Over the past 50 years, Christians have declined from 90% of the population of the United States to 65%. About 40 million Americans (16% of all American adults) used to attend church but no longer do. #deconstruction, #exvangelical, and #churchhurt are trending terms to describe a massive movement of people disillusioned by experiences within evangelical churches.

Whether you are questioning your own faith, have a loved one who is struggling with or has rejected Christianity, or are simply wondering why evangelicals keep talking about an obscure branch of literary theory, this reading group will demystify #deconstruction and offer a space for honest conversation about why so many people are leaving American churches. We’ll dig into recent surveys and statistics as well as personal narratives representing a variety of outcomes for deconstruction: becoming an atheist or agnostic, finding a different kind of Christianity, or returning to evangelicalism with a vision for reform.

We'll meet six times, from the week of June 3 to the week of July 8

You know Jane Austen as one of the world's most beloved novelists, a sharp-eyed satirist of social follies, and a writer of iconic romances. You might not know her as a faithful, thoughtful Christian. Join us this summer in reading Mansfield Park, Austen's most religious novel, and learning from her Christian wisdom on wealth, poverty, sexuality, superficiality, deception, people-pleasing, novelty-chasing, education, parenting, how to choose a job or a spouse, how to stick to your principles when everyone hates you for it, and more. 

We'll meet eight times on Thursday evenings 7:30-8:30 pm from June 6 to August 1, skipping the Fourth of July

Without classes on the schedule, summer is a great time to get work done—turn those results into a publishable article, level up proficiency in a new language (whether French or C++), knock out a dissertation chapter, or finally make some progress on that novel. But summer work can also suffer from a lack of structure and accountability. If you would appreciate solidarity in the sometimes lonely work of study, gather with fellow Christians to work side by side on our academic projects. 

Here's how it'll go. A small group will commit to meeting on a regular basis for a definite period of time (4 or 6 weeks). At each meeting, we'll open with prayer to ask for God's blessing on our work. Each member of the group will announce a specific goal for the working session. Then we'll work silently side by side for about 2.5 hours, with structured 5-minute breaks to stretch or grab a snack. You'll leave with concrete progress on your biggest summer project and momentum for the rest of the week.

We’ll meet Fridays 9 am-12 noon from May 17 until further notice.

Read one of the indispensable classics of Western literature, get to know one of the greatest theologians of the Christian tradition, and join him and us on the timeless quest to find truth amid confusion and controversy and rest for the soul in a restless world. Rereaders and first-time readers equally welcome. Cosponsored by the Center for Christianity and Scholarship and Fons Vitae.

In 1952 C.S. Lewis, perhaps the most influential Christian intellectual of the 20th century, penned what would come to be a Christian classic with his book Mere Christianity. In it, he casts a compelling vision for how we might live as Christians even with our questions and doubts. Join CCS once a week on West Campus to discuss Lewis’ book among friends.

Reach out to Jeff Bennett for more information at Richard.j.bennett@duke.edu.

This group will read through The Case for Christ by former Chicago Tribue journalist Lee Strobel. The book chronicles Strobel’s journey from atheism to belief after investigating the claims of Christianity. Join us to experience his journey and his encounters with university professors in conversations about the veracity of Christianity.

Contact Edward at edward.dixon@duke.edu for more information.

Are you interested in one day embarking on a business venture? We’re starting a reading group geared towards women interested in business. This group will focus on nurturing an entrepreneurial mindset, and discovering how the Christian faith can influence our purpose in entrepreneurship and business. We’ll explore texts by Christian leaders in business, attend events, and foster a community around our common interest of making an impact on the world with our ideas. Join me this semester as we navigate exploring the field of business as Christian women.

Contact Elizabeth at elizabethmstew@gmail.com for more information.

In this classic work, C. S. Lewis argues that moral values are not subjective or relative, but broadly shared across diverse cultures, necessary for human life, and ultimately given by God. Lewis’s incisive critique of modern misguided education, self-serving relativism, and reductive scientism is a prophetic witness that remains relevant today.

When men are treated as the default sex, women pose challenging intellectual problems: Does difference imply inferiority? How much do our bodies shape our vocations? What does the entanglement of mother and child reveal about what it means to be human? This group explores a wide range of Christian women's reflections on women's experiences of God, the church, and political and intellectual life. Readings may include excerpts from Edith Stein ("The Separate Vocations of Man and Woman According to Nature and Grace"), Pauli Murray ("Sermon on the Ordination of Women"), Sarah Coakley (God, Sexuality, and the Self: An Essay on the Trinity), Erika Bachiochi (The Rights of Women: Reclaiming a Lost Vision), and more. Bring your own suggested readings to share with the group! Every other Thursday from 7:30-9 pm at the CCS House. Email kathryn.wagner@duke.edu to join.

St. Augustine of Hippo is an intellectual giant. A church father whose influence on the Christian tradition is incalculable, he has also impacted many disciplines beyond theology—he's a major early thinker in political philosophy, psychology, linguistics, and more. In this eight-week summer reading group, we'll sample Augustine's greatest works in a way that's both accessible for beginners and offers something new for those who have read him before. Each week, we'll pair a classic excerpt from one of Augustine's major works with an optional secondary reading that reflects on his continuing relevance for the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. Readings will include selections from Confessions, City of God, On Christian Teaching, and On the Trinity. Week of June 5 through week of July 24, Mondays 5-6, meetings at the CCS House.

Join us to read and discuss one of the world’s great classics: a profound philosophical novel about God, evil, and freedom that’s also a gripping murder mystery and psychologically complex family drama.