L'Abri Fellowship - Southborough: Recent Episodes
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A podcast resource providing audio of the most current lectures given at L'Abri Fellowship in Southborough, Massachusetts (USA). For iTunes access, visit http://goo.gl/ZmJnOf
A lecture given at L’Abri Fellowship in Southborough, Massachusetts. For more information, visit https://southboroughlabri.org/
by Ben Keyes
Philosopher Thomas Nagel defined consciousness as "what it is like" to be yourself. While we all go about our daily lives as conscious beings, usually without much reflection, consciousness itself remains a deeply mysterious thing. This lecture will explore several more aspects of what makes consciousness such a "hard problem," particularly from the materialist perspective. I will argue that only belief in a transcendent, personal Creator can give us the grounds for answering the question "Why are we conscious?" Lastly, we will attempt to address the question: What is it about the existence of consciousness that makes sense from within a biblical understanding of humanity?
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2025
A lecture given at L’Abri Fellowship in Southborough, Massachusetts. For more information, visit https://southboroughlabri.org/
by Esther Dalton
Can you imagine living a Christian life without the Bible? Five hundred years ago, that was the situation of most ordinary Christians. In fact, at that time, it was illegal to translate the Bible into English. But William Tyndale, a priest and scholar, was convinced that ordinary English speakers needed the Bible in their mother tongue and, in the face of serious opposition, set about the work of translation. This lecture will share the story of Tyndale's life and reflect on why his story is important to us today.
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2025
A lecture given at L’Abri Fellowship in Southborough, Massachusetts. For more information, visit https://southboroughlabri.org/
Charles Spurgeon commented that Psalm 131 is one of the shortest Psalms to read but one of the longest to learn. With the help of theorists Hartmut Rosa and Byung-Chul Han, this lecture will consider unique characteristics of our moment that might be playing a contributing role in our common experience of feeling anxious and exhausted. This lecture will also consider ways we might, in the words of the Psalm, learn to "calm and quiet ourselves."
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2025
A lecture given at L’Abri Fellowship in Southborough, Massachusetts. For more information, visit https://southboroughlabri.org/
by Dr. Tom Petter, guest lecturer
What is the argument of Isaiah as a book? Is there even one? We are considering the internal evidence and come to the conclusion that yes, indeed, there is a coherence to the collection of the oracles spanning 66 chapters. This is why we can call Isaiah "the gospel in one book" and also why the New Testament writers will connect the prophecy of Isaiah to the mission of Jesus for forgiveness of sin for all nations: "Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world." This message has far-reaching consequences and calls for a profound reset for Christians today who have co-opted the gospel to suit their own ideologies.
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2025
A lecture given at L’Abri Fellowship in Southborough, Massachusetts. For more information, visit https://southboroughlabri.org/
by Esther Dalton
At L'Abri we think and talk a lot about hospitality. Most Christian teaching about hospitality focuses on the role of the host, on opening our hearts and our doors to others, even strangers. But what about the other side of the door? This lecture will examine what it looks like to be a good guest and why understanding this role is essential for obeying the New Testament commands to "pursue hospitality" and "offer hospitality to one another."
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2025
A lecture given at L’Abri Fellowship in Southborough, Massachusetts. For more information, visit https://southboroughlabri.org/
by Ben Keyes
In this lecture, we will briefly discuss the doctrine of the Incarnation as the central mystery of the Christian faith. Then, with the help of "interruptions" as a guiding metaphor, we will explore the way in which the birth of Christ redemptively disrupts history and disrupts our own lives.
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2025
A lecture given at L’Abri Fellowship in Southborough, Massachusetts. For more information, visit https://southboroughlabri.org/
with Ben Keyes, Joshua Chestnut, and Marta Crilly
Part of the Summer 2025 Theme Weekend, A Hall of Portraits: Imitating Christ by Imitating the Saints.
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2025
A lecture given at L’Abri Fellowship in Southborough, Massachusetts. For more information, visit https://southboroughlabri.org/
by Joshua Chestnut
Part of the Summer 2025 Theme Weekend, A Hall of Portraits: Imitating Christ by Imitating the Saints.
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2025
A lecture given at L’Abri Fellowship in Southborough, Massachusetts. For more information, visit https://southboroughlabri.org/
by Ben Keyes
Part of the Summer 2025 Theme Weekend, A Hall of Portraits: Imitating Christ by Imitating the Saints.
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2025
A lecture given at L’Abri Fellowship in Southborough, Massachusetts. For more information, visit https://southboroughlabri.org/
by Marta Crilly
Part of the Summer 2025 Theme Weekend, A Hall of Portraits: Imitating Christ by Imitating the Saints.
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2025
A lecture given at L’Abri Fellowship in Southborough, Massachusetts. For more information, visit https://southboroughlabri.org/
by Dick Keyes
Part of the Summer 2025 Theme Weekend A Hall of Portraits: Imitating Christ by Imitating the Saints. For many today, heroism or the very idea of imitating another person is suspect because it can constrict us as well as blind us to our own story. But if our imaginations don't connect with aspiration for people in our future lives, we can become bored and boring. The imitation of Christ brings a different perspective if we are open to grow through following Jesus' quality of life, along with learning from those who have been Christlike in their own ways since then.
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2025
A lecture given at L’Abri Fellowship in Southborough, Massachusetts. For more information, visit https://southboroughlabri.org/
by Emily Fellows
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2025
A lecture given at L’Abri Fellowship in Southborough, Massachusetts. For more information, visit https://southboroughlabri.org/
by Ben Keyes
How is it that your brain can produce your experience of being you? How is it that we have consciousness at all? This fundamental question has occupied philosophers for many hundreds of years. More recent discoveries in neuroscience have not necessarily brought us closer to an answer. Is the 'hard problem of consciousness' a true (permanent) mystery or will further research into the functions of the brain eventually provide a satisfying explanation? This lecture is part 1 of a series and will be a layperson's introduction to some of these questions.
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2025
A lecture given at L’Abri Fellowship in Southborough, Massachusetts. For more information, visit https://southboroughlabri.org/
by Joshua Chestnut
In a cultural moment where we are constantly bombarded with reports of immanent societal, political, and technological collapse the Apostle Paul's letter to the Ephesians may hold some surprisingly helpful resources to help people of faith live as patient, non-anxious, peace-making people in a society that prioritizes moving fast and breaking things.
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2025
A lecture given at L’Abri Fellowship in Southborough, Massachusetts. For more information, visit https://southboroughlabri.org/
by Dr. Brandon Unruh
A psychiatrist and expert in treating personality dysfunction explores how the narcissistic spectrum touches us all and our need for the reordering and regulation of self-esteem not through self-made identity, but through relationship with Christ.
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2025
A lecture given at L’Abri Fellowship in Southborough, Massachusetts. For more information, visit https://southboroughlabri.org/
by Dr. Brandon Unruh
A psychiatrist and psychotherapist considers specific elements of our current "crisis of meaning" through the lens of personality dysfunction, and what current treatment paradigms reveal about the limits of psychiatry and psychology and the fullness of Christ.
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2025
A lecture given at L’Abri Fellowship in Southborough, Massachusetts. For more information, visit https://southboroughlabri.org/
by Joshua and Sarah Chestnut
Join Joshua and Sarah as they offer reflections on mental health and the life of faith, sharing practical "everyday interventions" to help us steward our minds, hearts, and emotions.
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2025
A lecture given at L’Abri Fellowship in Southborough, Massachusetts. For more information, visit https://southboroughlabri.org/
by Joshua Chestnut
In her 2013 book Flora and Ulysses, beloved children's author Kate DiCamillo uses a remarkable phrase to describe a certain George Buckman, calling him a man who was "very capacious of heart." This means that George's heart has become large and so is "capable of containing much joy and much sorrow." Perhaps in our moment of endless digital distraction, angry partisan politics, and perpetual anxiety, we could all use a bit of help nurturing our own hearts in becoming more capacious. This lecture will consider the life and writing of Kate DiCamillo with the hope that her writing can help us all, old and young alike, grow in our capacity to be honest about the joys and sorrows of our lives.
If you've never read any of her many books, The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane or The Tale of Despereaux* are great places to start!
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2025
A lecture given at L’Abri Fellowship in Southborough, Massachusetts. For more information, visit https://southboroughlabri.org/
by Jeff Banks
How do you break free from compulsive pornography use? Many approaches to freedom focus on behavior modification, but that is not enough. In this lecture, guest speaker Jeff Banks argues that pornography use is an attempt to deal with emotional pain from childhood and that this pain needs to be addressed if someone is to find lasting freedom. This lecture will consider the links between a person's pornography use and his or her life story before outlining a path towards healing that puts relationships front and center.
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2025
A lecture given at L’Abri Fellowship in Southborough, Massachusetts. For more information, visit https://southboroughlabri.org/
by Sarah Chestnut
Can an hour with an onion make us more human? Taking inspiration from the most mundane of vegetables, we will deepen our understanding of what it means to "follow God's example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God" (Eph. 5:1-2).
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2025
A lecture given at L’Abri Fellowship in Southborough, Massachusetts. For more information, visit https://southboroughlabri.org/
by Mardi Keyes
In the early 2000s, I participated in the Stress Reduction Program founded by the Zen Buddhist physician and author Jon Kabat-Zinn. Mindfulness meditation was central to the program. Since then, mindfulness has gone mainstream, supported by a growing body of evidence that it can be a powerful tool in treating stress, anxiety, and many other health problems. The Bible is no stranger to stress and anxiety, and it too offers wisdom for coping with them. This talk will consider places where biblical wisdom and eastern meditation overlap and where the paths divide.
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2025
A lecture given at L’Abri Fellowship in Southborough, Massachusetts. For more information, visit https://southboroughlabri.org/
hosted by Sarah Chestnut
This the concluding discussion of our first Winter Theme Weekend "Our Fractured Relationship with Time".
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2025
A lecture given at L’Abri Fellowship in Southborough, Massachusetts. For more information, visit https://southboroughlabri.org/
by Ben Keyes
This the second lecture of our first Winter Theme Weekend "Our Fractured Relationship with Time."
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2025
A lecture given at L’Abri Fellowship in Southborough, Massachusetts. For more information, visit https://southboroughlabri.org/
by Joshua Chestnut
This the first lecture of our first Winter Theme Weekend "Our Fractured Relationship with Time."
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2025
A lecture given at L’Abri Fellowship in Southborough, Massachusetts. For more information, visit https://southboroughlabri.org/
by Dick Keyes
The question asked in the lecture's title has two senses: First, why was the story of Abraham being asked to sacrifice Isaac not censored as inappropriate for respectable Bible readers? And second, what does the story actually do in the whole Biblical narrative?
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2025
A lecture given at L’Abri Fellowship in Southborough, Massachusetts. For more information, visit https://southboroughlabri.org/
by Esther Dalton
The Thirty Years War was a period of ongoing hardship and devastation in Europe that proved to be a major turning point towards modernity in world history. What can we learn from the prolific German hymn writers of this time who turned their experiences of suffering into song?
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2025
A lecture given at L’Abri Fellowship in Southborough, Massachusetts. For more information, visit https://southboroughlabri.org/
by Joshua Chestnut
Being a man or woman, relating to oneself, and relating to the opposite sex are not uncomplicated matters in 2024. In this lecture, I will look at the writings of a few contemporary feminists who loosely affiliate under the banner of "Sex-Realist Feminism" to see how they might be able to offer us some help.
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2024
A lecture given at L’Abri Fellowship in Southborough, Massachusetts. For more information, visit https://southboroughlabri.org/
by Esther Dalton
"Glory" is a common theme in the Bible, but what is it and why does it matter? What does it imply when the angels say the earth is full of God's glory? In this lecture, I want to be curious about glory and about what it means to see it, respond to it, and creatively bear witness to it.
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2024
A lecture given at L’Abri Fellowship in Southborough, Massachusetts. For more information, visit https://southboroughlabri.org/
by Dick Keyes
We will be looking at Christian Nationalism, issues from the current election, and what they might mean for the future of church and country.
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2024
A lecture given at L’Abri Fellowship in Southborough, Massachusetts. For more information, visit https://southboroughlabri.org/
by Scott Walker, of Life/Work Direction
The third lecture from our Fall 2024 Theme Weekend Vocation: Participating with God's Work in the World.
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2024
A lecture given at L’Abri Fellowship in Southborough, Massachusetts. For more information, visit https://southboroughlabri.org/
by Sarah Chestnut
The second lecture and discussion from our Fall 2024 Theme Weekend Vocation: Participating with God's Work in the World.
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2024
A lecture given at L’Abri Fellowship in Southborough, Massachusetts. For more information, visit https://southboroughlabri.org/
by Karen Kupelian, Physical Therapist, Nashville, TN
The opening lecture and discussion from our fall 2024 theme weekend Vocation: Participating with God's Work in the World.
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2024
A lecture given at L’Abri Fellowship in Southborough, Massachusetts. For more information, visit https://southboroughlabri.org/
by Ben Keyes
Other than its ability to fly, one of the most noticeable things about a bird is all the noise it makes! Birds make a huge variety of vocalizations, many of which serve specific practical purposes. This third lecture ins the series will be an introduction to the complex world of birdsong. Similarly to Parts 1 and 2, the goal will be to demonstrate that the deeper we delve in our study of creation, the more we will learn about the wisdom of the Creator. Observation, wonder, and worship can all join hands as we reflect on birds and their ability to sing.
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2024
A lecture given at L’Abri Fellowship in Southborough, Massachusetts. For more information, visit https://southboroughlabri.org/
by Esther Dalton
The account of Jesus being led out into the wilderness to be tested by the devil is familiar and is found in all three Synoptic Gospels. Like tests in school, the question behind the challenges Jesus faces is "Have you internalized what you have been taught?" This lecture will look again at this familiar story and some of the Old Testament texts behind it as we seek to answer the question, "What had Jesus internalized that allowed him to pass the test?" and to discover what the answer might uncover in our own hearts as we seek to walk in the way of Jesus.
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2024
A lecture given at L’Abri Fellowship in Southborough, Massachusetts. For more information, visit https://southboroughlabri.org/
by Marta Crilly
Discussions about America's past and how we remember (or forget) it have spurred some of the most charged debates both inside and outside of the United States. Our understanding of our personal, family, and national pasts directly impacts how we act in the present and how we comprehend ourselves and others. Join us for a discussion of how we imagine the past and the importance of memory in building a healthy community.
Marta Crilly is the Head of Public Services at the Burns Library, Boston College. Prior to working at Burns Library, she spent 12 years as a truculent municipal worker at the Boston City Archives. In her spare time, she reads everything she can find about the Apostle Paul and takes 4-hour walking tours exploring sites of European fascism.
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2024
A lecture given at L’Abri Fellowship in Southborough, Massachusetts. For more information, visit https://southboroughlabri.org/
by Joshua Chestnut
While we may intuitively think of a life of lazy resignation as being diametrically opposed to a life of hyperactive busyness, our ancestors in the faith may have seen things differently and understood these two common ways of life as being symptomatic of some deeper, spiritual problem, i.e. acedia. Sometimes translated as "sloth," acedia originally identified an internal habit of resistance (or laziness) to the Christian calling of loving God and our neighbor. This lecture will consider acedia in its historical context as well as its contemporary instances while considering what might be its remedy.
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2024
A lecture given at L’Abri Fellowship in Southborough, Massachusetts. For more information, visit https://southboroughlabri.org/
by Ben Keyes
When we think about the role that faith plays in the life of the Christian, we often (rightly) think of Paul's theology of salvation: we are saved by grace, through faith, to do good works (Ephesians 2:8-10). This lecture will focus instead on the gospel narratives, particularly those stories in which Jesus comments on people's faith. What is the nature of the faith he is hoping to find and grow in his followers? How does the strength of a person's faith impact how they relate to Jesus? This lecture will turn to a number of gospel texts to address these questions.
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2024
A lecture given at L’Abri Fellowship in Southborough, Massachusetts. For more information, visit https://southboroughlabri.org/
by Mary Frances Giles
The 2023 blockbuster film Barbie has been both praised and censured by critics and moviegoers alike. One reviewer referred to it as "joyous from minute to minute," while another claimed it is "very pretty but not very deep." Far from just being a story about a pink plastic doll, the film asks important questions about the nature of reality via themes of gendered power struggles and the imminence of death. Drawing from the Biblical narrative, this lecture will seek to look at those themes through the lens of our shared humanity and hope for our lives beyond "Barbieland."
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2024
A lecture given at L’Abri Fellowship in Southborough, Massachusetts. For more information, visit https://southboroughlabri.org/
by Ben Keyes
This lecture explores two fundamental human desires: the longing to seek new experiences and the longing to come home. Drawing on examples from literature, we will explore the nature of these two longings and ultimately point to their biblical foundations. Because the longings for the new and the familiar are part of how we have been made by God, only in relating to Him do they come together and find fulfillment.
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2024
A lecture given at L’Abri Fellowship in Southborough, Massachusetts. For more information, visit https://southboroughlabri.org/
by Esther Dalton
In his sermon, "No Little People, No Little Places," Francis Schaeffer demonstrates how becoming infected with our culture's "syndrome of size" causes all kinds of problems for us regarding our identity and purpose in the world. In contrast, Schaeffer explores God's way of measuring value and Jesus' call to take the lowest place. As Christians, how do we recalibrate our systems of measurement to match God's? This lecture uses Schaeffer's sermon as a starting point toward following Jesus into these important questions of who we are and what we do.
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2024
A lecture given at L’Abri Fellowship in Southborough, Massachusetts. For more information, visit https://southboroughlabri.org/
by Ben Keyes
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2024
A lecture given at L’Abri Fellowship in Southborough, Massachusetts. For more information, visit https://southboroughlabri.org/
by Sarah Chestnut
In this lecture, we will consider how remembering, creating and praising are central to our humanity, and how Christian spirituality has everything to do with the recovery of and growth in these human practices.
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2024
A lecture given at L’Abri Fellowship in Southborough, Massachusetts. For more information, visit https://southboroughlabri.org/
by Mary Frances Giles
In our modern culture, we have a complicated relationship with the idea of "home." Our TVs are flooded with home makeover shows, and we spend billions of dollars a year buying real estate and home decor. But we also live in a time of significant immigration crisis, and culturally we are becoming more and more detached from family and community. In light of these contradictions, this lecture will look at what the biblical narrative might have to teach us about our ideas of home and how we find our home in the world today.
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2024
A lecture given at L’Abri Fellowship in Southborough, Massachusetts. For more information, visit https://southboroughlabri.org/
by Adam Kurihara
Lex Orandi, Lex Credendi, the ancient rule of Christian worship, can be loosely translated "the law of prayer is the law of belief." How doe our liturgies and practices (a "law of prayer") shape not only what we believe about God, but who we believe ourselves to be? Conversely, how does how we view the world shape our liturgies? In this lecture we will survey four worldviews and four ways that our liturgies (the rites and rituals of our gathered worship) speak into our cultural moment.
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2024
A lecture given at L’Abri Fellowship in Southborough, Massachusetts. For more information, visit https://southboroughlabri.org/
by Ryan Fields
Churches across the globe and through the centuries have taken up the language of the Nicene Creed in confessing the church as "one, holy, catholic, and apostolic." But this raises an important question: what would it mean for churches in the Free Church tradition (Baptist, Congregational, etc.) to confess the church as "catholic" (universal) while holding to the autonomy of the local church? I believe the answer lies in recognizing that Christ reigns 'wherever two or three at gathered' in His name as a church community (Mt. 18:20). Join us as we explore why confessing the church as catholic is so misunderstood and so important, especially for believers in the Free Church tradition.
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2024
A lecture given at L’Abri Fellowship in Southborough, Massachusetts. For more information, visit https://southboroughlabri.org/
by Joshua Chestnut
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2024
A lecture given at L’Abri Fellowship in Southborough, Massachusetts. For more information, visit https://southboroughlabri.org/
by Ben Keyes
This lecture is the third and last in a series on C.S. Lewis's book The Screwtape Letters. We will trace one of Lewis's main themes in the letters: Screwtape's refusal to accept the possibility of self-giving love. What does this particular blind spot show us about the devil's rebellion against God? More importantly, what can we learn about God's loving character revealed to us in Christ?
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2024
A lecture given at L’Abri Fellowship in Southborough, Massachusetts. For more information, visit https://southboroughlabri.org/
by Ben Keyes
Bird migration is one of the the greatest marvels in God's creation. Every year, billions of birds take flight and travel from their wintering grounds to their breeding grounds and back, some flying thousands of miles at a time without rest. How do birds manage this? How have scientists over the years solved some of the mysteries of migration? What does the complexity of bird migration show us about the Creator? How does migration make birds particularly vulnerable to environmental changes? In this lecture, we will only begin to scratch the surface of these questions!
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2024
A lecture given at L’Abri Fellowship in Southborough, Massachusetts. For more information, visit https://southboroughlabri.org/
by Joshua Chestnut
Few books in the Bible are more disorienting and demanding than the book of Job. This lecture will consider what this collection of ancient Hebrew lament poetry has to offer those of us wanting to wrestle through the ways of God in a world characterized by so much needless suffering. For those unfamiliar with the book of Job, consider watching the Bible Project's summary video as well as reading chapters 1-3 and 38-42 to gain some familiarity with this book before listening.
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2024
A lecture given at L’Abri Fellowship in Southborough, Massachusetts. For more information, visit https://southboroughlabri.org/
by Dr. Donna Petter
What is going on in the book of Ezekiel? Does the Old Testament speak about Trump, Putin, and UFOs? Some say that the book of Ezekiel does! But what is going on in this book? This lecture seeks to help us understand the life and words of the prophet Ezekiel and their relevance today.
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2024
A lecture given at L’Abri Fellowship in Southborough, Massachusetts. For more information, visit https://southboroughlabri.org/
by Esther Dalton
If you know what FOMO, FOBO and "Allergic to Commitment" mean, you probably have a sense of or have experienced yourself the increasing anxiety in our culture around making decisions and commitments, from situations as simple as what show to stream or where to eat dinner to as weighty as what job to take or who to date. This lecture will look at the biblical perspective on faithfulness as an antidote to our anxieties, paralysis, and hopelessness when it comes to making choices and sticking with them.
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2024
A lecture given at L’Abri Fellowship in Southborough, Massachusetts. For more information, visit https://southboroughlabri.org/
by Mary Frances Giles
The "Proverbs 31 Woman" has long been held up as a model of virtue and character for Christian women, often appearing in Mother's Day sermons and women's retreat talks. But at times she has also been wielded with a heavy hand to keep women "in their place," and can feel unrelatable to 21st Century Christians. So what are we to do with this passage of Scripture? Is she a real woman that only wives are meant to emulate, or did the author of Proverbs have some other purpose in mind for all of us, men and women alike? This lecture explores this beautiful, yet complicated, biblical character in the context of Wisdom literature and the full biblical narrative, with an aim of unlocking her true purpose as a model of wisdom and faithfulness for all God's people.
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2024
A lecture given at L’Abri Fellowship in Southborough, Massachusetts. For more information, visit https://southboroughlabri.org/
by Sarah Chestnut
In this lecture, Sarah shares hr poem-prayer "A Liturgy of (Re)Dedication to the Way of the Amateur," recently published in Every Moment Holy Vol. III, and reflects on the questions and longings the prayer addresses: How might reclaiming the old meaning of "amateur" help us live into the freedom Christ gives? How do we cultivate the courage to try something new or to approach something old in a new way? What does a right relationship between work and identity look like?
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2024
A lecture given at L’Abri Fellowship in Southborough, Massachusetts. For more information, visit https://southboroughlabri.org/
by Jeridan Dyck
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2024
A lecture given at L’Abri Fellowship in Southborough, Massachusetts. For more information, visit https://southboroughlabri.org/
by Ben Keyes
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2024
A lecture given at L’Abri Fellowship in Southborough, Massachusetts. For more information, visit https://southboroughlabri.org/
by Joshua Chestnut
Many of us have difficulty valuing process. Realities like practice, slow growth,k and development are often (and understandably) unsatisfying in our culture of rapid download speeds and instant gratification. I remain unconvinced that this tendency is good for our humanity, and so, in this lecture, I want to reconsider process as a part of God's good design for his creation and then question the concept of "closure" as a necessary emotional state for beings in process to strive towards as we navigate our own grief and pain.
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2024
A lecture given for L’Abri Fellowship in Southborough, Massachusetts. For more information, visit https://southboroughlabri.org/
by Phillip Johnston
Since the rise of the MeToo movement in the mid-2010s, masculinity has reentered the cultural conversation with force. On the left, masculinity is often seen as a problem and rarely referenced without "toxic" as a descriptor. Men simply need to shape up and stand down. On the right, a pro-male movement has bubbled up in response. Men simply need to own their dominance and take charge. Does Christianity have anything different--or better--to say?
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2023
A lecture given at L’Abri Fellowship in Southborough, Massachusetts. For more information, visit https://southboroughlabri.org/
by Ben Keyes
The most moving and powerful art usually does not tell us exactly what to think. Many of the best paintings, songs, poems and short stories leave us with questions that linger in our minds. This does not necessarily indicate that these works have no intended meaning. Rather, the artist, by leaving our questions unanswered and requiring our engagement, has left us room to enter into their creative space. Because it "leaves room," ambiguity in art can function as a kind of hospitality to the audience. How can we make art that leaves more room for our viewers and listeners? What are some of our misgivings about allowing a piece to remain ambiguous?
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2023
A lecture given at L’Abri Fellowship in Southborough, Massachusetts. For more information, visit https://southboroughlabri.org/
by Josue Reichow
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2023
A lecture given at L’Abri Fellowship in Southborough, Massachusetts. For more information, visit https://southboroughlabri.org/
by Esther Dalton
This final part of the baptized imagination series attempts to bring together some of the threads developed in earlier parts, including baptism, the image of God, story and seeing, with a deeper look at idolatry, prophecy, and the Holy Spirit, to address what some have called a crisis of imagination in the evangelical church today.
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2023
A lecture given at L’Abri Fellowship in Southborough, Massachusetts. For more information, visit https://southboroughlabri.org/
by Ben Keyes
The first of a series, this lecture will kick off an extended exploration of the life of birds. We will reflect on the importance of going deeper in our investigation of God's created world, both for our own delight and for the purpose of knowing Him better. We will investigate what it is about a bird's anatomy that makes flight possible, and we will explore the diversity of bird behaviors that flight enables, including migration. Lastly, we will reflect on the connection between our wonder at creation and our motivation to care for it.
To view the power point presentation - click here
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2023
A lecture given at L’Abri Fellowship in Southborough, Massachusetts. For more information, visit https://southboroughlabri.org/
by Joshua Chestnut
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2023
A lecture given at L’Abri Fellowship in Southborough, Massachusetts. For more information, visit https://southboroughlabri.org/
by Ben Keyes
The Screwtape Letters, a series of fictional letters from one demon to another, is one of C.S. Lewis's most widely read books. While the diabolical correspondence was a figment of Lewis's imagination, we can still learn many true things about the nature of evil, of human self-deception, and, I will argue, of God himself. This lecture begins a three-part series that will cover different aspects of the book.
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2023
A lecture given at L’Abri Fellowship in Southborough, Massachusetts. For more information, visit https://southboroughlabri.org/
by Esther Dalton
If it is true that to need is human and that dependence is not a flaw of human existence but a God-designed feature, then why is it so often difficult for us to admit our neediness? This lecture will examine some of the reasons dependence on God and others frequently feels uncomfortable or even shameful and look for a resolution by examining the postures of need we find in the Gospels.
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2023
A lecture given at L’Abri Fellowship in Southborough, Massachusetts. For more information, visit https://southboroughlabri.org/
by Joshua Chestnut
Learning to live within our creaturely limitations is neither easy nor intuitive but can be a path to our flourishing. This lecture is the first in a series of reflections on our creatureliness and will look at the beauty of human dependence as well as the delight that we as humans, in all our particularity, can bring to God.
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2023
A lecture given at L’Abri Fellowship in Southborough, Massachusetts. For more information, visit https://southboroughlabri.org/
by Ben Keyes
The desire to make art is, in part, a desire to connect meaningfully with others, to communicate some aspect of reality with which other people can identify. There are many reasons why our art can either succeed or fail in making this kind of meaningful contact. One particular challenge for Christians is that our attempts to portray beauty and goodness are often dismissed as saccharine and sentimental. Sometimes this is a fair criticism! How can we "bear witness to the light" while still being honest about the brokenness of the world? What are some examples of art in which goodness is portrayed as both attractive and plausible?
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2023
A lecture given at L’Abri Fellowship in Southborough, Massachusetts. For more information, visit https://southboroughlabri.org/
by Esther Dalton
In this lecture, Esther continues her series on the baptized imagination, this time exploring the way how we see God's Word and God's World is a key part of cultivating our imaginations.
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2023
A lecture given at L’Abri Fellowship in Southborough, Massachusetts. For more information, visithttps://southboroughlabri.org/
by Paul Reuter
In less than 30 years, photography has changed from an Art practiced by a few elite individuals who dictated fashion and culture to a commonplace activity practiced everywhere. Because of the transition from film to digital and cameras to smartphones, we are drowning in images today. Photographer and filmmaker Paul Reuter will talk about his personal artistic journey through these changes, reflecting on why the art of photography is still important.
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2023
A lecture given at L’Abri Fellowship in Southborough, Massachusetts. For more information, visithttps://southboroughlabri.org/
by Joshua Chestnut
This lecture will consider whether an ideal of selflessness is an helpful category for Christians who rightly don't want to take part in the pervasive selfishness of our age. We will look at different ways of understanding the self, trying to see how recent research into infant development, some feminist suspicion of altruism, and the importance of not forgetting our bodies might help us make sense of how the Apostle Paul thought about the goodness of being a self.
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2023
A lecture given at L’Abri Fellowship in Southborough, Massachusetts. For more information, visithttps://southboroughlabri.org/
by Esther Dalton
Anne Shirley, the protagonist of the Anne of Green Gables series by L.M. Montgomery, is famous for seeking a "bosom friend" and looking everywhere for "kindred spirits." But do stories about friendship and community have anything to do with reality? What does reading have to do with friendship, if anything? As loneliness and disconnectedness remain persistent problems in our culture, this lecture will seek solutions in books--which themselves have been called by many writers and readers, "friends."
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2023
A lecture given at L’Abri Fellowship in Southborough, Massachusetts. For more information, visithttps://southboroughlabri.org/
by Adam Kurihara
Choral music for Holy Week is saturated with a dissonant beauty that reflects the affliction of Chris. We will walk through several key pieces listening and learning about what makes this music so compelling. Learn how musical rhetoric (communicating concrete ideas through musical themes), structure and form, and melody and harmony draw us into the story of Jesus' crucifixion. Our time will be spent primarily with Bach's St. Matthew Passion, as well as Victoria's "O Vos Omnes" and Mozart's "Ave Verum Corpus". Join us for this listening party as we explore choral music for Holy Week.
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2023
A lecture given at L’Abri Fellowship in Southborough, Massachusetts. For more information, visithttps://southboroughlabri.org/
by Joshua Chestnut
In this second lecture in a series on the prayer practices of Christians throughout the ages, we will consider the life of German theologian and Christian martyr, Dietrich Bonhoeffer. While attempting to offer an overview of his life, specific attention will be given to his reflections on the necessity of silence and solitude in our life with God. Bonhoeffer's life and thought helpfully show that, while they are sometimes understood as spiritual practices that keep us from an active life in the world, silence and solitude with God are often the necessary grounds from which such a life of responsible action can emerge and be sustained.
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2023
A lecture given at L’Abri Fellowship in Southborough, Massachusetts. For more information, visithttps://southboroughlabri.org/
by Dick Keyes
We will be taking a critical look at the history of the university, at some of the challenges it faces today, and what a Christian perspective could bring.
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2023
A lecture given at L’Abri Fellowship in Southborough, Massachusetts. For more information, visithttps://southboroughlabri.org/
by Ben Keyes
Self-control is an important Christian virtue that is often misunderstood and, as a result, undervalued. What is self-control? Why is having appropriate dominion over ourselves so important? What does the Bible tell us about how we can grow in self-control? In this first lecture of a two-part series, we will address these questions and reflect on how the imitation of Jesus can help us.
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2023
A lecture given at L’Abri Fellowship in Southborough, Massachusetts. For more information, visithttps://southboroughlabri.org/
by Esther Dalton
This lecture continues Esther's series on the imagination. "We are all made to be creative and our medium is life." But what does this look like practically? What does the imagination have to do with living life and how can we shape and shepherd our imaginations as we live toward "something of great constancy"?
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2023
A lecture given at L’Abri Fellowship in Southborough, Massachusetts. For more information, visithttps://southboroughlabri.org/
by Jeff Dryden, Covenant College, Chattanooga, TN
What is spiritual formation? How do we foster our spiritual life in Christ? How do we use the Bible in our spiritual formation? Jeff Dryden, biblical scholar and former L'Abri worker, will help us navigate these and other questions, showing how our understanding of spiritual formation determines how we read the Bible and also how the Bible is meant to function in a holistically formative way that reintegrates our whole person in the image of Christ.
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2023
A lecture given at L’Abri Fellowship in Southborough, Massachusetts. For more information, visithttps://southboroughlabri.org/
by Ben Keyes
The Bible teaches that after his resurrection, Jesus Christ ascended into heaven. What does this event mean? How does it fit into the broader story of God's redemption? What difference does it make to the everyday life of Christian people living 2,000 years later? The ascension is a doctrine of the church which is often overlooked but which is crucially important. The goal of this lecture is to show the everyday relevance of the ascension to people in need of hope.
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2023
A lecture given at L’Abri Fellowship in Southborough, Massachusetts. For more information, visithttps://southboroughlabri.org/
by Joshua Chestnut
David's resolve to "bless the Lord at all times" and Paul's command to "pray without ceasing" might sound like either pious exaggerations or nearly impossible options reserved for only the most spiritually advanced among us, but this not need be! As the first in a series on the ways Christians have prayed through the centuries, this lecture will consider the writings of John Cassian to see how these verses animated the prayerful imaginations of early Christian monks in surprisingly realistic, honest, and practical ways.
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2023
A lecture given at L’Abri Fellowship in Southborough, Massachusetts. For more information, visit https://southboroughlabri.org/
by Esther Dalton
"Blessing, bless you, blessed"--It's a word that gets thrown around a lot. But does it mean what we think it means? How might looking at the peculiar etymology of our English word "bless" give us a thicker, richer understanding of blessing?
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2022
A lecture given at L’Abri Fellowship in Southborough, Massachusetts. For more information, visit https://southboroughlabri.org/
Join Ben Keyes as he hosts a conversation with Jo Swinney, Peter Harris, and Avery Robson of A Rocha International as they share A Place a the Table: Faith, Hope and Hospitality, a new book coauthored by Jo and her late mother, Miranda Harris, and some of the story of A Rocha and its global work.
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2022
A lecture given at L’Abri Fellowship in Southborough, Massachusetts. For more information, visit https://southboroughlabri.org/
by Joshua Chestnut
Even though humans are the only creatures who weep, all too often our tears remain mysteries to us. While considering the broader question of what it means to be human, this lecture will reflect on how we both navigate our emotions and understand our tears in our life with God and neighbor.
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2022
A lecture given at L’Abri Fellowship in Southborough, Massachusetts. For more information, visit https://southboroughlabri.org/
by Ben Keyes
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2022
A lecture given at L’Abri Fellowship in Southborough, Massachusetts. For more information, visit https://southboroughlabri.org/
by Sarah Chestnut
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2022
A lecture given at L’Abri Fellowship in Southborough, Massachusetts. For more information, visit https://southboroughlabri.org/
by Esther Dalton
George MacDonald wrote, "The imagination of man is made in the image of the imagination of God." This lecture will examine what the implications of that claim might mean and why imaginative work matters for the Christian life.
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2022
A lecture given at L’Abri Fellowship in Southborough, Massachusetts. For more information, visit https://southboroughlabri.org/
by Ben Keyes
What does the Bible teach us about the fear of the Lord? How is fearing God different from the ordinary fears that we experience in life? Given the negative nature of fear as an emotion, how can we reconcile fear of God with loving and being loved by Him? This lecture will attempt to address these questions and make the case that the fear of the Lord is the foundation for a life of obedience and flourishing.
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2022
A lecture given at L’Abri Fellowship in Southborough, Massachusetts. For more information, visit https://southboroughlabri.org/
by Dr. Tom Petter
Is the Bible history or theology or a bit of both? If it is history, does the Bible have different ways of recording 'facts' from ours? These questions about the Bible have been debated for centuries with wildly differing conclusions. What does the material record (archaeological data) and the available documentary sources tell us about the world of the Bible? While we can't 'prove' the Bible is historically accurate, there is enough circumstantial evidence that points to the reliability of the historical record of Scripture. (Recommended further reading: On the Reliability of the Old Testament by Kenneth Kitchen)
About the lecturer: Dr. Petter received his PhD in Biblical Hebrew Language and Literature and Near Eastern Archaeology from the department of Middle and Eastern Studies at the University of Toronto. As a doctoral student, he was a member of the Tall Madaba Archaeological Project in Jordan. He regularly teaches a course on the history and archaeology of the Ancient Near East at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary.
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2022
A lecture given at L’Abri Fellowship in Southborough, Massachusetts. For more information, visit https://southboroughlabri.org/
by Joshua Chestnut
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2022
A lecture given at L’Abri Fellowship in Southborough, Massachusetts. For more information, visit https://southboroughlabri.org/
by Joshua Chestnut
As a culture we struggle to know what to do with our grief and pain. We lack social practices and a shared vocabulary of grief to help us to make our way through it. This lecture will be a consideration of some of the Bible's poetry of pain, the book of Lamentations, to see what surprising and unasked-for help it might offer us.
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2022
A lecture given at L’Abri Fellowship in Southborough, Massachusetts. For more information, visit https://southboroughlabri.org/
by Dick Keyes
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2022
A lecture given at L’Abri Fellowship in Southborough, Massachusetts. For more information, visit https://southboroughlabri.org/
by Shauna Kurihara
What is beauty and why is it important to our spiritual lives? How does beauty help us as we do the work of caring for our souls? We will look briefly at the theology of beauty, consider its importance in our own individual lives and in God's greater story of redemption, and will think about how to apply this information about beauty to the work of soul care and the concept of "caring for the garden of your soul." During the course of the talk, you will be given a few minutes to contemplate the garden of your soul, so listen prepared for this bit of contemplation with a journal, sketchbook, or scrap paper to help you in this process.
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2022
A lecture given at L’Abri Fellowship in Southborough, Massachusetts. For more information, visit
by Ben Keyes
In his sermon entitled "The Lord's Work in the Lord's Way," Francis Schaeffer called Christian people to a mentality of radical dependence on God. All too often Christians work for good things, but rely solely on human resources in reaching those goals--the latest programs, techniques and strategies of the world. In doing so, the church loses access to the power of the Holy Spirit which is offered to us in the Bible. In this lecture, we will revisit France Schaeffer's ideas about working "in the Lord's way" and discuss the relevance of his sermon for today.
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2022
A lecture given at L’Abri Fellowship in Southborough, Massachusetts. For more information, visit
by Sarah Chestnut
There's no getting around it: we have to live with ourselves (and other people have to live with us, too!). How are we, as Christians, to go about "getting to know ourselves," and does this pursuit ever become a problem? If there are two guardrails that help keep us on the "road of life," one guards against plunging off the cliff of self-ignorance and the other guards against smashing against the cliff of self-obsession. We'll consider that second "rail" tonight, through a close look at the life of Simon Peter in the Gospels.
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2022
The "baptized imagination" is a phrase that sometimes gets thrown around Christian circles, but what does it mean? What does imagination have to do with real life, much less Christian spirituality, anyway? This lecture will offer some introductory definitions of what the imagination is (and what it is not) to help us better understand and grow in this powerful human faculty.
A lecture given at L’Abri Fellowship in Southborough, Massachusetts. For more information, visit https://southboroughlabri.org/
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2022
A lecture given at L’Abri Fellowship in Southborough, Massachusetts. For more information, visit https://southboroughlabri.org/
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2022
This lecture is a humble attempt to reconsider the often perplexing and confusing book of Revelation as a source of hope for beleaguered and struggling people of faith. It will consider the book's ancient context as well as our current moment to see how we might work to resist the pervasive inclination to fear and grow in our imaginative capacity to live lives of love and hope.
A lecture given at L’Abri Fellowship in Southborough, Massachusetts. For more information, visit https://southboroughlabri.org/
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2022
A lecture given at L’Abri Fellowship in Southborough, Massachusetts. For more information, visit https://southboroughlabri.org/
March 25
Esther Dalton
"The Monster in the Closet: Facing the Question of What to Wear."
Whether the question of what to wear is something you struggle with daily or something that has never occurred to you, we live in a world where getting dressed is far from simple. This lecture will make a case for why clothing is worth considering seriously and offer some particularly Christian frameworks for answering the question of what to wear.
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2022
A lecture given at L’Abri Fellowship in Southborough, Massachusetts. For more information, visit https://southboroughlabri.org/
March 18
Sarah Chestnut
"Can We Be At Home in the Shadow of the Fall? : Reflecting on Home with the Help of Poets."
Is home a house? A family? A piece of land? A country? A language? A state of mind? A person? A church? Is God himself our home? If so, why do we so often feel some degree of existential homelessness? We will listen to voices from Christian Wiman's new anthology, Home: 100 Poems, to better understand our own and others' experiences of home and exile and consider how these diverse voices bear witness to the reality of the shadow of the Fall.
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2022
A lecture given at L’Abri Fellowship in Southborough, Massachusetts. For more information, visit https://southboroughlabri.org/
March 11
Ben Keyes
"On Being in a Story."
Human beings throughout history and across the world have always been storytellers. It is also a basic human tendency to think of one's life as a story. As part of the search for meaning in life, many people find comfort in the belief that their life story is part of a larger story. In this lecture, we will reflect on the significance of our lives being part of God's story of creation, fall, redemption, and fulfillment. What does this mean for our own individual stories?
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2022
A lecture given at L’Abri Fellowship in Southborough, Massachusetts. For more information, visit https://southboroughlabri.org/
March 9
Dick Keyes
"Competition, Illusion, and Excellence."
Competition is a powerful reality in American life. It can even seem as if we are all swimming in the strong current of a great river which determines our future destiny and value by our competitive success in every aspect of life. Debates about the identity, importance, and value of competition seem stuck in the confusion of passionate praise and blame. So, how can we see a redemptive place for competition in society and for us as individuals which can take us toward the excellence which is more important to God than our "rank"?
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2022
A lecture given at L’Abri Fellowship in Southborough, Massachusetts. For more information, visit https://southboroughlabri.org/
March 4
Dick Keyes
"Why Would God Require Praise?"
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2022
A lecture given at L’Abri Fellowship in Southborough, Massachusetts. For more information, visit https://southboroughlabri.org/
Feb 25
Dr. Brandon Unruh
"Isn't Christianity Just Wish Fulfillment?"
This talk examines competing understandings of our seemingly universal desire for transcendence and perfection as either a collective neurosis driven by unresolved infantile longings (famously argued by Sigmund Freud) or a trustworthy signpost hinting at ultimate spiritual reality (as C.S. Lewis posited in his "argument from desire"). Dr. Brandon Unruh will consider the strengths of and objections to each claim from his professional vantage point as a psychiatrist and psychotherapist while also describing four experiential pathways this desire may take across the course of our lives: (1) it may be wrongly deified and leave us dissatisfied, (2) it may lie dormant on account of deadening attachment experiences, (3) it may be devalued or demystified by naturalistic explanatory models, or (4) it may deliver us into a deeper relational experience of God as the source and object of this desire.
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2022
A lecture given at L’Abri Fellowship in Southborough, Massachusetts. For more information, visit https://southboroughlabri.org/
Feb 18
Joshua Chestnut
"What Are Fathers For?"
Author James K.A. Smith has written that we live in an age where everyone has a computer in their pocket but a gaping hole where a father should be. Though the stereotype of the absentee father persists throughout popular culture, current research continues to show the wide-ranging gifts that a present father can bring to his children and the wider culture. This lecture will consider this as well as offer thoughts on how one can raise children of character and courage.
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2022
A lecture given at L’Abri Fellowship in Southborough, Massachusetts. For more information, visit https://southboroughlabri.org/
Feb 11
Jeff Banks
"Seeking the Shalom of the University: Beyond Culture War to Culture Care."
For the past decade, debates have raged at universities across the U.S. about the relationship between religious freedom and anti-discrimination policies, especially around human sexuality. Christian groups on campus have been pressured to change their bylaws, and, in some cases, de-recognized as student organizations. In this aggressively secular environment, how should a Christian engage with the university? Are the only options to assimilate, withdraw, or become a right-wing culture warrior? Come hear a biblical case for taking a different posture toward the university, one that doesn't sacrifice beliefs for access, but doesn't sacrifice love for the politics of hate either. Whether you're a student at university or just work and live in secular culture, this will be relevant to you.
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2022
A lecture given at L’Abri Fellowship in Southborough, Massachusetts. For more information, visit https://southboroughlabri.org/
Feb 4
Esther Dalton
"How to Read a Story (A Guide for Practical People)."
If you get the chance to be a L'Abri student, you might be surprised when, along with serious works from theology, psychology, or social commentary, your tutor assigns you a work of fiction to read. A troubling mixture of misconceptions, questions, and even guilt can swirl through the practically-minded reader when faced with a novel, short story, or even a lyric poem. This lecture will attempt to address some of these concerns and offer tips for embracing the pleasures of a good story.
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2022
A lecture given at L’Abri Fellowship in Southborough, Massachusetts. For more information, visit https://southboroughlabri.org/
Jan 28
Joshua Chestnut
"The Apostle Paul and the Submission of Women."
This lecture is a continuation in a series of lectures on the Apostle Paul and women. This time we will consider his letter to the Ephesians with its counter-cultural call to submission and its complex metaphor of husbands as "head," all the while asking whether Paul was merely adopting the patterns of his wider, patriarchal culture or if he was significantly adapting these patterns in light of the gospel of Jesus.
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2022
A lecture given at L’Abri Fellowship in Southborough, Massachusetts. For more information, visit https://southboroughlabri.org/
Jan 21
Ben Keyes
The Waiting that God Requires.
Waiting has never been an easy thing for people. We are impatient in our souls, but we also live in a world where pain and suffering make it difficult to wait. To make matter's worse, our efficiency-obsessed culture tells us that modern people should not have to wait for what they want. In stark contrast, the Bible tells us that waiting is the context of all faith, and that to wait on the Lord is the calling of all Christians. How might biblical wisdom help us to wait in a world that seems to value only acceleration?
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2021
A lecture given at L’Abri Fellowship in Southborough, Massachusetts. For more information, visit https://southboroughlabri.org/
Nov 12
Ben Keyes
"What's He Building in There?" : The Music of Tom Waits.
Tom Waits has been making original music since the late 1960s and has many devoted followers. Very little is known about him personally, but his songs are rich, complex, funny and disturbing. While his music is at times a challenge both lyrically and sonically, there is much to appreciate about his writing and musicianship. In this talk we will explore some of Waits' music and ask the question - do we make room in the kingdom of God for the eccentric and the strange?
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2021
A lecture given at L’Abri Fellowship in Southborough, Massachusetts. For more information, visit https://southboroughlabri.org/
Nov 5
Kelly Koon
"Let them see the farm, and let them see faith!" : Reflections on Christianity from those who work on and with the land.
Within this lecture we will cultivate a richer understanding of rural agricultural Christianity, engaging with the deeply grounded faith that comes from working close to the earth. There is much to learn about who God is and how faith relates to daily life when we leave urban areas and enter into places where one's business, personal spirituality, community connection, environmental care, and family lifestyle are all bound tightly into a holistic definition of sustainability.
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2021
A lecture given at L’Abri Fellowship in Southborough, Massachusetts. For more information, visit https://southboroughlabri.org/
Oct 29
Esther Dalton
"Fellow Passengers to the Grave" : Learning Love of Neighbor with Charles Dickens
What does the Good Samaritan have to do with a prolific and sometimes preachy Victorian novelist? This lecture will explore this question by looking at how reading Dickens' stories can help us think in fresh, and perhaps deeper, ways about what loving our neighbors as ourselves looks like in real life.
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2021
A lecture given at L’Abri Fellowship in Southborough, Massachusetts. For more information, visit https://southboroughlabri.org/
Oct 22
Joshua Chestnut
The Apostle Paul, a Friend to the Poor?
It is not uncommon to hear that while Jesus cares for the poor and the least, Paul only cares about the pagan and the lost. Many readings of Paul seem to make his theological preoccupations center, and any concern for the poor marginal. This lecture will take another look at the Apostle Paul to see how his letters evidence a ministry of deep and abiding concern for the least.
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2021
A lecture given at L’Abri Fellowship in Southborough, Massachusetts. For more information, visit https://southboroughlabri.org/
Oct 15
Sarah Chestnut
Am I Following Jesus on Purpose, Or Just Riding My Parent's Coat Tails?
Question your faith down to its foundation. Even deconstruct it. But live in a state of demolition? In this lecture, we will reflect on what it means to grow up in a Christian home, explore how to take doubts and questions seriously, and gather some tools to help reconstruct a more mature (and maturing) life of faith.
Optional pre-lecture reading - After Doubt: How to Question Your Faith Without Losing It, by A.J. Swoboda.
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2021
A lecture given at L’Abri Fellowship in Southborough, Massachusetts. For more information, visit https://southboroughlabri.org/
Sept 24
Ben Keyes
The Gift Comes First: The Essential Chronology of the Gospel.
Christianity is a religion of grace, but what does this mean? In this lecture we will examine the ways in which the Christian life is a response to a gift already given - an invitation to 'strive from approval.' Why is it difficult to grasp this central belief? What are the implications of this for how we live?
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2021
A lecture given at L’Abri Fellowship in Southborough, Massachusetts. For more information, visit https://southboroughlabri.org/
Sept 17
Joshua Chestnut
The Apostle Paul, and Finding a Pattern for our Prayers.
Though he offers little by way of direction instruction on the matter of how to pray, as one reads the letters of the Apostle Paul we often find him at prayer. This lecture will consider some of his prayers to see what sort of model or pattern they might offer those of us learning what it means to pray.
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2021
A lecture given by Sarah Chestnut at L’Abri Fellowship in Southborough, Massachusetts on July 16th, 2021. For more information, visit https://southboroughlabri.org/
The image of a master potter's hands on clay spinning on the potter's wheel is an image and metaphor used by the Old Testament prophets Isaiah and Jeremiah, and it is an image and metaphor drawn on again by the apostle Paul in Romans (quoting Isaiah) and 2 Corinthians (treasure in jars of clay). Job, too, uses the language of being clay. In this lecture we will aim to better understand how the biblical writers were using the metaphor and what it has to teach us about what God is like and how we should understand what it means to be human. Additionally, we will consider what the potter's foundational discipline of centering clay has to teach us about prayer.
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2021
“Plato, the Professor and the Real Narnia”
A lecture given by Jim Paul at L’Abri Fellowship (via zoom) in Southborough, Massachusetts on July 9th, 2021. For more information, visit https://southboroughlabri.org/
In ’The Last Battle’, the final book in CS Lewis’ Chronicles of Narnia, the children witness the end of Narnia before walking through a door between worlds into a land of "warm daylight' and "blue sky, with flowers at their feet”. They eventually come to see that this ’new’ land is the real Narnia, “which has always been here and always will be”, and that the old Narnia was only its shadow or copy. Digory Kirke (the Professor in ‘The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe’) comments by way of explanation that “It’s all in Plato, all in Plato." What did Lewis mean by this and how does Plato help us understand the relationship of creation to new creation?
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2021
A lecture given by Mardi Keyes at L’Abri Fellowship in Southborough, Massachusetts on July 2nd, 2021. For more information, visit https://southboroughlabri.org/
THE LONG BATTLE FOR WOMEN’S SUFFRAGE IN THE UNITED STATES
Winning the right to vote was one of many goals articulated at the first American Women’s Rights Convention, held in 1848 in Seneca Falls, New York. It took 72 years to achieve. On August 18, 1920, the 19th Amendment to the Federal Constitution was adopted. It read, “The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of sex.” Of all the women present at Seneca Falls, only nineteen-year-old Charlotte Woodward lived to cast her vote in the 1920 presidential election. Such a long campaign toward one goal, is unique in American History and could not have succeeded without political acumen and doggedness. In telling the story, we will consider some of the black and white women, whose courage and determination brought about this legislative victory. We will also consider why the opposition to women’s suffrage was so strong.
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2021
A lecture given by Ben Keyes at L’Abri Fellowship in Southborough, Massachusetts on June 25th, 2021. For more information, visit https://southboroughlabri.org/
“His Own Did Not Receive Him”: The Literary Theme of the Unrecognized King
There are many works of western literature in which people of great power and authority disguise themselves and are not recognized even by their own people. Maybe you can think of some stories that contain this theme? While the motivations for secrecy and the outcomes vary widely, this motif of the unrecognized ruler is undeniably powerful. In this lecture we will discuss a few examples of this theme and how they point imperfectly to Jesus Christ—the ultimate unrecognized King.
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2021
This lecture was given on Friday, June 18th, 2021 at Southborough L'Abri Fellowship by Joshua Chestnut.
The Apostle Paul and the Silencing of Women - Joshua Chestnut
This lecture, the third in a series on Paul and women, will take an extended look at Paul’s infamous instruction for women to be silent in 1 Cor. 14:33-36, as well as his words about women not having authority over a man or teaching in 1 Timothy 2:12. We will consider them against the backdrop of Paul’s ministry patterns, consider why he might have written them as well as consider what they mean, both for Christians in the first century and for us today.
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2021
Jesus revealed himself using a complex but important metaphor. We will look at his promise that he was the Chief Capstone and the Rock of Salvation, but also warned that he was the Stone of Stumbling which could destroy us. How can we resolve these two sides of the metaphor?
Beginning with an overview of various forms of anxiety which are commonly amenable to professional help, this talk (by a practicing psychiatrist and psychotherapist) explores the limitations of psychiatry and psychotherapy as tools for managing our deeper, wider existential fears. This inadequacy is proposed to stem from the inherently naturalistic worldview typically operationalized throughout these working models. It is proposed that applying a wider frame of reference which includes God, and specifically the trinitarian Christian God, provides resources for transforming, though usually not removing, our lived experience of anxiety.
The Doctrine of the Fall as Good News
By Ben Keyes
From a Christian worldview the doctrine of the fall provides an answer for the basic questions: “what is wrong with the world and why?” However, in eagerness to emphasize the good news and victory of the gospel, Christian people sometimes under-emphasize the fall and its many effects. Sadly, this can lead to confusion and disillusionment in our faith. This lecture will explore an idea that we have seen demonstrated in the life of L’Abri many times: that while the fall itself is the worst news, understanding the doctrine of the fall can bring clarity to much of our confusion and equip us to live in a world that is broken.
Where Did Human Rights Come From?
by Dick Keyes
March 19, 2021
For our lives to go on we all assume a respect for human rights in ourselves and in our neighbors. What are human rights, how did we get them and why are they important?
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2019.
The Apostle Paul, A Friend To The Enslaved?
by Joshua Chestnut
March 12, 2021
This lecture will be a consideration of some of the Apostle Paul’s seemingly problematic passages around slavery, focusing in particular on 1 Corinthians 7 and his letter to Philemon (give ‘em a read before tuning in!). While it is understandably disappointing for many modern readers of Paul that he does not directly condemn the institution of slavery, yet before dismissing the Apostle for what he doesn’t do, it is worthwhile to considering again what it is he does do.
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2019.
She Has Done A Beautiful Thing: The Anointing of Christ in All Four Gospels
by Anna Friedrich
March 5, 2021
When God calls something beautiful that seems worthy of our attention! All four gospel writers include a mysterious story of a woman approaching Jesus at a dinner and pouring oil or perfume on him. What is this about? Why does he call it beautiful? And how might this story help us understand beauty today?
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2019.
When Strangers Become Guests and Guests Become Friends by Dave Friedrich Feb 26, 2021 This lecture addresses two interrelated christian practices, hospitality and friendship. It takes note of how these have brought profound healing to societal divisions in the past, and makes a case for why we would want to recover them in the present. The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2019.
Taking Yourself Less Seriously
by Ben Keyes
given Feb 19, 2021
The ability to laugh at yourself can be a disarming gift in the midst of difficult conversations and tense relationships, but is laughing at yourself anything more than a communication technique? Is there something fundamentally ridiculous about each of us to which laughter is an appropriate response? What does the Bible teach us about the incongruities of being fallen and limited humans, and why do we experience some of these incongruities as funny? This lecture will examine the potentially redemptive nature of self-directed humor.
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2019.
The Apostle Paul, Our Mother in Christ: Metaphors, Ministry and Masculinity
by Joshua Chestnut
Feb 12, 2021
This lecture is the second in a series on the Apostle Paul and women. It will be a consideration of the nature of metaphor, Paul’s striking but often overlooked use of maternal metaphors to make sense of his own ministry as well as a consideration of what this might mean for the fraught topic of gender ‘roles’ today.
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2019.
The Importance of Paradox: Poetry, Prayer, & the Life of Simon Peter
by Sarah Chestnut
Feb 5, 2021
Paradox is central to Christian theology and experience. Francis Schaeffer, employing a paradox, described humans as glorious ruins. We will look to poetry to tutor us in the nature and gifts of paradox, reflect on what are often paradoxical experiences of praying, and with the help of poems, imaginatively enter gospel passages involving Simon Peter ("Rock" and "stumbling stone"!) to better equip us to navigate our complex world.
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2019.
Curiosity: A Diverse and Fruitful Christian Virtue
by Ben Keyes
Jan 29, 2021
Curiosity is a quality that is not often counted among the Christian virtues. And yet to be curious can be a wonderful asset to people- a source of learning and joy. In this lecture we will explore different categories of human curiosity and examine some cultural attitudes towards being curious. We will then reflect on some of the ways in which curiosity equips us to better serve God by functioning as a springboard for other virtues.
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2019.
Becoming Friends with Time
by Joshua Chestnut
January 22, 2021
While time is a tricky matter to fully wrap our heads around, its elusiveness doesn’t keep us from having a complicated relationship with it. Whether we have too much time on our hands or not enough, for those of us living in “clock time” we often find ourselves having an adversarial relationship with time. This has been true for so many of us during this year of pandemic. This lecture will give a history of “clock time” and then consider how we might engage with the time that has been given to us and what it might mean to become a friend of time.
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2019.
The Rise of Outrage
October 30, 2020
Dick Keyes
In a world where the dominant source of moral authority for the individual is increasingly one’s own emotions, outrage has become the quickest path to moral conviction and to political influence. How should we understand this and respond to it?
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2019.
There Just Aren’t Enough Days in the Weekend:
Finding Sabbath Rest in the Lord of the Sabbath
by Dave Friedrich October 23, 2020
What was Sabbath rest about in the Old Testament? How did Jesus “fulfill” it in the New Testament? And how do we find it in our day? These will be the guiding questions of this lecture. The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2019.
On Being Politically Homeless
October 16, 2020
by Joshua Chestnut
In a way that seems prophetic of today, C.S. Lewis commented that one symptom of a sick society is that it talks about politics too much. Wanting to move beyond the incessant, performative, tone-deaf, package deal platform of partisan politics in America, this lecture will consider the quasi-religious nature that politics has taken on today and place that in conversation with the “politics” of Christians in the first few centuries.
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2019.
Making and Fixing in a World of Cheap Replaceable Objects
by Ben Keyes
October 9, 2020
Most contemporary people are surrounded by cheaply made, easily replaceable products. In addition to this, many of our lives are so mediated through digital technology that we seldom use our hands to engage the physical world at all. Is the loss of ‘manual competence’ really a loss, or is it simply the way of the modern world?
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2019.
The Apostle Paul, A Friend of Women
Oct 2, 2020
Joshua Chestnut
While many discussions of women in the writings of the Apostle Paul begin and end in the infamous controversial passages, this lecture will start elsewhere and instead look at the often overlooked named women in Paul’s letters. My hope is that by looking at who these particular named women are, what they appear to be up to and the way Paul describes them will provide us a fresh way into the often fraught discussion of Paul and women.
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2019.
Fear, Anxiety, and the Fear of the Lord
September 25, 2020
by Dave Friedrich
There is a curious line from the well-known hymn Amazing Grace that mentions what appears to be two contradictory out-workings of grace: “ ’Twas grace that taught my heart to fear, and grace my fears relieved.” In this lecture we will take a closer look at this paradox of grace as we compare and contrast fear, anxiety and the fear of the Lord. The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2019.
Hearts Set on Pilgrimage: How Taking Walks Might Become Your Favorite Spiritual Discipline
September 18, 2020
by Anna A. Friedrich
Walking is as ordinary as it gets. It’s so commonplace, it’s almost pedestrian. But the Scriptures, especially Proverbs, elevate this simple activity to a rich analogy for life with God. If we’re invited to “walk with God” how do we do that? And might regular, literal walks be a way to stay on the Way?
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2019.
Bound to the Risen Christ
by Ben Keyes
2020
Here is another rough recording of a new hymn. Bound to the Risen Christ is a broad reflection on the incarnation and our union with Christ in his death and resurrection. The Christian hope is that we go where Jesus goes; that our sin was conquered in him on Good Friday and that a new life is guaranteed in him on Easter morning. I was trying to find different ways of communicating the uniqueness of the cross. It simply cannot be replaced with any other source of hope. I hope you enjoy it and find it encouraging. Ben Keyes
Bound to the Risen Christ
He who gives us the breath of life died for our sin. And every good and wholesome thing is a gift from Him. So what can we, with a conscience clean withhold from Him? … Allelujah!
The God of Israel and this man, they are the same. The Lord, His name unspeakable, took a common name, Which was disgraced but has earned the place of eternal fame…. Allelujah!
Chorus: We live, bound to the risen Christ- In his death and life. The Maker of all is our Salvation. Build your kingdom with our hands As we long for the New Creation
There is no freedom in life except what was bought that day, So don’t reject the priceless gift with attempts to pay, For when we hope in less than this we have gone astray… Allelujah!
But no great love have we returned to You, our King. And chilly thanks we give to You, who give everything. So broken spirits and empty hands are all we bring….. Allelujah!
Chorus
O where were you when all his friends abandoned Him? Yes, I was with Him on that day only by my sin But that part died and what survives will rise with Him … Allelujah!
We who stand in the name of Christ have been remade. And bound to Him we will leave behind these empty graves So let us sing in the face of death, ‘we are not afraid’…. Allelujah!
Chorus
The Table Is Laid (A Hymn)
by Ben Keyes
Southborough L'Abri, 2020
'The Table is Laid' is a hymn that I have been trying to finish writing for a long time. I am not convinced that it is quite done, but I thought I would offer it anyway in hopes that it might be an encouragement. The hymn is a prayer both of longing and of hope. The world is in desperate need of Christ's coming and every day we see brokenness that is not yet mended. But we also stand in a place of confidence in light of the battle already won be God. Ultimately the image of the table is our great hope- a feast at which each of us is truly expected!
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2019.
The Table is Laid
We seek the Lord Christ With faith that is dim And hearts that half long To stray away from Him But the conquering King holds the bruised and bent reed And the flickering wick He will fan into flame.
…We need you O Christ The world brims with hate. The sickness, the strife Your church does not escape May your children rise, In the power of your love In a world ripped apart, But made one by your blood, and unite.
We love you O Christ For what you have done The defeat that you sought And the victory you won So that God’s enemies Might abandon that fight- O children of Heav’n, Peace is your birthright…..
Our brother, your son Has forged us this place, In Your family O God. We can long for your face
We approach Your great throne Yet walk by your side All wrongs they are known But in Christ swept aside And the chairs are pulled back And each one bears a name: Of a child of God. O the table is laid.
22 Things I Have Learned From Life
by Dr. Donald J. Drew
L’Abri 2001
“I listened to this lecture last month on Nickaela’s recommendation. It’s full of gems! I played it for one of our Wednesday night Wild Cards and it became a light-hearted competition to try and discern what the actual 22 things were. One of the most helpful things was his way of emphasizing that God doesn’t play games!” — Anna Friedrich
Dr. Donald J. Drew studied at Cambridge and was President of the Christian Union and worked at L'Abri for a number of years. His books include Images of Man: A Critique of the Contemporary Cinema (1974) and Letters to a Student: Encouraging Words from a Christian Mentor (2003).
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2019.
An Altared Heart: Anxiety, Prayer, Poetry and Hope During COVID-19 by Sarah Chestnut April 10. 2020 In this personal essay written in the middle of Lent, just as social isolation measures were being put in place, Sarah Chestnut reflects on poems that have given her language for her anxious heart in an anxious time, and on the source of true hope. The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2019.
CRUCIAL: Poems on Christ's Seven Last Words from the Cross by Sarah Chestnut April 9, 2020 Sarah Chestnut shares original poems written on each of Christ's final words from the cross, read alongside the gospel texts. These meditations on Christ's death are a helpful companion on Good Friday. The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2019.
Between the Cross and Resurrection: Reflections on Jesus’ Death and Our Own.
by Joshua Chestnut
March 13, 2020
This lecture will be an exploration of the theology of Holy Saturday. Taking what the Apostle’s Creed refers to as Jesus’ “descent to the dead” as our starting place, this lecture will consider what it means that Jesus was dead as well as what this might mean for us as we consider the inevitability of our own death.
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2019.
Violence in the Bible from Joshua to Jesus (Part 2 of 2): Jesus and the Cross
by Dave Friedrich
March 6
What are we to make of the similarities and significant differences between Joshua and Jesus, especially as it relates to the role of violence in the Promised Land? That will be the guiding question of this lecture as we look at how Jesus ‘conquers’ in the gospels and the book of Revelation.
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2019.
Violence in the Bible from Joshua to Jesus (Part 1 of 2): Joshua and the Conquest
by Dave Friedrich
Feb 28, 2020
How are we to understand the violence we encounter in the Bible within the broader culture and context of Scripture? That will be our guiding question as we look at Joshua’s Conquest in Canaan and address further questions surrounding genocide, the inspiration of Scripture and the goodness of God.
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2019.
The Vineyard and the Vine: Reflections on the Biblical Theme of Wine Making
By Ben Keyes
Feb 21
In ancient Israel vines, vineyards, grapes and wine making were a part of every day life and good wine was considered a sign of God’s blessing. The cultivation of grape vines also provides a rich source of metaphorical imagery throughout the bible. This lecture will attempt to follow the thread of vine imagery throughout scripture to see what is communicated about God and his saving relationship to his people.
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2019.
In the Garden of Delight: Reading the Song of Songs for a Broken World
by Joshua Chestnut
Feb 1, 2020
What was once the most popular and most commented-on book in all of the scriptures, the Song of Songs (or sometimes called the Song of Solomon) plays little role in shaping contemporary imaginations about what it means to be human. Often assumed to be simplistic love songs, these ancient Hebrew love poems hold beautiful and timely wisdom on the goodness of human love, the problematic dynamics of abused power, the significance of place as well as the delight of life with God.
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2019.
“Can Christian People hope to have a redemptive influence in the polarization of American Politics?”
by Dick Keyes
Jan 31, 2020
Political Polarization threatens to cripple our government. There seem to be few solutions on offer, but could Christian people willing to stand under the whole counsel of God make a difference?
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2019.
‘For Your Name’s Sake’: Living for the Reputation of God
by Ben Keyes
Feb 7, 2020
The biblical writers often tell us that God acts in the world ‘for the sake of his name.’ Biblical characters sometimes plead with God to intervene ‘for His name’s sake.” What does it mean that God defends his reputation to people? What difference would it make to pray with the glory of God’s name in mind?
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2019.
“It was meant to be good”: Becoming More Human in the Kitchen and Around the Table
by Sarah Chestnut
Jan 24, 2020
What does good food mean? What makes food good? Can learning to cook- or even just hanging around the kitchen- make us more human? Is eating a spiritual act? In an age of individualized diets that can become their own religions, is there hope for “family style” eating and true hospitality? Does what and how we eat really matter? With these questions and many more in mind, we will explore the significance of cooking and eating for the recovery of our true humanity.
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2019.
Caring for Creation V: Dappled, Strange, & Glorious: What Can Variety and Abundance Reveal?
by Anna Friedrich
Jan 17, 2020
This lecture is part of our ongoing series on the goodness of creation and our unique role as humans to explore, care for, protect, and delight in it. We will look at two things revealed in what we see around us and what we read in the Bible — Variety and Abundance. What can these two teach us about who God is and who we are?
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2019.
Caring for Creation (IV): Does the Natural World Teach Theology?
given by Ben Keyes
November 15, 2019
Psalm 19 tells us that the heavens declare the glory of God. What is being declared about God as we look up at the stars? Does the rest of creation have anything in particular to declare? What is the relationship between God’s particular revelation in scripture and his revelation in the natural world, which is available to all? In this lecture we will contemplate the value of creation both in itself and in its ability to teach theology.
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2019.
Ecclesiastes and Something New Under The Sun
A Different Kind of Fear
Part 3 of 3
by Dave Friedrich
Theme Weekend: Nov. 2, 2019
What are we supposed to do with this strange and wonderful book? What kind of wisdom is this? And how are we to understand its place within the Bible and its fulfillment in Christ? These will be our guiding questions as we look at three major themes of Ecclesiastes: vapor, joy and a different kind of fear.
Theme Three: A Different Kind of Fear
For many, fear is an unpleasant and unwanted emotion that steals our joy and diminishes our lives. Ecclesiastes, and the Bible as a whole, call us to a different kind of fear, one that broadens our lives as we recognize the frightening difference between us and God: we are a vapor, but He is eternal. This is the fear of God, a God-ward orientation of holy awe that surprisingly gives us reason to hope, rejoice, and live our lives to the fullest.
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2019.
Ecclesiastes and Something New Under The Sun
A Table in the Mist
Part 2 of 3
by Dave Friedrich
Theme Weekend: Nov. 2, 2019
What are we supposed to do with this strange and wonderful book? What kind of wisdom is this? And how are we to understand its place within the Bible and its fulfillment in Christ? These will be our guiding questions as we look at three major themes of Ecclesiastes: vapor, joy and a different kind of fear.
Theme Two: Joy
The Assembler declares that everything is vapor, but he also sees “a table in the mist,” with food and drink and other good gifts from God that we are meant to enjoy. He says, in fact, there is nothing better than when God enables us to see and receive what is good. Is this true? And can we find this joy even in the mist of the wilderness?
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2019.
Ecclesiastes and Something New Under The Sun
Everything is Vapor
Part 1 of 3
by Dave Friedrich
Theme Weekend: Nov. 1, 2019
What are we supposed to do with this strange and wonderful book? What kind of wisdom is this? And how are we to understand its place within the Bible and its fulfillment in Christ? These will be our guiding questions as we look at three major themes of Ecclesiastes: vapor, joy and a different kind of fear.
Theme One: Vapor
How would you describe that which is fleeting? What would you call grasping for what is beyond your grasp? How about “vapor” and “herding the wind”? That is how the Assembler, otherwise known as the Preacher or Teacher, describes everything human. He takes a hard look at life and concludes that it is all ephemeral, enigmatic, and frustrating. Is he a cynic? Or is he a realist telling us what it is like to live and work in the shadow of the fall? Could he even be one of the wise, telling us how to live in the wilderness, in exile, somewhere between the promise and the promised land?
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2019.
Navigating Restless Years: St. Augustine on How to Survive Young Adulthood
by Joshua Chestnut
Oct 2, 2019
Though he never had to deal with particular modern troubles like social media, student loans or internet porn, St. Augustine just like so many of us did have to navigate complicated relationships with parents, disappointment with religious community, haunting memories and seemingly unshakeable bad habits. In this lecture we will look at how in his most well-known book the Confessions, Augustine opens up about all of this and more, offering help for those of us still navigating the “restless years” of becoming adults.
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2019.
How can we grow the right desires – and pass them on to others?
by Dick Keyes
Oct 18, 2019
It seems that God does not only want us to know what is right and good, but to do it. But that is not all. Jesus wanted much more for us – that we hunger and thirst for what is right and good; that we love and desire it. We probably know something about learning ideas and behavior, but how do we learn the right desires and how can we teach them to others in a world which is skilled at shaping human desires for its own purposes?
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2019.
"Belonging to Every Riven Thing": Reflecting on the Incarnation with the Help of Peots(II)
by Sarah Chestnut
Oct 11, 2019
An earlier version of this lecture was given in 2016. Turning to three new poems, we will consider in a format more discussion than lecture what it means about God, and what it means for our humanity, that Jesus was fully divine and fully human. For those who would like to read the poems in advance, see “Every Riven Thing” (Christian Wiman), “Descending Theology: Christ Human” (Mary Karr), and “Hill Country” (Tracy K. Smith).
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2019.
Shouldn't The Christian Faith Be Easier? (Part II) Growing Biblical Grit
by Ben Keyes
Oct 4, 2019
Are we really prepared in the affluent west for what the bible has to say about the hardships of the Christian life? We are part of an entitled culture that believes success should come easily. For many, ease is a determiner of what is worth pursuing in life. This lecture will engage with the work of secular positive psychologist Angela Duckworth. What does Duckworth’s understanding of ‘grit’ have to do with biblical perseverance and long-suffering?
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2019.
Shouldn’t the Christian Faith be Easier? (Part I)
by Ben Keyes
this was given June 14, 2019
Have you ever felt that if Christianity were really true, it would be easier to live out? This is a very common contemporary sentiment, but what does it presuppose? What are our expectations of the Christian life and how are they influenced by the modern belief that ‘ease determines right.’ What does the bible encourage us to expect of life following Christ?
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2019.
Making Sense of Anger
by Joshua Chestnut
September 27, 2019
Whether we simmer in silence and suppression or explode in rage and violence, anger is a part of all of our lives. In this lecture we will look at the nature of anger, what it is telling us, and what we can do with it.
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2019.
My Times are in Your Hands: Biblical Reflections on Suffering & Sovereignty
given by Anna Friedrich
Sept 20, 2019
What is God’s relationship with all the bad things that happen? What does the Bible actually offer us in our suffering? The very old “problem of evil” continues to haunt and nag. We’ll look at one helpful metaphor employed by many Biblical authors and invite this imagery to reawaken our imaginations and our prayers.
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2019.
Reclaiming Love: Biblical and Scientific Principles for Restoring Relationships
by Dr. Andrea Gurney, Professor of Psychology, Westmont College
July 12, 2019
In a world that is more connected than ever before, we are somehow missing the mark on the very thing we were created for — loving, intimate relationships. As a society, we experience more depression, anxiety, and suicide than years past, and it is postulated that a primary reason for the increase in suicide is lack of social connections. This lecture will seek to provide practical tools from relationship science and Biblical truths to equip us in building healthy relationships.
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2019.
Liberty and Justice for Women?
by Mardi Keyes
July 5th
Why did Feminism happen in America? In 1776, Abigail Adams wrote a letter to her husband John, who was a member of the committee drafting the Declaration of Independence. She asked, “…in the new code of laws…remember the ladies, and…Do not put such unlimited power into the hands of the husbands. Remember all men would be tyrants if they could. If particular care and attention is not paid to the ladies we are determined to foment a rebellion, and will not hold ourselves bound by any laws in which we have no voice or representation.” She was referring to the law, by which women, upon marriage, lost their civic identity, all rights to their property, to their bodies and their children. The “rebellion” she predicted was later called “Feminism.” John Adams responded dismissively, “Depend on it, we know better than to repeal our masculine systems…” Why is it that in culture after culture, “masculine systems” have defined men as entitled to liberty and justice, while women are not? What light can the Bible shed on these questions?
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2019.
“Jazzing Hellwards”: The Painful History of White Protestant Church Segregation and What It Means Today
June 28 – Marta Crilly, Historian and Archivist From segregated seating in the 1840s to the Memphis Kneeel-Ins of the 1960s, America’s white congregations have a long and painful history of working to promote segregation in church pews. Examining the long tradition of segregationist theology, polity, and culture in the white church sheds light on the current racial situation in American churches, and helps us to understand why 11:00 on Sunday morning is still the most segregated hour for American Christians. This lecture delves into the pro-slavery and pro-segregation theology accepted in many white churches in the 19th and 20th century and how that theology manifested in local church practice.
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2019.
The Butterfly Effect of the Gospel
delivered May 10th, 2019
Lecture by Peter Harris
Peter Harris is co-founder of A Rocha Internationalan international Christian orgainization that engages communities in nature conservation.
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2019.
There Are Many Ways To Say I Love You: The Life And Work Of Mr. Rogers
by Joshua Chestnut
presented May 17, 2019
Children’s development specialist Margaret McFarland taught that “anything human is mentionable, and whatever is mentionable is manageable.” This simple yet profound insight into being human was also a guiding principle of Fred Rogers, one of America’s most beloved TV personalities. In this lecture we will consider Rogers’ life, work and faith through the lens of some of his most famous children’s songs in order to see the gentle wisdom of this quirky and endearing Christian man who was fiercely committed to the dignity, intelligence and emotional capacity of children in a culture which all too often overlooke.
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2019.
Space, Place, and Grace: Musings on the Meaning of Home
Mary Frances Giles
March 22, 2019
These days we are surrounded by conflicting messages of "home". An advertisement for a furniture store might be immediately followed by a report on the refugee crisis. Americans are more transient than ever, yet we are obsessed with home improvement shows. This lecture will use the Biblical narrative as a lens to examine what it means to build a home, both in the world and with God.
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2019.
There's a Crack in Everything: Learning from The Broken Hallelujah of Leonard Cohen
by Dave Friedrich
Come and listen to Leonard Cohen sing about what "everybody knows," but what we find hard to accept and express in life and faith.
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2019.
What is the heart and can it be 'altared'?
(given March 8, 2019)
Sarah Chestnut
From the muscle-pump that keeps blood moving through the body, to a symbol of romantic love, the heart is understood (and misunderstood) in a variety of ways. How did the biblical authors understand the heart and what might it mean for Christ to "dwell" in our hearts--and change them?
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2019.
Saturday, Feb 23 9:30 AM Political Polarization, Pervasive Loneliness and the Exhausted Middle
Joshua Chestnut A recent social survey found that the amount of Americans with no close friends has tripled since the mid-80's and that nearly 25% report having no one in their life who they consider a trusted confidant. How might these epidemic levels of loneliness, combined with the echo-chamber nature of social media have contributed to our national crisis of political polarization and what are some ways forward for those who find themselves exhausted by the angry discourse by those on extremes of the political spectrum?
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2019.
Friday, Feb 22 7:30 PM A Tree Without Roots: How Can We Reconnect Contemporary Virtue With Christian Belief?
Ben Keyes Contemporary psychologists say that it is good for us to forgive, to give thanks and to seek humility. These traditionally Christian ways of life are being recognized as important aspects of human thriving but without any connection to biblical belief. How long can the secular appreciation of Christian virtue last without Christianity. In what ways could this trend be an opportunity to communicate Christian Truth?
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2019.
March 1 What does God mean by his promise, "I will be with you"?
Dick Keyes
Some say that the best place to hide is in plain sight. “They’ll never think of looking here!” Sometimes this is the sad fate of Biblical truths which are so familiar to us that their life and importance is hidden simply by their familiarity. God’s amazing promise, “I will be with you” may have suffered this fate. It appears explicitly many times in the Bible and many more times implicitly or as an assumption. But what does it actually mean to us in our daily lives which range from triumph to tragedy with lots of routine in between?
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2019.
Feb 15 Sight for the Blind: A Study on the Significance of Eyes in the Biblical Story
Anna Friedrich From the “pleasing to the eye” fruit of Genesis 3 to the four living creatures in Revelation “covered with eyes all around,” the Bible is full of references to sight. God’s sight and human sight seem to compliment and challenge each other. What does it mean for God to see us, or for us to “fix our eyes on Jesus”? We’ll explore these questions among others in a broad stroke “look” at sight through the Bible.
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by Southborough L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2019
Feb 8 - Caring for Creation Part III: Our Relationship to Farmed and Domesticated Animals Ben Keyes What does the bible say about raising animals for food? How can we apply God’s word to our contemporary food system that relies so heavily on intensive factory farming? Should we all be vegetarians as many Christians argue, or are we entitled to rely on animals for food? Is this even a question that should concern Christians?
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by Southborough L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2019
Feb 1- Revolution or Recession? Sex in Pre- and Post-Christian Cultures - Joshua Chestnut One might assume that in a culture as tolerant and progressive as our own that these would be booming times for sex, yet a growing body of research seems to point in the opposite direction that more and more people are in fact retreating from physical intimacy. In this lecture will not only consider the sexual landscape of our current post-Christian culture, but reconsider the surprising distinctives of Christian sexual ethics as they emerged in the Pre-Christian world and how it revolutionized human sexuality.
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by Southborough L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2019
Jan 25, 2019
- The Gift of Grace: No Strings Attached or Call and Response? Dave Friedrich This lecture considers the research of New Testament scholar John Barclay in his book, Paul and the Gift (2015), that challenges the definition of Divine grace as a gift with no strings attached and helps us see the gift of grace in Galatians and Romans as both divine call and human response. (This is the second lecture in a two part series, but also stands alone. Part one is, The Last Laugh)
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by Southborough L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2019
A lecture given by Dave Friedrich at Southborough L'Abri on January 18th, 2019. For more information, visit www.labri.org/mass and for more L'Abri lectures, visit the L'Abri Ideas Library.
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2019.
A lecture given by Mardi Keyes at Southborough L'Abri on November 2nd, 2018. For more information, visit www.labri.org/mass and for more L'Abri lectures, visit the L'Abri Ideas Library.
The Changing Relationship of Young People to Work
From the birth of our nation, the relationship of young people to work has varied according to geography, gender, ethnicity, class, race and religion. But it is a fair to say that in general, young people (children and teenagers) used to be economic assets to their families. For many, young peoples’ work was (and in some cases still is) necessary for family survival. Today, many couples consider children a “luxury” they cannot afford. We will consider some of the consequences of “modern childhood” that emerged with the middle class in the 19th century – a childhood free from labor, dedicated to age-graded schooling and separated from casual (non-professional) relationships with adults.
~Mardi Keyes
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2018
A lecture given by Anna Friedrich at Southborough L'Abri on October 26th, 2018. For more information, visit www.labri.org/mass and for more L'Abri lectures, visit the L'Abri Ideas Library.
Butterflies and moths are among the most intriguing insects of our ecosystems. From their physical transformations to their epic migrations, these fragile little things continue to surprise and challenge us. In this lecture, we will dip our toes into the deep waters of Lepidoptera, and wonder together about how these small creatures play a part in God’s big story.
~Anna Friedrich
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2018
This is only the discussion time to the theme weekend: Created to Make a Difference: Redeeming Human Agency in God’s World
A lecture given by Sarah Chestnut at Southborough L'Abri on October 20th, 2018.
Part 3 of the theme weekend: Created to Make a Difference: Redeeming Human Agency in God’s World.
For more information, visit www.labri.org/mass and for more L'Abri lectures, visit the L'Abri Ideas Library.
If a biblical understanding of human dominion involves exercising care and responsibility for God's creation, how might we exercise dominion over our inner worlds--our thoughts and feelings? What might self-control have to do with this endeavor? We will consider how the Holy Spirit's work of 're-humanizing' us empowers us to do the work of dominion from the inside-out.
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2018
A lecture given by Joshua Chestnut at Southborough L'Abri on October 20th, 2018.
Part 2 of the theme weekend: Created to Make a Difference: Redeeming Human Agency in God’s World.
For more information, visit www.labri.org/mass and for more L'Abri lectures, visit the L'Abri Ideas Library.
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2018
A lecture given by Ben Keyes at Southborough L'Abri on October 19th, 2018.
Part 1 of the theme weekend: Created to Make a Difference: Redeeming Human Agency in God’s World.
For more information, visit www.labri.org/mass and for more L'Abri lectures, visit the L'Abri Ideas Library.
Humans were created by God to have agency in the world. To live with true dominion, as God designed it, is still an essential part of human thriving and yet with the Fall this dominion has become corrupted in a myriad of ways. What is true dominion? What are some of the universal ways in which it has been distorted?
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2018
A lecture given by Dick Keyes at Southborough L'Abri on October 12th, 2018. For more information, visit www.labri.org/mass and for more L'Abri lectures, visit the L'Abri Ideas Library.
Can Irony and Humor be Persuasive for Christian Belief?
The Christian diagnosis for our situation is that we are each a “glorious ruin”. That human condition is itself bound up in profound ironies. As we look at the efforts of Biblical figures to persuade people to believe the Gospel, we can learn from their use of irony as they did it.
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2018
A lecture given by Dave Friedrich at Southborough L'Abri on October 5th, 2018. For more information, visit www.labri.org/mass and for more L'Abri lectures, visit the L'Abri Ideas Library.
Double Listening
To meet someone who listens well to others and to God is both rare and rewarding. But there is a way to become that person – someone who practices what John Stott called double listening.
~David Friedrich
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2018
A lecture given by Joshua Chestnut at Southborough L'Abri on September 28th, 2018. For more information, visit www.labri.org/mass and for more L'Abri lectures, visit the L'Abri Ideas Library.
If the spirit of our age is to be true to oneself over all others, what might the work of the Holy Spirit look like? In this lecture we will consider some patterns of chaos in our day as the backdrop to reconsidering the unexpected work of the Holy Spirit.
~Joshua Chestnut
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2018
A lecture given by Ben Keyes at Southborough L'Abri on September 21st, 2018. For more information, visit www.labri.org/mass and for more L'Abri lectures, visit the L'Abri Ideas Library.
Sept 21 Caring for Creation Part I. Friends, Foes or Food: What is the nature of our relationship to Animals?
This lecture begins a series on Creation Care (continued by Anna Friedrich, Oct 26). The human relationship to animals is a broad topic that includes our treatment of wild animals, companion animals (pets) and farmed animals. Each of these areas has long standing controversies connected with it. This lecture will focus primarily on wild animals. We will explore the nuanced perspective that the Bible brings to an often polarized conversation.
~Ben Keyes
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2018
A lecture given by Joshua Chestnut at Southborough L'Abri on September 14th, 2018. For more information, visit www.labri.org/mass and for more L'Abri lectures, visit the L'Abri Ideas Library.
Between the Sound and the Sense: Reading the Bible to Find the Trinity
In this talk we will look at how the doctrine of the Trinity arises not from leaving the biblical witness aside (as it has been accused of or assumed to) but instead from understanding the bible as a narrative whole whose center is the sending of the Son and Spirit.
~Joshua Chestnut
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2018
A lecture given by Joshua Chestnut at Southborough L'Abri on July 2oth, 2018. For more information, visit www.labri.org/mass and for more L'Abri lectures, visit the L'Abri Ideas Library.
Skills for Being Human in a Smartphone Culture By Joshua Chestnut
From giving you the best route home to tracking your workouts and communicating across the world, no other gadget in human history can compete with a smartphone in its ability to consolidate so much of your life into a device that fits into your pocket. But this convenient consolidation has come with a host of problems, and in this lecture we will consider some of these negative consequences as well as constructive practices with the hope of learning to live well and wisely in this world.
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2018
A lecture given by Dick Keyes at Southborough L'Abri on July 13th, 2018. For more information, visit www.labri.org/mass and for more L'Abri lectures, visit the L'Abri Ideas Library.
How can you hold together the idea of denying yourself and taking up your cross with the abundant life of following Jesus?
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2018
A lecture given by Linny Dey at Southborough L'Abri on July 6th, 2018. For more information, visit www.labri.org/mass and for more L'Abri lectures, visit the L'Abri Ideas Library.
While “honest answers to honest questions” are still helpful for some, there are fewer questioners and fewer people today who believe that there is one answer that fits all. If Christianity is the truth which all people need, Christians need to consider ways other than reasoned argument to make that truth clear. This lecture will look at how understanding the significance of the imagination and our imaginative vision of reality can be an aid in developing a different kind of apologetics. We’ll look at, among other things, how the great thinker C.S. Lewis’s conversion to Christianity, his being “surprised by joy”, was primarily a conversion of his imagination.
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2018
A lecture given by Dick Keyes at Southborough L'Abri on June 29th, 2018. For more information, visit www.labri.org/mass and for more L'Abri lectures, visit the L'Abri Ideas Library.
America’s Polarized Politics
We will reflect on the nature of our polarization and ask – could Christian people help?
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2018
A lecture given by Sarah Chestnut at Southborough L'Abri on June 22nd, 2018. For more information, visit www.labri.org/mass and for more L'Abri lectures, visit the L'Abri Ideas Library.
Creative Work is Work (Part 2): What is (and isn't) Artistic Inspiration?
This lecture will explore conceptions - and misconceptions - about artistic inspiration and experiences of transcendence in the arts, considering questions such as, "Where do ideas come from? Is there something—or someone—other than me involved in the creative process? What is meant by having a ‘transcendent experience’ with a piece of art? What are we after when we engage with art?"
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2018
A lecture given by Dave Friedrich at Southborough L'Abri on June 16th 2018, Part 3 of 3 for our Summer Seminar: "A Flash of Eternity: Happiness, Joy and the Good Life"
Cultivating Joy: Learning from Flow Psychology, Ecclesiastes, and Jesus Dave Friedrich
Thislecture will compare and contrast what positive psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, the Assembler of Ecclesiastes (also known as the Preacher), and Jesus of Nazareth have to say about the meaning and promotion of joy.
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2018
Discussion of...
"Happy Are Those”: The Bible's Vision of Happiness and the Obedient Life
A lecture given by Joshua Chestnut at Southborough L'Abri on June 16th 2018, Part 2 of 3 for our Summer Seminar: "A Flash of Eternity: Happiness, Joy and the Good Life"
"Happy Are Those”: The Bible's Vision of Happiness and the Obedient Life
Part of the paradox of modern life is that while everyone claims to want happiness, few if any of us have found it. With so many competing and ultimately self-serving views of happiness on the market, it’s understandable why some Christians have given up on it, but this lecture will outline the unique take that the Bible has on human happiness and the good life.
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2018
A lecture given by Ben Keyes at Southborough L'Abri on June 15th 2018, Part 1 of 3 for our Summer Seminar: "A Flash of Eternity: Happiness, Joy and the Good Life"
For more information, visit www.labri.org/mass and for more L'Abri lectures, visit the L'Abri Ideas Library.
Life’s Elusive Goal: Reflections on Contemporary Views of Happiness What is happiness to the average American today? We are told to do whatever makes us happy and our nation is founded in part on the right to pursue that goal. To achieve happiness is touted as a sufficient source of meaning in life and yet few people seem to understand what it is. How are Christians to understand the longing for happiness that we see around us and in ourselves? Can the Christian faith challenge and comfort an unhappy culture seeking happiness?
A lecture given by Dave Friedrich at Southborough L'Abri on June 8th 2018. For more information, visit www.labri.org/mass and for more L'Abri lectures, visit the L'Abri Ideas Library.
Beneath and Beyond the Sun: A Brief History of The Good Life
In his book, A Secular Age, philosopher Charles Taylor claims that, for millennia, very few people could imagine the good life apart from a transcendent reality. Now many people can. How did this happen? What challenges and opportunities does this bring? And just where is the good life to be found?
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2018
Poetry and the Language of Loss
A lecture given by Anna Friedrich at Southborough L'Abri on June 1st, 2018. For more information, visit www.labri.org/mass and for more L'Abri lectures, visit the L'Abri Ideas Library.
All of us know loss of some sort, whether it's the loss of a friendship, the loss of a season of life, or the more dreaded loss of love, of faith, and finally the loss that death brings. Those who have walked the darker valleys of loss often speak of a lack of resources in our day - where are the cultural practices that help us grieve? Can we affirm God's sovereignty and human grief? Many poets have wisdom to share here. The unique expression of poetry can be a healing place that invites and makes room for the complicated experience of grief. Together in this lecture, we will look at a handful of poets who give voice to, challenge, and wrestle with the reality of loss.
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2018
A lecture given by Mary Frances Giles and Dr. Janese Free Newell at Southborough L'Abri on May 25th, 2018. For more information, visit www.labri.org/mass and for more L'Abri lectures, visit the L'Abri Ideas Library.
Over the course of the past year, the #metoo movement has catapulted sexual harassment and assault, primarily against women, to the forefront of our cultural awareness. There appears to be a shift occurring in our collective American consciousness. Acts of sexual harassment and assault that have been historically overlooked are now being publicly discussed and confronted - from the covers of newspapers to our daily Facebook feeds. This lecture will explore the issues and questions brought forth by this cultural moment from theological, criminological, and sociological perspectives.
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2018
A lecture given by Ben Keyes at Southborough L'Abri on May 18th, 2018. For more information, visit www.labri.org/mass and for more L'Abri lectures, visit the L'Abri Ideas Library.
Many non-religious Americans view gratitude as an important virtue to cultivate in life. In one sense this seems to be a point of connection with the Christian faith, and yet there are key differences between contemporary and biblical notions of thankfulness. This talk will explore just how common is the common ground of gratitude. How is it that Christians might help direct the gratitude of our culture towards the true giver of all gifts?
The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2018