Biblical Wisdom for Today’s Difficult Questions
On. Oct. 27, Cornerstone University’s Christ’s Chapel platform was transformed visually and pragmatically into a living room for Wisdom Conversations: “How Should We Live Today?” It was a comfortable setting for a set of distinguished experts. Though they had not previously worked together, there was an immediate camaraderie and familial bond through their relationship with Jesus Christ. The topics were serious and, the discussions weighty. Yet under President Gerson Moreno-Riaño’s moderation, the panelists for Wisdom Conversations were at ease with one another and the subject matter.
Moreno-Riaño clearly defined the overarching theme of the evening, “We have a country deeply, deeply divided—or some basic ideas that we hold dear are contested—and we’re trying to seek wisdom for how do we live today?” This launched dialogue with which the panelists were happy to engage.
All immigrants, Moreno-Riaño, Rev. Samuel Rodriguez, Mr. Ian Rowe and Dr. Miroslav Volf brought a lifetime of experience, perspective, research and wisdom to the discussion for an evening of quotables including:
- “I would argue right now, culture outside the context of our Christian Biblical worldview would have great angst and consternation regarding even the subject matter of flourishing.” —Rev. Samuel Rodriguez
- “Political engagement but not political religion.” —Dr. Miroslav Volf
- “We have to have the courage to build the institutions that stand for the principles that we believe in … the four cardinal virtues of courage, justice, temperance and wisdom.” —Mr. Ian Rowe
Speckled with “amens,” laughter and occasional applause from the audience, the underlying principle was, as Christians, we can be trapped in a cycle of surviving and failing. Or we can flourish and help the world realize the solution—solution born not out of victimhood or dependence on government for answers, but of making decisions in our own lives to impact the immediate world around us for Jesus. To flourish by shining Christ’s light into the world.
Christ Chapel was comfortable, but not so comfortable that the reality and relevance of the speakers were missed. There was a balance of the casual with the contemplative, and attendees left with much to ponder and much wisdom to adopt on the journey of how shall we live today.
