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C. S. Lewis and Spirituality with Alister McGrath

To hear the podcast click here.

Alister McGrath is a famous theologian.  He has lectured several times at the Lanier Theological Library in Houston. 

You can find links to those lectures below.  Dr. McGrath is coming again March 1-3, 2024. He will  discuss one of his favorite topics, C. S. Lewis. 

He joined David Capes on The Stone Chapel Podcasts to talk about his life and his upcoming lecture.

Who Is Alister McGrath?  

Alister McGrath is a scientist and a theologian.  Earlier in his life he was an atheist, but he became a Christian. 

So, now he loves to talk to atheists.  He knows why he is a Christian.  Along the way he discovered C. S. Lewis.  And Lewis, who was also an atheist who became a Christian, became a guide for Alister in his journey of faith. 

Professor McGrath is the author of many books on aspects of theology, science, faith, and C. S. Lewis.

C.S. Lewis and the Spiritual Life

For many people C. S. Lewis has been an important part of their spiritual lives.  Although he lived and flourished in the middle of the 20th century, he continues to inspire people to think deeply and intelligently about their Christian faith. 

McGrath explores some of those avenues in this podcast.  Lewis is one of the best communicators, story tellers, and apologists of recent memory.  

Individuals, pastors and teachers can use his writings to fire the imagination and help people grow in their faiths.

Resources, C.S. Lewis and Alister McGrath

Here are links to view Dr. McGraths lectures at LTL.

The Lord Is My Light: How the Christian Faith Makes Sense Of Things

C.S. Lewis and the Post Modern Generation: His Message 50 Years Later

The Big Questions: Richard Dawkins vs. C. S. Lewis: the Meaning of Life

A Seminar on C.S. Lewis, with Alister McGrath

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“The Christian Mind” Project

To hear the podcast (20 min) click here.

Before he died in 2023, Tim Keller recognized the need for what has become The Christian Mind Project. 

He knew that the people who shape culture most significantly are intellectuals and elites.  These individuals and thought leaders teach at institutions like Cornell, Harvard, Yale, and Princeton. 

But in many subject areas, like the social sciences and humanities, Christians are severely under-represented.  One might say that there is anti-Christian bias in those places. 

Christian Askeland is heading up a project to recruit, mentor, and educate the best Christian minds for positions like this.  He stopped by to talk with David Capes on The Stone Chapel Podcast. 

Who Is Christian Askeland? 

Dr. Christian Askeland holds a PhD from Cambridge University and is one of the most consequential Coptic scholars in the world. 

He was with us before on The Stone Chapel Podcast to discuss the Gospel of Jesus’ Wife.  Learn more about him by following the link to that podcast found below.

He is currently Senior Researcher at Museum of the Bible. And he is Director of Education for Inspire, an evangelical outreach that attempts to recruit promising Christian undergrads for careers in the academy.

The Christian Mind Project

Askeland and Capes discuss a major project being launched by Inspire to do something about the disturbing lack of evangelical Christian presence in influential places. 

In April 2024, a weekend symposium of college leaders and foundations will gather at the Lanier Theological Library in order to address the problem.

As you will learn, there is no quick fix.  This is a project that could and should last a century.  The Anti-Christian bigotry in elite institutions will not give way quickly or easily.  A sustained effort is needed.

More Resources

To hear Christian Askeland’s podcast on the so-called “Gospel of Jesus’ Wife,” click here.

For an important article on the subject of the need for The Christian Mind Project by Tim Keller, read this.

You can find a transcript of this podcast here.

Want more Stone Chapel Podcasts on some great topics? Just click here.

You can get information on upcoming lectures at Lanier Theological Library by clicking here.

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“Hostile Environment” with George Yancey

To hear the podcast (21 min) click here.

On April 20, 2024, Dr. George Yancey will deliver a lecture at the Lanier Theological Library.  He stopped by “The Stone Chapel Podcast” to talk about that lecture and a book he published in 2015. 

His lecture will present his research on anti-Christian bias in culture. And he will offer a few ideas on how to deal with it. 

Who is George Yancey? 

George Yancey is a professor of sociology at Baylor University.  He is an African American Christian sociologist.

He says he faces more hostility in academia because he is a Christian than because he’s black. Thus, he has spent a good bit of time investigating anti-Christian bias on a societal level. 

Hostile Environment

In 2015 Dr. Yancey wrote a book entitled Hostile Environment: Understanding and Responding to Anti-Christian Bias. It was published by Intervarsity Press.  

His research indicates that anti-Christian bias in the United States is real.  And those who have this bias are more likely to be wealthy, powerful, well educated, and white. 

It is, he says, every bit as real as Islamophobia and anti-Semitism.  He often uses the term “Christianophobia” to describe this phenomenon. He realizes that some prefer “anti-Christian bias.” 

In this podcast we discuss how anti-Christian bias in America is different than anti-Christian bias around the world. 

In the American culture there is less risk of physical harm, and more of societal harm in the workplace, in the media, in the arts, and in higher education. 

The bias, he believes, can be addressed, but it will not be corrected quickly.  It is a long term project. 

What Scholars say about “Hostile Environment”

Here is what Kelly Monroe Kullberg says about his book:

“Yancey urges us to get in the war in an honorable way, adding our courage and insight for cultural survival and renewal.  At times we’re to fight fire with fire. That might mean calling out bigotry and hate where you see it.  Love speaks.  Love tells the truth.  Love risks.  Love does not fail.”

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Biblical Authority with John Walton

To hear the podcast (11 minutes) click here.

It has been the contention of Dr. John Walton that the authority of Scripture is located in the intention of the human authors as represented in what they wrote. In this conversation he explains what he means, in part by contrasting it with some other possible models. John Walton, Old Testament Professor Emeritus at Wheaton Graduate School, is a frequent contributor to this podcast. One of his most recent publications is Wisdom for Faithful Reading: Principles and Practices for Old Testament Interpretation. An earlier but related work is Old Testament Theology for Christians: From Ancient Context to Enduring Belief.

Check out related programs at Wheaton College: 

B.A. in Classical Languages (Greek, Latin, Hebrew): https://bit.ly/48rJ38H

M.A. in Biblical Exegesis: https://bit.ly/3vpeW3b

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The State of Evangelicalism (USA) with Ed Stetzer

To hear the podcast (18 minutes) click here.

Ed Stetzer and David Capes were colleagues for a time at Wheaton College.  They enjoyed a good working relationship.

Dr. Stetzer is a missiologist, which means he knows the history of Christian missions and the current state of culture, especially in America. 

He joins David Capes on The Stone Chapel Podcasts to talk about the state of evangelicalism in the USA.

Who is Ed Stetzer? 

For eight years he was the Billy Graham Distinguished Chair of Church, Mission, and Evangelism at Wheaton College. And the Executive Director of the Billy Graham Center at Wheaton College. 

In July 2023 he became the Dean of Talbot School of Theology. 

Dr. Stetzer is a prolific writer, popular speaker, church planter and missiologist.

He gave a lecture for the Lanier Library lecture series, “The Stone Chapel Lectures,” in November 2023.  See the link below. 

Ed hosts a weekly podcast, The Stetzer ChurchLeaders Podcast.  For a link to his podcast click here.

He also hosts a weekly radio program that airs on 250 stations entitled (cleverly) Ed Stetzer Live.  For more information about that show on Moody Radio click here.

Dr. Stetzer has a national platform, but beyond that he is the North American Regional Director of Lausanne International. 

You can follow him on X, formerly Twitter, @edstetzer.

The State of Evangelicalism (USA)

In this episode of the podcast David and Ed Stetzer discuss the current situation facing evangelicalism, particularly in North America. 

Ed studies culture and knows most of the key players in the evangelical tradition. 

So he is in a unique position to have his finger on the pulse of evangelical life in North America. 

He and his wife, Donna, were residents in fall 2022 at Yarnton Manor while Ed taught courses for Wycliffe Hall.  As many of you know, Yarnton Manor is a new project of the Lanier Foundation. 

More Resources

For a link to an earlier podcast on the Stone Chapel with Stetzer click here.

To view Stetzer’s lecture at the Lanier Theological Library on the topic of the future of Evangelicalism, click here.

Click here for a link to Mark Lanier’s interview of Ed Stetzer for Biblical Literacy.

You can find a transcript of this podcast here.

Want more Stone Chapel Podcasts on some great topics? Just click here.

You can get information on upcoming lectures at Lanier Theological Library by clicking here.