect on the impact of major culture shifts in the last century—namely, the emergence of gender studies, the affective revolution and the advent of computer technology—on the way dating and relationships are perceived and experienced.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

Health and well-being have been popular topics of books, research and dinner table conversations in the recent decades. Although it is true that humans have exercised and practiced sports since ancient times, our contemporary society seems to have a very high interest in how to best treat our bodies to improve our lives. In this lecture, we will look at this topic from a Christian perspective, aiming to understand its roots and motivations, and what the biblical view of our bodies has to say about it.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

The return to the biblical text in England from the late sixteenth century challenged the then current expectations of masculine behaviour. The lecture discusses this, and argues that it continues to be an important (and neglected) source for a more rounded masculinity in contemporary culture.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

Francis Schaeffer was a church man. He pastored three churches in the States before going to Europe and founded a church in Switzerland before he started L'Abri. Several of his books focused on the church, including his last, The Great Evangelical Disaster. What were his concerns for the church, both the local congregation and the wider evangelical movement, and how have those played out nearly forty years after his death?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

Debates around race and racism have become increasingly polarised, both in the church and in our wider society. How can we as Christians think well about race? How can we engage in the current conversations about racial justice in a way that is thoughtful, biblical, compassionate, and humble?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

In almost any category—social status, education, life experience, economic resources, influence—being lowly (humble) is a disadvantage. And yet, from a biblical perspective, being humble is a very good thing. In the previous lecture, we explored how acknowledging our humble position opens us up to receiving what we need. This lecture clarifies what it means to choose to lower ourselves before another and explores why that would be good—for them or us. You can find a handout to this lecture 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

In a recent survey of scientists around the world, the majority of scientists experienced awe in the lab, at least several times a year. Ruth delves into the experience of awe, looking at the experience of Christians both in and outside of the sciences, as well as scientists with other worldviews. Awe often leads to worship, so she also looks at how science can fuel Christian worship in helpful ways.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

Shame has had consistently bad press in the popular psychology world. At the same time we see shame being widely used as a tool of social control, mostly online.  With Te-Le Lau, in his book Defending Shame, Richard compares contemporary ideas of shame with Graeco-Roman, Chinese, and Judeo-Christian ideas.  We will explore the relationship of shame to guilt and the possibility of healthy and unhealthy shame.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

Going to Sunday School was a familiar routine for many of us in our childhoods, but when Sunday Schools began in the late 18th century they were both radical and controversial. Their meteoric growth over the next 50 years on both sides of the Atlantic opened up opportunities for women to contribute to Christian education and had a transformative effect on many poor communities. Can the history of the Sunday School movement teach us any lessons regarding Christian social engagement today?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