What is the meaning of suffering? This panel offers no single answer to a largely unanswerable question, but it does seek to aid Christians in understanding suffering in light of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. These four panelists have pursued this question both in their own lives and in the lives of people they have sought to serve in the world of health care.

Panelist Bios:

The resurrection of Jesus is the linchpin for the Christian faith. Remove it and everything falls apart. But did it actually happen? Is it just a myth his followers made up? And even if it did happen, what does it have to do with me 2,000 years later? Come join us as pastor Bobby Jamieson puts the resurrection of Jesus to the test and shows why it offers you true and living hope. 

This event will consist of a lecture followed by Q&A. Light refreshments will be served.

Speaker Bio: Bobby Jamieson is the senior pastor of Trinity Baptist Church in Chapel Hill, NC. He has a PhD in New Testament from the University of Cambridge and has taught at many seminaries. He is also the author of several books, most recently Everything is Never Enough: Ecclesiastes' Surprising Path to Resilient Happiness (forthcoming) and Biblical Reasoning: Christological and Trinitarian Rules for Exegesis.

College is a time for searching. We’re searching for jobs, friendships, and other things that make life meaningful. But when the search fails us, or we suffer from things out of our control, where do we find our purpose? Is there something beyond ourselves — something spiritual or transcendent— that can give us hope?

At this Veritas Forum event at UNC-Chapel Hill, Molly Worthen (historian, UNC) will moderate a conversation between New York Times columnist Ross Douthat (author, Believe) and Duke professor Frank Bruni (author, The Age of Grievance). Hear both speakers explore their stories of illness and vision loss, their different experiences with spirituality and religion, and where to begin in the search for meaning.

After the moderated conversation, there will be audience Q&R (question & response). Doors open at 7:30 PM and there will be light dinner from The Root Cellar provided. Register now!

Please note: This event will take place at the Sonja Haynes Stone Center on UNC’s campus.

Speakers:

Moderator:

Join us at the Study Center for an Ash Wednesday service hosted by Holy Trinity Anglican Church in Chapel Hill. This short service is open to all students, faculty, and staff at UNC and will begin at 12:30 pm. Attendees will have the option to receive the imposition of ashes.

About Ash Wednesday

Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of the season of Lent, a time of the Christian year focused on self-reflection, repentance, and fasting. Since the time of the early Church, believers have received the sign of the cross via the imposition of ashes on their foreheads. These ashes serve as a reminder of our mortality and the brokenness of the world. We are dust and to dust we shall return. To learn more about Ash Wednesday, click here.

Join us for a special opportunity to share lunch with Chancellor Lee Roberts!

As the university’s chief executive officer, Chancellor Lee Roberts oversees the academic, research, and student affairs at UNC. Chancellor Roberts will join us for a brown-bag lunch at the Study Center on 1/31 at 12pm. This student-only event is your chance to bring your questions and ideas to the table. Bring your lunch and come be part of the conversation—we’d love to see you there!

Join us for a meet & greet with other Study Center alums in the Triangle at Hi-Wire Brewery in Durham!

Email elizabeth@ncstudycenter.org with any questions

How do we remain faithful in our vocation under pressure and how do we serve others in our work?

Come join us as we listen to Former Congressman Mike McIntyre share about his experiences working in law and politics and how to approach our vocations with a faith and service mind-set.

Speaker Bio

Recognized in the newest edition of Best Lawyers in America, Mike McIntyre is Senior Advisor for Government Relations & Economic Development with the law firm of Ward and Smith. Before joining this firm, he held the position of Congressman of North Carolina's 7th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives, serving for 18 years.

A former Morehead Scholar at UNC, Mike went on to receive numerous awards and honors including the H. Brent McKnight “Renaissance Lawyer Award” from the NC Bar Association in 2024, an honorary Doctor of Laws degree by UNC-Chapel Hill "for outstanding accomplishment in public service” in 2023, and the Distinguished Public Service Award in 2013 from The Secretary of the Navy, the highest civilian award given by the Navy, for his exceptional leadership and work on behalf of the Navy and Marine Corps.

In Congress he co-chaired the Congressional Prayer Caucus and was Founder & Chair of the Congressional Caucus on Youth Sports. He served on the Board of the US Naval Academy and was a member of the US Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, also known as "the Helsinki Commission".

He and his wife Dee have two sons, Joshua and Stephen, and three grandchildren: Hamilton, Will and Ruth. Stephen practices law in Lumberton, and his wife, Angelica, is Chief District Court Judge for Robeson County. His son, Joshua, who also is an attorney, is Senior Director for the North Carolina Advocates for Justice, and his wife, Sarah, practices family law in Durham.

Anxious. Stressed. Busy. “Connected.” Lonely.

Is there a relationship between technology and the high levels of anxiety that characterize our culture today? Andy Crouch is a noted thinker and writer whose work addresses this and related questions. He has written extensively about the effects of technology on human relationships and is gifted at considering how Christians can live well in the modern world. Come join us as Andy helps us consider whether there is a clear path to health and human flourishing, and whether it is available to us today.

Event Details

• Date: January 16th, 2025

• Time: 7:00 - 8:30 pm

• Location: Carolina Union Auditorium

• Format: Lecture followed by Q&A

Space is limited, so RSVP below!

Speaker Bio

Andy Crouch is partner for theology and culture at Praxis, a venture-building ecosystem advancing redemptive entrepreneurship. His writing explores faith, culture, and the image of God in the domains of technology, power, leadership, and the arts. He is the author of five books (plus another with his daughter, Amy Crouch): The Life We're Looking For: Reclaiming Relationship in a Technological World, The Tech-Wise Family: Everyday Steps for Putting Technology in Its Proper Place, Strong and Weak: Embracing a Life of Love, Risk and True Flourishing, Playing God: Redeeming the Gift of Power, and Culture Making: Recovering Our Creative Calling.

Andy serves on the governing board of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship. For more than ten years he was an editor and producer at Christianity Today, including serving as executive editor from 2012 to 2016. He served the John Templeton Foundation in 2017 as senior strategist for communication. His work and writing have been featured in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Time, and several editions of Best Christian Writing and Best Spiritual Writing—and, most importantly, received a shout-out in Lecrae's 2014 single "Non-Fiction."

From 1998 to 2003, Andy was the editor-in-chief of re:generation quarterly, a magazine for an emerging generation of culturally creative Christians. For ten years he was a campus minister with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship at Harvard University. He studied classics at Cornell University and received an M.Div. summa cum laude from Boston University School of Theology. A classically trained musician who draws on pop, folk, rock, jazz, and gospel, he has led musical worship for congregations of 5 to 20,000. He and his wife, Catherine, raised two children and live in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania.

Join us for our annual Study Center Christmas Party on Tuesday, December 10th from 4PM-6PM. Sign up here to bring a dish to share!

Join us on the lawn for a meet & greet with UNC graduate students!

Post the Dobbs Supreme Court decision, the subjects of sexuality, reproduction, and abortion have become especially fraught within American healthcare.

Join us as Dr. Ellery Sarosi, an ob/gyn resident, Dr. Sarah Ruff, a family physician with long experience in reproductive healthcare, and Dr. Farr Curlin (moderator) consider the challenges and opportunities Christians face in navigating these issues within health professions training.

Stop by the Study Center on Saturday morning of UNC’s family weekend for coffee, a light pancake brunch, house tours, and time to connect with other UNC parents and friends!

Join us for a conversation over lunch with Dr. Walter Kim, the President of the National Association of Evangelicals.

The word "evangelical" means different things to different people. Is it helpful to keep using this term, and if so, what exactly does it describe? Dr. Kim will offer his thoughts on these questions and lead us in a discussion on what it means to be an evangelical Christian today.

Event details

This event will take place at the North Carolina Study Center on Friday, Nov. 1st from 12:30 pm - 1:45 pm. Lunch will be included free of charge for participants. Please RSVP below for catering purposes. 

Rediscovering Sacred Rhythms in a Busy World

Join us for a one-time seminar exploring the theme of Sabbath rest. We’ll talk about the biblical foundations of Sabbath, its spiritual significance, and how we can practically implement it to live more peaceful, centered lives. This time of teaching and discussion will provide theoretical insights and practical guidance for how to restore balance, deepen faith, and nourish the soul. Reclaim the sacred rhythm of rest and refresh your spirit!

Please note: food will not be provided, but we invite you to bring your own lunch!

Join us for a panel discussion on the Christian view of the human. We'll explore how the Christian faith shapes and impacts thoughts on key life questions including; the beginning of life, pregnancy, and abortion as well as "death with dignity."

Speakers:
Dr. Susan Bane

Dr. Susan Bane has practiced obstetrics and gynecology for 25 years, including in private practice at Greenville Obstetrics and Gynecology and serving as a clinical professor at the Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University. She recently completed the Theology, Medicine, and Culture Certification program at Duke Divinity School.

Dr. Farr Curlin

Farr Curlin, MD, is Josiah Trent Professor of Medical Humanities in the Trent Center for Bioethics, Humanities, & History of Medicine and Co-Director of the Theology, Medicine and Culture Initiative (TMC) at Duke University. Dr. Curlin has worked to bring attention to the intersection of medicine, ethics, and theology. In 2012 he helped to found both the University of Chicago’s Program on Medicine and Religion and the annual Conference on Medicine and Religion. Since 2015, through Duke Divinity School’s TMC Initiative, he and colleagues have brought graduate theological training to those with vocations to health care.

Dr. Kavin Rowe

Kavin Rowe is the Vice Dean of the Faculty and the George Washington Ivey Distinguished Professor of New Testament at Duke. The second of three volumes of his collected essays has recently been published as Method, Context, and Meaning in New Testament Studies (Eerdmans, 2024). The first volume is Leading Christian Communities (Eerdmans, 2023). Rowe is the author of four other books: Christianity's Surprise: A Sure and Certain Hope (Abingdon, 2020), One True Life: the Stoics and Early Christians as Rival Traditions (Yale University Press, 2016), World Upside Down: Reading Acts in the Graeco-Roman Age (Oxford University Press, 2009, paperback 2010), and Early Narrative Christology (de Gruyter, 2006, repr. Baker Academic, 2009). Dr. Rowe received his BA from Wake Forest University, his M.Div from Princeton Theological Seminary, and his Ph.D. from Duke.

It’s Gameday!

Drop by the Study Center before the homecoming football game against Pittsburgh on Oct. 5th to experience life on the lawn.

This event is open to all students and friends of the Study Center. Please RSVP so we can get a rough headcount!

Breakfast and Q&A with Gavin Ortlund

Join us for a free breakfast and Q&A with apolgist and author, Dr. Gavin Ortlund! Dr. Ortlund is happy to answer any follow-up questions from the speaking event on Oct. 3, or other questions related to apologetics. Please RSVP below for catering purposes.

Hungry for Truth, Dealing with Doubt: Truth-seeking in a Secular Age

How many of us really want to know the truth? If we were to honestly seek the truth, where would it lead? And how should we respond when what we learn calls into question what we used to be sure about?

Join us for a conversation with Dr. Gavin Ortlund and Dr. Molly Worthen as they discuss truth-seeking, confidence, and the place of doubt in the journey of faith. They’ll offer advice on how we can come alongside friends and family who are wrestling with doubt, and how we can process our own while continuing to seek the Truth, who is Christ.

Event Details

RSVP Here. This event will begin at 7 pm at the North Carolina Study Center. We’ll be seated outside under a large tent on the front lawn. We look forward to seeing you there!

Speaker Bios

Dr. Gavin Ortlund is a pastor, author, speaker, and apologist for the Christian faith. He serves as the president of Truth Unites and theologian-in-residence at Immanuel Nashville. He is the author of eight books, including Why God Makes Sense in a World That Doesn’t and What It Means to Be Protestant. He earned his doctorate from Fuller Theological Seminary.

Dr. Molly Worthen is an associate professor of history at UNC and a freelance journalist. She received her BA and PhD from Yale University. Her research focuses on North American religious and intellectual history, and her most recent book, Apostles of Reason, examines American evangelical intellectual life since 1945. She regularly contributes to the New York Times, writing about religion, politics, and higher education.

Join us at Franklin Motors for a meet & greet with UNC graduate students!

Faith, Theology, and Mental Wellness

Do not worry? Christian students and the challenge of anxiety

Warren Kinghorn, MD, ThD

Psychiatrist and theologian, Warren Kinghorn, will join us for a conversation about the challenge of anxiety that so many students experience. Dr. Kinghorn also will introduce a Christian approach to mental health care advanced in his recent book, Wayfaring (2024).

About the Healthcare Fellowship Forum

The North Carolina Study Center is partnering with Triangle Christian Medical and Dental Associations and the Theology, Medicine, and Culture Initiative at Duke Divinity School to host a series of informal gatherings for Christians in health-related fields at UNC. Through mini-lectures, panels, and table conversations, these gatherings provide opportunities to learn and think with colleagues about how to live out vocations to health care with clarity, wisdom, and courage.

The following event has been postponed until the Fall! Please email misty@ncstudycenter.org with any questions.

Hosted By National Christian Foundation Carolinas

Generous Giving hosts free events that help explore generosity without asking for anything in return. At the Journey of Generosity (JOG) retreat, we will watch video stories, engage in personal Bible study, have focused solitude time before the Lord, and participate in authentic conversations with our friends. Most conversations about giving end with an ask for money. This one doesn’t. We hope you can make it!

Please RSVP by 5/10/24. Contact Kathryn Williams with any questions at kwilliams@ncfgiving.com (919.438.0350).

Attention incoming Tar Heels and parents from the Ashe, Watauga, and Avery counties!

The North Carolina Study Center invites you to join us for this special evening hosted by the Gatewood’s to connect with other incoming freshmen students and parents, to learn from current students about the UNC student experience, and to hear from Study Center supporters about opportunities to get plugged into Christian life at UNC.

Graduating students! We would love to celebrate and see you & your families on May 11th before the graduation ceremony on Saturday night. We invite you to join us at the Study Center for an open house and light refreshments.

Please RSVP to let us know your headcount.

Reach out to joy@ncstudycenter.org with any questions.

Interested in meeting some other Christian graduate students at UNC? Come hang out at Gizmo Brew Works at 5 PM on Monday, April 29th.

This is an informal gathering—no need to RSVP—& feel free to invite your friends. We hope to see you there!

Address: 157 E Franklin St #100, Chapel Hill, NC 27514

Questions? Contact Connor Porco (new NC Study Center staff) at connor@ncstudycenter.org or 434-987-2271