Pop Culture and Christianity Converge at Every Square Inch Conference

Liberty’s second annual Every Square Inch Conference is returning March 1 for two days of workshops and lectures on Christianity and culture.

The first workshop, which begins at 12:45 p.m. on March 1, will feature keynote speaker Dr. Gregory Alan Thornbury.

Thornbury is an accomplished author and the president of The King’s College in New York City. He will be speaking on topics from his new biography on Christian rock legend Larry Nolan entitled “Why Should the Devil Have all the Good Music?” which will be released later this spring.

“Greg Thornbury is one of the most learned and engaging speakers I’ve heard,” Karen Swallow Prior, an English professor at Liberty and an upcoming speaker at the conference, said. “Dr. Thornbury embodies in his speaking, thinking, and life the integration of mind, soul, and spirit through an infectious love of God and the oddest and most curious and delightful features of the world and the people he created. Students will not want to miss his talk.”

Lectures and workshops will continue on March 2, and the conference will end with a concert featuring Christian musician John Mark McMillan at 8 p.m. in the LaHaye Event Space.

“If students are interested in growing their knowledge of pop culture and how to relate to society as a Christian, this weekend is key for them to attend,” Erin Diaz, assistant director of Student Activities said.

Every Square Inch is put on by Liberty University Center for Apologetics and Cultural Engagement and Student Activities. Their inspiration for the conference came from the famous creed of Dutch politician and theologian Abraham Kuyper.

“There is not one square inch in the whole domain of our human existence over which Christ, who is sovereign over all, does not cry, mine!” Kuyper said in his inaugural address at the dedication of the Free University.

Prior said the church has been separated from the mainstream and Kuyper’s work tries to reconcile that.

“Modern Christianity has long been influenced by unbiblical thinking that separates the spiritual from the material, the life of the church from the rest of life,” Prior said. “Kuyper’s famous statement about how God is sovereign over it all can help us re-integrate what never should have been severed.”

The goal of the conference is to educate students on relating to pop culture from a Christian perspective. Lectures and workshops such as “Cain, Abel, and Kanye” and “Why Should the Devil Have All the Good Music?” will discuss Christ’s sovereignty over various aspects of culture.

This year’s conference will also feature workshops and talks highlighting Christian relevance in pop culture from speakers including Prior, Trinity University professor Taylor Worley, Liberty Divinity professor Joshua Chatraw and Vice President of Campus Recreation Christopher Misiano.

In addition to new speakers and panelists, this year’s conference will have some additions to the schedule. Students can take part in multiple round table sessions where they can discuss issues of theology and culture with their peers and guest speakers.

All Liberty Students are eligible to attend and can register for the conference at https://www.liberty.edu/ms/esi/