By Piper Rutherford | Staff Writer
With a name translating to “the reason of Christ” in Latin, Ratio Christi is aiming to educate Baylor students on apologetics. Starting this fall, the new spiritual organization is implementing guest speakers, small study groups and community worship in an effort to teach students to defend the Christian faith with philosophical, historical and scientific arguments.
Carl Schubert, chapter director and recent Baylor graduate, said the national apologetics group was founded by Appalachian State University in 2007. According to Ratio Christi’s website, the group offers the opportunity for students to not only grow in their faith but also learn how to defend their religious beliefs and values.
“We are here to help students learn why they believe what they believe by transforming the minds and hearts of students today so that they can transform the cultures of tomorrow,” Schubert said. “It is essential that we work to build this foundation of valuing discipleship and pursuing biblical truth. Our goal is to give the skeptics a reason to believe, especially when we now live in an era where there are a lot of questions about faith, and there seems to be more questions than answers.”
As for the sense of family the organization provides, Schubert said he attributes it to the power of small-group discussion.
“Small groups provide that feeling of brotherhood and sisterhood,” Schubert said. “They meet once a week, where new students will take apologetics 101, in which they do not have to have a background with the discipline in order to participate. Most small groups will pick an educational book at the beginning of the semester to read. Some example of these books include ‘Surviving Religion 101’ by Michael Krueger, which talks about things students might encounter during their first year of college by giving them advice and tips through a Christian lens.”
Houston sophomore and chapter president Saul Winebrenner said the organization provides a chance for students to engage their entire mind in the task of Christianity.
“We are different from any other spiritual organizations on campus, where everything is assumed and goes unquestioned in Bible study, where someone can’t ask a question like, ‘I don’t believe that God exists,’” Winebrenner said. “That’s a big downer for the Bible study. That’s why many members will say that we are the only spiritual organization on campus that talks about Christianity without hedgy language, like ‘I think,’ ‘I believe’ or ‘probably.’ Instead, our members now have a certainty in their answers to cater to the skeptics or unbelievers, to help them strengthen their faith and find God.”
Winebrenner said he commends Ratio Christi’s leadership team, which allows attendees to set the agenda rather than limiting topics of discussion on any given day.
“Honestly, my favorite part about Ratio Christi is the people here,” Winebrenner said. “We have one of the most diverse groups of spiritual organizations on campus, with students from different backgrounds, majors, denominations and churches — the same students who bring new perspectives to our conversations, which is what we are looking for. We want members that have questions to ask and ears to hear. We are all about community and openness, since the one thing that unites us all is Jesus.”
For students interested in joining the organization, Schubert said he recommends attending the first few meetings, which are held at 6 p.m. on Tuesdays in the Bobo Spiritual Life Center.
“Our new member meetings are set up like an orientation for prospective members to learn the ins and outs of the organization, after which they can go chat with an officer or get in contact with me so that we can get them plugged into the organization — whether that looks like them helping with tabling or leading a small group of their own,” Schubert said.
