Jerusalem and Athens Forum

Explore the relationship between faith and intellect in Gordon’s Great Books Program

The Jerusalem and Athens Forum assists students in cultivating a tradition-informed and morally reflective sense of personal vocation by reading and discussing classic texts, explicitly Christian ones but also others that raise questions of abiding significance for present-day Christian intellectual and moral life. This two-semester program is interdisciplinary in nature and welcomes students from all majors and backgrounds.

PROGRAM DETAILS HOW TO APPLY CONTACT

Program Spotlight

Student Spotlight

“While we are here to acquire knowledge, it is also important to come to terms with the fact that there are some questions that need to be asked not because we will find an answer but because we need to wrestle with it. I definitely have JAF to owe for coming to this understanding. My experiences here with JAF and departmental honors have given me a perspective on life, work, and what it means to be a Christian that will continue to carry with me in whatever direction the Lord takes on next. ”
Josh Peters ‘23
Computer Science and Music | Jerusalem and Athens Forum

Your One-Year Experience

Fall Semester "Tradition" – Classical antiquity through the Reformation era	Spring Semester "Modernity" – Scientific Revolution and Enlightenment to the present
The purpose of liberal learning The nature of virtue and vice; the problem of evil; friendship, love, and charity; monasticism and the contemplative life The role of Scripture and tradition in Christian thought; wisdom and the well-ordered life; The relationship between faith and learning; Christianity and political authority; the significance of the Protestant Reformation, and more	What is modernity anyway? How does it relate to plurality? What does it mean to live out a faithful Christian vocation in... A pluralistic democratic society? A Western/American culture? A free market economic system? An era of rapid scientific and technological advancement?

Learn more about your one-year experience ➔
Meet the JAF Program Directors ➔

Highlights

Year-long intentional learning cohort
Fall retreat
Cultural activities in Boston and New England
Interaction with visiting scholars and Gordon faculty
Gordon STILLPOINT essay contest
Spring debate

Qualifications

Anticipate at least sophomore status at the beginning of the program
Must have a 3.0 GPA or higher
Students considering post-baccalaureate education (whether seminary, graduate school, law, medicine, etc.) are especially encouraged to apply; however, all applicants are considered equally.