The gang: Chelsea, Mason, Prisca (helper), Jonathan, and Jock McGregor; the addictive "speed" scrabble with Nancy Snyder and Mason; the L'abri living room, the library, and the Chelsea.

Lunch discussion - Jonathan is saying "and Zeus, he is like this really BIG god, see, and..."

Around the table from left to right are Chelsea, Erin (another student), Prisca, Larry Snyder, Jonathan, and Mason.

Info on Center for Western Studies

If you are looking for an overview of our Center, and statement of our mission, scroll down to the May post entitled "Overview of our Year Program." In between this and that, you'll find updates on our work these last 6 weeks, and articles, speeches, and links that will give you more of our thinking and approach. Photos to come!

Back from L'abri

For the last 2 weeks, our Center students Chelsea, Jonathan, and Mason lived, worked, and studied at the L'abri branch in Rochester, MN. There, they met quite a number of new people, including Larry and Nancy Snyder, who have worked with L'abri for over 30 years, and Jock and Allison McGregor, also long-time workers -- Larry and Jock have been leading this branch for nearly a decade together, and have blessed students the world over with their clear-headed teaching and warm hearts. Our students made immediate friends with Prisca, Erin, and Marilee, who help the workers handle the day-to-day challenges of running the ministry. Our students listened to lectures from the L'abri library on various subjects like revelation (how God speaks to us), the humanities (literature and psychology), and philosophy (relativism and tolerance) from thinkers like Jerram Barrs, Donald Drew, and Dick Keyes. They attended meal discussions and film discussions with L'abri's leaders, and weekend lectures on subjects like the "new atheism" from P+R Books senior editor Marvin Pagett, and on the life and works of Hugo and Mozart from our own John Hodges. In addition to work (cutting down trees, and cooking meals), their studies and their discussions, the students found time to play speed scrabble ("an addiction"), shoot baskets, visit 2 college campuses (St. Olaf, and Carlton, Northfield, MN), and most of all, experience a unique expression of Christian community. Special thanks to Day Hodges who joined them for the two weeks.