Cultural Engagement

Establishing the Christian Voice, Conscience, and Imagination

As the West grows more and more post-Christian, engaging the predominant culture with the gospel in coherent, winsome, and theologically sound discourse has never been more important. Though apologetics have long been practiced as the way to argue for the plausibility of Christianity and its tenets, cultural apologetics takes those practices a step further to apply gospel and biblical principles to our culture so that we might actually engage people who are uninterested in Christianity.

Fondly Remembering An Evangelistic Blitz from 1985

By Tom Campisi, Managing Editor

Christian Union is currently in the midst of an ambitious evangelistic initiative called CU Rise, which includes social media campaigns and outreaches at the nine universities where it hosts leadership development ministries. CU Rise will run for eight weeks.

Yale Students Find Ways to Share their Faith Despite COVID-19

By Kelly Parks, Staff Writer

Editor's note: This Throwback Thursday article originally appeared on our site in January of 2021 as ministries like CU Lux at Yale were adapting to the challenges and restrictions of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

“Why do Christians believe what they believe?” It’s a question that has intrigued our world for centuries. While cultural Christianity may have sufficed as a reason for some to associate with the Church in years past, in our increasingly secular age, Christians must think more critically about what they believe, and more importantly, why they believe it.

Trinity Forum Conversations Feature James K.A. Smith

Augustine is one of the giants of Christian philosophy and theology, often compared to Paul for his contribution to the faith. But in spite of his enduring impression on how we understand Scripture and ourselves, Augustine offers us an honest and unashamed look at his own life—one that is marked by the struggle of sin and a dependence upon grace. 

"A Disturbing New Normal"

The Church of England is leading its people into an era of confusion, argues Mary Wren, a writer for Premier Christianity magazine. Citing the lack of clarity regarding same-sex marriage, Wren says that the Church of England is less than willing to teach its congregations what Scripture says about the topic—and this is causing division and confusion. 

A Compelling Vision, Practical Goals, Competant Teams, and More

By Dr. Joseph Mattera

The following are eight of the most important leadership principles I have learned as a senior leader over the past three decades. I have found that these principles are vital to the success of any organization, whether it is faith-based or not.

Converting the Church: Everything for Show

When Facebook introduced the “like” button in 2009, everything changed, according to Pastor Jon Tyson. What had been a platform to connect with friends and family became a place where individuals began to post so that they could receive approval—likes.

College Professor Shares His Journey of Enlightenment

Do you know anyone who doesn’t have a smartphone? Probably not. For the past fifteen years, smartphones have dominated the technological world, giving us everything we could possibly need in one handheld device. It’s also given us an addiction. 

Dr. Craig Keener Makes His Case

Science and faith are always in opposition, right? It’s a basic assumption that most modern people take for granted, but is it true? Dr. Craig Keener, in this article for Christianity Today, dives into one of the most misunderstood assumptions of our time—that science and faith are contradictory.

Seeking God Is Not a Priority for Most Christians

Annie Dillard famously said, “How we spend our days is of course how we spend our lives.” For most, our days are filled with common things like work and relationships; the elements of life that are necessary. But we also fill our days with shows and movies, social media, and endless hours staring at a screen. 

Students Challenged to Be Salt and Light at 2019 Nexus Conference

By Tom Campisi, Managing Editor

Editor's note: This article, which features coverage of Christian Union's Nexus Conference, originally appeared in the Spring 2019 edition of  Christian Union: The Magazine and is reprinted in conjuction with the publication's "Throwback Thursday" series.  

Esau McCaulley Opines About a True, Biblical Union

In the past fifty years, marriage has become less popular, divorce rates have gone up, and the rise of no-fault divorce laws have introduced an era of the contractual—not covenantal—marriage. What happened to marriage? Is it that our modern sensibilities have finally realized that being joined to one other person for all of life is an unreasonable and impractical idea? Or perhaps, as Esau McCaulley posits in the New York Times, our views of work and personal ambitions have become more important than stable, sacrificial relationships.

Flynn Cratty Speaks at CU Gloria Lecture Series

By Tom Campisi, Managing Editor

“Harvard is a place of extraordinary achievement, but not always true flourishing.”

CU Lumine Provides Treats, Answers Questions about Christianity

By Tom Campisi, Managing Editor

“Does belief in Christianity work with belief in evolution?”

“Will God ever forgive me?”

“How can you say there’s only one true faith?”

These are a sampling of the questions submitted by Columbia students when Christian Union Lumine hosted its Message Me for Macarons outreach in December. After publicizing the event, students with CU Lumine delivered the macarons and answered questions via text messaging, all while earnestly praying.

How Can Christians Bear Faithful Witness?

As the United States America grows increasingly secular and the Bible is often perceived as offensive in culture, how do Christians think about thoughtfully, strategically, and winsomely sharing the gospel?

"Jesus Stood Up for Children"

The killing of babies has had a place in our world for centuries. From abandoning newborns with deformities to killing female babies, each culture has had its own reasons for ignoring their personhood and allowing for lives to be discarded. Even today, in nations like India and China, female babies are regularly aborted or killed in favor of males, leaving a drastic gender gap in the population. 

Q and A with Professor David Gustafson

Editor's note: This Throwback Thursday article originally appeared in the Fall 2018 edition of Christian Union: The Magazine.

A Podcast on Faith + Work  

Though American Christians once lived in a culture that was infused with Christian morals and understandings of reality, American culture today is the least Christian our nation has ever seen, forcing believers and the Church to reconsider how they might embody and share the Gospel in their unique spheres of influence.

"Resolutions Don’t Honor the Way Change Usually Happens"

We are just about two weeks into 2022—how is your new year’s resolution going? For some, it might be thriving—a necessary and welcome change in your life—but for most, the sparkle of resolutions on January 1 quickly dim as we head back to work and into a new year of the same challenges.

Author of Irreversible DamageDelivers Poignant Message at Princeton

In our increasingly polarized society, university campuses have become a hotbed of cancel culture and diminished free speech. Though organizations like Academic Freedom Alliance have emerged from leading institutions with the sole purpose of defending professors' and students' constitutional right to freedom of speech, majority views tend to dominate public thinking and discourage dissent, even when dissent is grounded in research.