Read
To start this module, read the Introduction to the ‘7 Key Biblical Themes’ [approx. 10 min]. That introduction, written for ministry leaders in IFES Europe, explains why there is a need for evangelicals engaged in student ministry to help their students think through the relationship between the Christian faith and university study.
The introduction explains that due (in part) to the impact of modernity, students can think that their lives have ‘sacred’ and ‘secular’ parts, as if God does not have much to say about the work they do from Monday to Friday. What exactly is that sacred-secular divide, how does it manifest itself in Western culture, and how does it differ from the biblical story? Read the preface and chapters 1-4 of Craig Bartholomew and Michael Goheen’s book Living at the Crossroads: An Introduction to Christian Worldview [approx. 2 hours].
Next, read a short blog post by Paul Krause in which he introduces Augustine’s summary of the biblical story as the story of ‘two cities’ [approx. 19 min]. See “Reading Augustine’s City of God: The Two Cities”, Hesiod’s Corner (2018).
As an optional extra, listen to a short Desiring God interview on the categories of Sacred and Secular [10 min] with Matt Reagan, who explains why things such as eating and drinking and playing sports can all be done to the glory of God.
Stretch
If after doing the reading you want to go deeper, check out Dorothy Sayers’ essay Why work?. You may not agree with every line, but it’s a classic – you’re in for a treat!
Action
Take a few minutes to journal your thoughts on what you’ve read. To prompt your reflections:
On page 64 of Living at the Crossroads, Bartholomew and Goheen give examples of activities that are sometimes categorised as either ‘sacred’ or ‘secular’. In the preface they share a bit about the journeys they themselves have been on when it comes to recognising the sacred-secular divide and changing their view on it.
What has your own journey been in this area been like? How have you seen the sacred-secular divide manifest itself in Christian circles? What questions do you have about it?
Write out your thoughts on this question, and keep it as a record. We’ll return to this later on in the module.