Here at Conversant, we explore how faith connects to everyday life.  But what happens when our personal beliefs crossover to the public square? Jesus warned us not to display our faith for others’ affirmation or praise. So should faith remain a private matter? Jesus also took his teachings into the public arena, from the Sermon on the Mount to the marketplaces of his ancient Judea.  We must examine our motives, examining why we air our faith.

Perhaps the question should be, “Can we discuss our values with those we disagree with in a civil way?”  At Conversant, we hold a public conversation about our personal beliefs.  We must be free to our convictions without fear. Yet, we must do so in a humble and respectful manner—as active listeners.

On a recent tour of Australia, my friend, Geoff Broughton, introduced me to the Center for Public Christianity. We crossed over the dramatic bridge to north Sydney for an afternoon of conversation at the nexus of faith and culture. I was pleased to meet like-minded colleagues Greg Clarke, Simon Smart, and Hugh Clark. They interviewed me during a memorable afternoon. They’ve produced a podcast and a videoblog from our conversations that you can find on Vimeo here.

The Centre for Public Christianity is exploring life’s most enduring questions in a smart, media savvy way. Dr. Greg Clarke will actually be coming to America this fall, to present a talk on how Bono and Nick Cave perceive Jesus. U2: the Hype and the Feedback will take place on October 2-4 in North Carolina. Check out the intriguing schedule of speakers here.