Part of ifes

Heledd Job, IFES Interaction Team Leader Turin

The last thing anyone might want is to be isolated again! But could solitude actually be a helpful practice? Or how do we make our time alone in our homes something that we can relish and learn from? Heledd helps lead retreats for CU staff and students, as well as helping many of us develop healthy patterns in our busy lives.

Helen McNeely & Shauna Smyth, QUB student wellbeing

We’ve combined with colleagues from a Student Welllbeing Team on the island to bring you a session on student mental health. Helen and Shauna both have significant experience in assisting students with their well–being and mental health and are passionate about what they do to support students. Helen is also on our CUI Board of Trustees.

If you’re wondering what socialising at uni will look like in the semester ahead, this seminar is for you. Are you concerned about the likelihood of house parties, worried about not being on campus or considering how you will connect with others in this strange new world? These are all things we’ll be thinking about as we look at student drinking culture, creating community and being led by the Spirit as we love our neighbour.

In lockdown, the hours spent gaming went through the roof for many. And given the student world was already keen on it, that says something! But what’s a Biblical view of gaming? How can we best engage and what are the dangers? James Diffin, a keen gamer from the Hub Chaplaincy in Belfast will be helping us engage.

Our whole world has exploded into discussions, protests and disagreement about race – but how should we think and act as Christians? What does the Bible say about race and culture and how might it shape our time on campus as CUs? Hollie has lived in Cuba, works with international students from many cultures and races, and seeks to partner with diaspora church leaders based in Ireland, to break down barriers and reach out.

The hours we’ve all spent on episode after episode on online streaming services is immense. Tiger King, the Last Dance, Normal People and much more. But how do we positively engage in this? How much is too much? Do we always have to analyse everything as Christians? How do we engage missionally with our friends while watching programs together?

Some Christians think the environment is a distraction to real issues of mission, and others spend their lives campaigning to cut waste and care for creation. What does a Christian response look like to this key area, that so many are talking about and concerned for these days? How does it shape life on our campuses?

Andrew Wallace returns by popular demand for his second year. This time
he’s helping business students and any budding entrepreneurs think
through how to do business for the Kingdom. Andrew works part–time for a
firm in east Belfast, and heads up the Young Adults side of an
organisation which seeks to network and resource Christians in business
to live faithfully for Jesus.

Sam Cromie, lecturer in TCD will help us wrestle with everything we come across on the psychology curriculum, as Christians. How does the Bible fit with what we learn? What about what we’re taught about personhood? How does positive psychology fit with sin? What is nature, and what is nurture? And hasn’t psychology of religion already taken faith to pieces and explained it all away?

The first chapter of Genesis is already steeped in language and words
are the fabric of the universe. So how does our faith that is so rooted
in language, stand up against current philosophy of language? And how
can we study our subject to better reflect the God who we enjoy? John
Gillespie (CUI Board, and lecturer in UUC) will help us engage in this
key area.

Ashley Stewart

Christian Medical Fellowship worker Ashley Stewart returns to her
homeland to help us as health science students (medics, nurses,
healthcare workers, dentists etc) think through how life in these
subjects throws up unusual challenges, lifestyle patterns and questions.
She’ll provide you with great resources and a whole new network of
like–minded people to impact the world of medicine and healthcare for
Christ, both here and overseas.

Crawford Gribben

Crawford Gribben lectures in history in QUB and is world renowned for
his work on the Puritans and some parts of church history too. Having
lived before that in Portlaoise, he is well aware of how he can help us
as history students grapple with big questions we’ll face that can dash
our faith on the rocks, or give us a greater confidence in the
historical basis for what we believe.

Frank Peters

UCC’s Prof Frank Peters (also on the CUI Board) has given his life to
serving Jesus through science, and seeking the Spirit’s leading in Cork
to unite those from a wide perspective of Christian backgrounds, to come
together to do science for God’s glory. But what about the challenges
where science clashes with the Bible? And what’s the difference between
scientism and good science?

Many Christians study mathematics, and most of us don’t ever think it has anything to do with faith. Yes, God may be logical, but apart from that? Dr David Glass (UUJ lecturer) will help us see what studying maths to God’s glory really is about – we may be surprised!