The Logos and Cosmos Initiative
Theology and the sciences: Relating God’s Word to God’s world
The Logos and Cosmos Initiative (LCI) equips young Christian academics to lead projects in their universities that spark curiosity and wonder about God’s Word and God’s world, and about theology and the sciences.
We provide training, mentoring and funding for our participants, known as “Catalysts”, to lead these projects in collaboration with their IFES national movements. Working in Latin America and Francophone Africa, the Logos and Cosmos Initiative is a five-year IFES program, which began in 2020.
Some of our Catalysts’ projects draw together theological and scientific perspectives to address challenges such as mental health, injustice, poverty and climate change. Meanwhile, other LCI projects promote dialogue between theology and the sciences, or provide mentoring and training to help students engage with their universities and academic disciplines. Project activities include small-group topical Bible studies, workshops, writing and publishing resources, developing online courses and delivering practical programs.
The LCI is an outworking of IFES’ global vision to impact all of society for the glory of Christ, which is summarized under IFES’ goal of Engaging the University (ETU).
— Tim Adams, General Secretary of IFES“Since the Logos and Cosmos Initiative was launched in 2020, its participants have shown the global IFES family new ways of being incarnational in our Christian witness in the university. The program has been catalytic, mobilising Christian students and faculty to speak about and apply their Christian faith and their academic discipline to key issues facing their countries. This is just one example of how IFES national movements are living out our vision to impact the university, church and society for the glory of Christ.”
The LCI is partly funded by the John Templeton Foundation. At the moment, funding for this initiative is only available for the two IFES regions of Francophone Africa and Latin America, but it is our hope and prayer that we will be able to expand into other IFES regions in the years to come.
