English L'abri

In the buzz and busyness of life, it is important to make choices for ourselves and for those we love (especially our children!) to slow down, to carve out spaces for connection and healthy interactions, and foster a safe environment in which we can explore life's greatest questions, encounter dragons and villains, and develop a taste for goodness, beauty and truth. Subscribe at englishlabri.substack.com

Francis Schaeffer was a Christian apologist whose remarkable breadth of cultural interest and penetrating insights into modern life, led many to a profound spiritual reality. Hans Rookmaaker was an art historian whose Christian insights in art, music and culture had widespread influence. Both had vibrant personalities, striking charisma, and focused on how to engage with reality while creatively living out a relationship with God. For further reading:William Edgar, Schaeffer on the Christian LifeBryan A. Follis, Truth with Love: The Apologetics of Francis SchaefferColin Duriez, Francis Schaeffer: An Authentic LifeLinette Martin, Hans Rookmaaker: A BiographyLaurel Gasque, Art and the Christian Mind: The Life and Work of H.R.Rookmaaker Subscribe at englishlabri.substack.com

The aim of this lecture is to present a panorama of a movement born in our era called “transhumanism”. From computer scientists and tech experts to philosophers and theologians, transhumanist thinking has been spreading quickly as a belief system to various areas of life. My goal is to analyse their concept of singularity and its centrality as a driving force for their enterprise, offering a Christian response to the main themes developed by transhumanists. Subscribe at englishlabri.substack.com

Many traditional accounts of ethics focus on the concept of virtue, the cultivation of the self towards an elevating telos by shared practices in community. Since the advent of social media, there has been a remarkable transformation in our relationships and in the realities that lie at the heart of such ethics: self, character, community, and shared practices. Understanding how we are being changed will equip us to act more prudently. Subscribe at englishlabri.substack.com

This lecture will outline the principles and findings of the Integrated Character Project: a programme of psychological studies, biblical and theological reflection, and practical application. We will address the implications for Christian living, education, work life, and mental health. Subscribe at englishlabri.substack.com

Peter Merz offers an in-depth analysis of Homer's Odyssey as an invitation to explore the classics in general and discover their beauty and wisdom which has stood the test of time. Subscribe at englishlabri.substack.com

Interpersonal conflict is painful and yet confrontation is necessary if we are to have more than superficial relationships. What issues have to be addressed if we are to negotiate the minefield and a way that is profitable for them (and not necessarily for us). Subscribe at englishlabri.substack.com

The event of Christ’s Transfiguration is a more important one in the New Testament than we often appreciate. Properly understood, it gives us a key for reading the Bible as a whole. Subscribe at englishlabri.substack.com

Dorothy Sayers, a contemporary of C. S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkien and an unofficial "female Inkling," the literary coterie that gave birth to The Chronicles of Narnia and The Lord of the Rings. In this lecture, Dawn Merz explores her life, letters, and powerful, but often overlooked, contribution to Christian literature and thought. Subscribe at englishlabri.substack.com

Christian artists often struggle to integrate their faith with their artwork and end up with a sacred-secular split. We will look at an array of artworks to help us see what it looks like when we try to shut Christ out of a big part of our lives. This false dichotomy splits our hearts, and this problem is in no way limited to artists. Isaiah 29 and Colossians 2 will help us think about what it would look like for us to recapture the wonder of Christ working in our hearts with “wonder upon wonder” (Isaiah 29:14). Subscribe at englishlabri.substack.com

Our capacity to pay attention is central to human flourishing. A whole influential industry—powered by modern technology and our proximity to our smartphones—has been targeting our ability to attend in order to keep us hooked to their products and invest our time in a way that is profitable for them (and not necessarily for us). In this lecture, we will look at how the Attention Economy works, how it influences our lives, and how we can respond to it in a healthy way. Subscribe at englishlabri.substack.com

Andrew Fellows interacts with Abraham Heschel's book "The Sabbath" and builds a theology of rest by looking at how we interact with space and time. Subscribe at englishlabri.substack.com

Taking inspiration from Romans 12:2 about being transformed by renewing our minds, this lecture looks at the cult of busyness. Are Christians too busy? How do we cope in a world where we will never finish everything we have to do? How did Jesus manage all the demands on his time? Subscribe at englishlabri.substack.com

Prompted by recent interest in Dr. Rookmaaker’s work, Peter Smith reflects on the decade-long relationship he had with the art historian. Through personal meetings and letters from 1967 to 1977, what kind of influence did Rookmaaker have on a young painter and printmaker? How do we understand his legacy in today’s context? Did he open doors that we have yet to walk through? Subscribe at englishlabri.substack.com

In this lecture, Pat Harvey leads a whistle-stop tour of 20th-century French chanson. She surveys notable singers from the niche genre and introduces a few of their most well-known songs. Subscribe at englishlabri.substack.com

Andrew Fellows, former L'Abri worker, walks us through the development of modernity and proposes life in community as a buffer against the more negative aspects of modern life. Subscribe at englishlabri.substack.com

Many today feel uncertain about how to respond to a changing technological landscape. Having previously outlined a few rules for what technology is and how it behaves, this lecture explores what we should do about it and proposes a response that avoids the double dangers of fear and utopianism.A lecture given by Andy Patton (L'Abri Worker) at English L'Abri on 23 June, 2017. For more information, visit labri.org/england and for more L'Abri lectures, visit the L'Abri Ideas Library.For further reading:What Technology Wants (Kevin Kelly)Reclaiming Conversation (Sherry Turkle) Subscribe at englishlabri.substack.com

Many today feel uncertain about how to respond to a changing technological landscape. If neither technophobia nor technophoria are adequate responses, can we chart a middle way? This lecture outlines a few rules for what technology is, how it behaves, what we should do about it, and proposes a response that avoids the double dangers of fear and utopianism. A lecture given by Andy Patton (L'Abri Worker) at English L'Abri on 18 October, 2017. For more information, visit labri.org/england and for more L'Abri lectures, visit the L'Abri Ideas Library.For further reading:What Technology Wants (Kevin Kelly)Understanding Media (Marshall McLuhan)Technopoly (Neil Postman)The Technological Society (Jacques Ellul)The Singularity Is Near (Ray Kurzweil) Subscribe at englishlabri.substack.com

When asked what happened when Jesus was crucified, many Christians can give little more than short, pithy summaries: 'He was dying for our sins' or 'He was taking our punishment' or 'He was showing how much God loved us.' The Bible has more to say. As preparation for Good Friday, this lecture explores the deep terror and unspeakable comfort of the brutal execution at the heart of Christian faith.A lecture given by Phillip Johnston (L'Abri Worker) at English L'Abri on 23rd March, 2018. For more information, visit labri.org/england and for more L'Abri lectures, visit the L'Abri Ideas Library.For further exploration:Knowing Jesus Through the Old Testament (Christopher J.H. Wright)The New Testament and the People of God (N.T. Wright)The Crucifixion: Understanding the Death of Jesus Christ (Fleming Rutledge) Subscribe at englishlabri.substack.com

The culture is polarised—not just left and right but the centre and the periphery, the cosmopolitans and the provincials. This lecture will sketch some trajectories for where this might lead and consider what we should do about it.A lecture given by Marsh Moyle at English L'Abri on 16th March, 2018. For more information, visit labri.org/england and for more L'Abri lectures, visit the L'Abri Ideas Library. Subscribe at englishlabri.substack.com