Students Learn About Theology and Culture at the Every Square Inch Conference

Through workshops, lectures, luncheons and a concert, students experienced a packed weekend of events during the sixth annual Every Square Inch Conference March 4-5.

The Center for Apologetics & Cultural Engagement teamed up with Student Activities to promote a weekend filled with meaningful conversations about the Lord. According to the Student Activities website, the event’s title, “Every Square Inch,” comes from a quote by Dutch politician and theologian Abraham Kuyper.

“There is not a square inch in the whole domain of our human existence over which Christ, who is Sovereign over all, does not cry,  ̒Mine!’ˮ Kuyper famously said.

Author and senior pastor of First Baptist Church of Ojai Gavin Ortlund served as the featured speaker, offering workshops and lectures on various theological topics. Some events opened their doors to all students while others were by invitation only. The event culminated in a final concert featuring singer-songwriter Jervis Campbell and Katherine Shepler.

“People come to Jesus when people hear more about Jesus,ˮ School of Divinity Dean Troy Temple said during the main lecture.

Taking place in the alumni ballroom, Ortlund’s main lecture titled “Why God Makes Sense in a World that Doesn’t: Respectability, Desire, and Truth” provided advice on how to help people going through deconstruction. For Christians, deconstruction serves as a period where a person questions their faith and decides what they believe. Ortlund explained what is at stake for those deconstructing their faith.

“If Jesus rose from the dead, why does it make such a profound difference?ˮ Ortlund said.

His lecture compared the worldviews of Christianity and naturalism in five key areas: justice, love, math, music and hope. Despite the serious topic, Ortlund provided several examples for students to better understand the lecture’s content with references to “Lord of the Rings” and “Frozen II.” The lecture began with worship led by Shepler and ended with a Q&A session for students.

“I’m always a big fan of apologetics, so something I really looked forward to was really just hearing a good way to have a good conversation with unbelievers or people from different religions,” senior Chan Hnin said.

In other workshops, Ortlund discussed “The Death and Need for Humility in Public Theology” and “The Case for Theological Triage in an Age of Animosity.” The lineup on March 5 also included a panel where Ortlund joined Temple and Center for Apologetics & Cultural Engagement Executive Director Mark Allen. Overall, the event offered an opportunity for students to grow their faith and equipped them with ways to help nonbelievers.

“When I … go into the real world, I know I’ll be speaking with people who do not know about the gospel, and … when I am talking to them, I now know how to better listen to them,” Hnin said. “I now understand the importance of listening to someone rather than always trying to give them an answer.”

As the Every Square Inch Conference came to a close, the LaHaye Event Space became a place of worship for students during the concert. The concert served as a conclusion to the weekend of deep discussion.

To learn more about featured speaker Ortlund and his books, students can visit gavinortlund.com. For information about upcoming Student Activities events, students can visit liberty.edu/sa.

Kamman is a news reporter.