Starting Small
A June Update
“It’s been fun to see, if you give something a try and start small but stick with it… things can generate from there.”
-Dr. Rick Ostrander, Michigan Christian Study Center, at a recent gathering for OSU faculty
Our first, full academic year is in the books. However small a start it may be, Carmen House is on the journey of fulfilling our mission: to welcome the OSU community to explore the wisdom of Jesus Christ for academic life and human flourishing. From month to month, dozens of students and faculty (as well as folks from the broader community) attended our programs aimed at filling the gap in our fragmented university culture between Christian faith and academic life.
I recently asked one of our OSU undergrad student attendees to comment on his experience at an event featuring New Testament scholar, Dr. Jonathan Pennington:
“I loved the Speaker Series event… Pennington’s talk on Jesus as a philosopher was eye-opening. I loved how he implored the audience to ask big questions, to be inquisitive and find answers in the Bible. I love how Carmen House gives students and non-students a place to be inquisitive, to ask questions and challenge beliefs, which end up strengthening them.” - Caleb, OSU student
At a university like OSU, both students and faculty can tend to feel isolated and lonely; academic life often feels disconnected from a life of faith. We envision Carmen House increasingly being a place for face-to-face connection, where the OSU community encounters a Jesus who has wisdom for all of life’s biggest questions.
Our plans for the ’26-’27 year are already in motion, and we are excited to kick off autumn semester programs on Friday, Sept. 11th by hosting OSU alum and Old Testament scholar Dr. Jason Riley to discuss this question: Is the Bible just an artifact that merely belongs on a library shelf? Or is the Bible still relevant to our public lives today? RSVP at the following link:
Latest Podcast Episode: Dr. Rick Ostrander
Dr. Rick Ostrander from the Michigan Christian Study Center came to Columbus for a gathering of OSU faculty, to tell the story of their study center up north. So much has happened in Ann Arbor in just a few short years, as they have their own dedicated facility and host hundreds of students weekly in their center. Christian faculty at Michigan play a significant role in their mission. We are excited to explore with Christian faculty at Ohio State how Carmen House can support faculty to live on mission in the university setting.
Christianity Today Article
Marvin Olasky published a thoughtful article on higher-education in the US, and gave a strong endorsement for Christian Study Centers like Carmen House. Check it out here:
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Mr. Badenhop, I love to see that these are open to everyone. Everyone will benefit from what you're doing.
Aaron, I’ll be sure to announce this OT event at Epiphany and let our college students know.