From the Center

Hodges and Vowell discuss the liberal arts and their purpose. What happens to a civilization that loses its understanding of the liberal arts? Why should we return to them in our general education? Professors live for the "fire falling" of inspiration in the hearts of our students, but can it be taught? The loss of the doctrine of the image of God is connected to the loss of the love of the human (or even the definition of the human), and without the human, why study the Humanities?

Seems each side in political world has given up debate in favor of increased ire and insult. We don't think that this is that unusual -- political differences have often come to blows, even on the floor of congress, but what IS unusual is that some have argued that one's political opponents should not be allowed to have peaceful meals in public, or feel secure in their homes in private. What has changed to make this acceptable behavior in a civilized country? Hodges and Vowell describe a question from a Sunday night discussion, and consider the loss of civility from a Christian position.

If the material world is all there is, equal distribution of the world's resources, capital, wealth would make sense. But if material is all there is, where do we get the notion that redistribution is virtuous? And what about those who believe there IS a God? Can Christians embrace Socialism as a virtuous means to fulfill the call to care for the Poor? Why would Socialism be so attractive that so many would forget their arguments for diversity and embrace an old white guy? Hodges and Vowell wade into these and other questions.

"Be in but not of..." The Gospel requires a theological posture that embraces the culture as a single thing that is either influenced by Christians or is not - either is being seasoned with the salt of the Gospel or is not. There are two other approaches. We could form a Christian sub-culture removed from the rest of the world, OR we could offer a full embrace or capitulation to the culture, since there are so many elements that all people have in common. But can we love our culture enough to embrace it with love while also crossing its fallen will with the Truth?

Hodges and Vowell discuss the rise of Social Justice in the culture and in the Church, defining terms, and considering how it relates to the calling that Christians have to care for the poor, sick, and the widow.

We begin our second year of podcasts at the Center! This first episode introduces our new students: Emma Peebles, Kate Korasick, and Ben Thompson. Plus, Hodges and Vowell lay out the philosophy of education at the Center.

Director Hodges chats with Ken Myers at the Circe National Conference in Charleston, SC where they both were speaking. The two talk about the development and redefinition of Reason in the Modern world, since the 16th century, and how even the Church is more influenced by Modern thought than she realizes. Modern Rationalism is not so much the result of unbelieving philosophers, but Christian philosophers who departed from their biblical understanding.

Hodges and Vowell discuss how we communicate, and whether or not technology can limit our ability to communicate.

Hodges and Vowell use our culture's judgment of races as a jumping off point to discuss the place of and means by which judgment is a properly human activity.

Hodges and Vowell discuss the Revoice Conference to be held in late July, a conference to address how the Church can minister to those who are homosexually attracted but celibate. They raise and discuss the question of whether or not it is meaningful to speak of "Gay-Christians." Is there any prefix to "Christian" that contributes to the identity of a faithful believer? Is it meaningful to speak of an "adulterous Christian" or "kleptomaniac Christian"? Where exactly is the sin in sexual sin? Is it in the action but not the predisposition? Is homosexual attraction a sin? Or is it only a temptation? Is there a difference between attraction and temptation?