The ‘us and them’ divide between Oxford’s religious and sceptics must end

Free lunch or cookies, a place out of the rain, talks that are only half as long as lectures – what’s not to like? ‘Love Like This’, the Christian Union’s 4th week outreach campaign, a series of lunchtime and evening talks about Jesus, was all this and more.

Organised by OICCU (Oxford Inter-Collegiate Christian Union), the events were obviously pro-Christian, but there was none of the Bible bashing you see in street preachers. Instead, there was an open atmosphere, with Q & A times part and parcel of every talk, so people listening could bring the speaker back to a point, or raise new ones, if they felt it hadn’t been covered properly.

The CU ‘Love Like This’ campaign ran in 4th week

Probably the best part of Love Like This (although the sweatshirts people have been wearing are pretty cool too) was how discussion was encouraged, because even if you have got your personal philosophical/religious views completely sorted, it’s still a good idea to understand what other people think, even, or maybe especially, if you disagree with them.

Most people at Oxford tend to ignore CU, except when they’re hand-delivering free toasties. But the CU is so much more than toasties. The events were a fun opportunity to allow people who don’t normally get involved to understand more about what CU are on about. It may have sparked a little hostility and a little confusion, but campaigns like this are useful for integration. We need to end the ‘us and them’ mentality that separates the religiously involved and the sceptics.

Hardly President’s Drinks

And so far, people seem to agree that exploring has its appeal. About 300 hundred people turned up at the lunchtime talks last week– enough to fill the town hall where they were being held. This proves that Christianity is alive and well amongst Oxford students.

So for those still unsure as to what those cryptic posters were meant to be promoting, I hope that clears it up and hopeful you might join us next time. Although unfortunately, you missed the free cookies.

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