Vaclav Havel, in his essay Politics, Morality, and Civility, shares his thoughts on how society is established to produce a flourishing culture. Having come out of a dark period of communist rule that chose many of the tools and structures of a democratic system and turned them to other ends Havel knew well that structures ultimately rest on something much more fundamental. They rest on morality – our understanding of good and evil, and the willingness to pursue that which is good. Havel calls “living in truth”.
Several recent events hosted by CU New York have taken us further into the specifics of what it means to live in truth:
- On April 5 we hosted the salon, “Reading the World: Politics and the Science of Interpretation,” with speaker the Very Reverend Dr. Christopher Hancock, Managing Director, Oxford House Research. Dr. Hancock delved into what it means to understand the world, especially current events, through the lens of scripture.
- Later in April we were delighted to co-sponsor an event with NYU professor and author (The Righteous Mind: Why Good People are Divided by Politics and Religion) Jonathan Haidt on The New Moral Culture on Campus – a look at the changing campus culture where tolerance and freedom of speech are increasingly under attack. A timely and relevant topic as many of the universities where CU operates are at the forefront of these debates, and these issues spill into the urban arena as well.
- Earlier this month Bob Doll, Chief Strategist with Nuveen Asset Management spoke at another salon on “Redeeming Finance” for young professionals in the finance industry. Addressing issues of what it means to work redemptively within this sphere and how to properly value money in an industry that revolves around it, Bob gave perspective and insights into the “ought” of finance – what it ought to look like in a redeemed context.
As we work to take the Czech Republic’s late president’s thoughts to their natural conclusion in what it means to live in truth – in the moral order and intent God has in remaking the world – these events and community groups and network development serve to do just that. Working with faith-filled Christians engaging New York in transformative and redemptive ways (you) is what gives my team a great deal of joy in pursuing our calling in this amazing city.
Yours for living in truth this coming month,
Scott Crosby
Ministry Director
Christian Union New York
For more information on Christian Union New York Bible Courses and activities, or resources available to you please contact Scott Crosby.
Please note: if you would like to receive regular updates, via email, on how to pray for City Christian Union, please email prayer@christianunion.org.
