Reader Question: Is There a Strong Faith Community in Oxford?
Alexis writes:
I’ve been enjoying your books for years, the most recent being Alexis writes:
I’ve been enjoying your books for years, the most recent being Full Circle
, which of course is set in Oxford.
That book, along with my shameless adoration for the “Inspector Lewis” series which is set there, leads me to wonder how many Jesus-followers (besides yourself!) might live in Oxford and how many Christian organizations, even schools or educational programs, or other “initiatives” for lack of a better word, might exist in Oxford.
I suppose I am, essentially, wondering how much of a Christian community it might have and what kinds of Christian activities are happening there. I know Oxford as a university is 800+ years old, and people of every conceivable faith (including none) must live and work there. But something about how you wrote Full Circle, and even (strangely, for a secular series) a few things that have come up in the “Lewis” episodes, have made me wonder.
A university setting is the perfect place for inquiry, and alongside the many many students and professors who have passed through its halls, we know there have been some luminary believers such as C.S. Lewis.
I’m just wondering what sense you might have about this, since it seems you live in or just near Oxford itself. I have a special place in my heart for this city, as well as all England, and if I knew that there were exciting things going on there spiritually, it would be a hope-giving thing to know.
Dear Alexis,
There is indeed a vibrant community of believers at Oxford, but it does not correspond in many ways to what is expected of such a gathering in the US.
The UK culture is largely agnostic. They simply don’t care about faith. So those who do believe find great companionship among others of the faith. And they do so without the barriers that are so prevalent in the US.
The faith community includes Greek and Russian Orthodox, charismatic, Mennonites, Quakers, Catholics, and every other such church. We vehemently disagree with one another on many issues, and at the same time remain united in our devotion to Jesus.
