What is META?

META is a new initiative offered by PFA that exists to foster conversations on Christianity and culture. We will meet several times every semester to offer a space to engage a wide range of topics relevant to our cultural moment. Our hope is that these conversations will help students continue to develop a robust faith in Jesus Christ while also equipping them to share the gospel in a compelling way.

Schedule & Recommended Readings

SPRING 2018

Spring 2017

• 4/22/2017 -- META Seminar: IS MATH THE LANGUAGE OF GOD

  • Matt O'Rourke '17 will be leading a discussion on math and the Christian faith.

  • Readings:

    • John Lennox "Ch. 9 Matters of Information" from God's Undertaker: Has Science Buried God?

Fall 2016

• 10/5/2016 -- META 1.0 - Introduction and Vision Casting

  • The inaugural META meeting will orient you to the new initiative. We'll explore the foundational Scripture passage (Romans 12:1-2); begin to discuss what culture is; why it's important for Christians to be intentionally and thoughtfully engaged in their culture; and suggest a model for how Christians can think about and interact with culture.

  • Readings:
    • Tim Keller's "Preaching Christ to the Culture"

• 10/12/2016 -- META 1.1 - FILM: 'THE BIRTH OF A NATION' VIEWING & DISCUSSION

  • Meet at the Princeton Garden Theater in downtown Princeton @ 7:45pm to catch the 8pm viewing of 'The Birth of a Nation,' a film about the slave rebellion led by Nat Turner in Virginia in in 1831. Cost is $8/ticket. It's a controversial film that raises challenging and provocative questions related to race and religion and the use/abuse of Scripture both to oppress and to liberate.

  • Readings:

    • A.O. Scott, "Review: In Nate Parker’s ‘The Birth of a Nation,’ Must-See and Won’t-See Collide" from the NYT

    • Vinson Cunningham, "THE BIRTH OF A NATION” ISN’T WORTH DEFENDING" from the New Yorker

    • Alissa Wilkinson, "A Conversation with Nate Parker about 'The Birth of a Nation'" from Christianity Today

• 11/16/2016 -- META 1.2 - DISCUSSION: LANGUAGE & (anti)SOCIAL MEDIA

  • The polarizing and often scandalous nature of political discourse generated by the presidential election cycle raises important questions about the power of words and how Christians should (or shouldn't) engage on social media. In this META sesh we will discuss the power of our words by looking at the Scriptures, some excerpts from helpful articles and perhaps a poem or two. We'll also plan to do a little workshopping on best practices for communicating on social media. Important and practical stuff.

  • Readings:

    • On why words matter: Marilyn Chandler MacEntyre's "Why Worry About Words" from Caring for Worlds in a Culture of Lies.

    • On placing our cultural moment: Pamela Paresky, "I'm Right, You're Evil: The Psychology of a Fractured Country" from PsychologyToday.com

    • On what NOT to do: Jennifer Sullivan, "I Didn't Unfriend You Over 'Politics'" from the Huffington Post

    • On the power of words (poetry): Malcolm Guite, "What If..."  

    • On the fact that not that many people are watching: Sean McDonough, "The World Isn't Watching" 

    • On the power of words (Scripture): James 3:1-12; Proverbs 12:18 and 18:21; Matthew 12:33-37; and Ephesians 4:29.