Short Courses
Important conversations in the Christian tradition, both old and new
Our short courses are great opportunities to explore a book (old classics and new works), discuss important questions of faith and culture, or explore the intersection of science and faith. While intended primarily for Virginia Tech students, we welcome faculty, staff, and local community member participants as well.
Fall 2025 Short Courses
Christian Perspectives on Artificial Intelligence
This course aims to bring a Christian perspective to issues raised by the rise of artificial intelligence as a technical, commercial, and even cultural phenomenon. For example, how does a biblical understanding of humans inform our approach to AI? What unique ethical challenges are raised by AI? How should Christians respond to the social and cultural changes that AI may bring? As a starting point for our discussions, we will read multiple chapters from “2084 and the AI Revolution” (Lennox, 2024).
The group is currently open to new participants. If you are interested in joining, email James:
Led by Dr. Cal Ribbens (VT CS Dept.)
Tuesdays, 3:30pm-4:45pm
Weekly, beginning September 9.
@ the Bradley Study Center (104 Faculty St.)
The Great Divorce by C.S. Lewis Reading Group
Join us for this short course on C.S. Lewis' book, The Great Divorce. We'll be reading through this book together and exploring the themes, literary devices, and theology present within this story. This course will be led by Connie Bayliss!
Free book copy provided!
Led by Connie Bayliss
Tuesday evenings, 6:30pm-8:00pm
Four sessions: 11/4, 11/11, 12/2, 12/9
@ the Bradley Study Center (104 Faculty St.)
Previous courses have included:
- John Lennox, 2084 and the AI Revolution
- Fyodor Dostoevsky, Notes from Underground
- C.S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters
- Christopher West, Our Bodies Tell God's Story
- Weekend Seminar with Dr. Daniel Fabrycky, Astrophysics & the Meaning of the Universe
- George MacDonald, The Princess & The Goblin
- John Lennox, Cosmic Chemistry
- Marilynne Robinson, Gilead
- Felicia Wu Song, Restless Devices
- James Davison Hunter, To Change the World
- C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity
- Kaitlyn Schiess, The Liturgy of Politics
- John Lennox, Can Science Explain Everything?
- Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Life Together
- James K. A. Smith, How (Not) to be Secular
- Dennis Venema & Scot McKnight, Adam and the Genome
- N.T. Wright, The New Testament in its World
- C.S. Lewis, The Abolition of Man
- Athanasius of Alexandria, On the Incarnation
- Steven Bouma-Prediger, For the Beauty of the Earth
- William Webb, Slaves, Women and Homosexuals
- Jemar Tisby, The Color of Compromise
- Yuval Levin, A Time to Build
- St. Anselm of Canterbury, Cur Deus Homo?
