What does it mean to be a follower of Jesus Christ in a nation where some shout his name as a kind of battle cry and others wish to banish it from public life? Miroslav Volf leads you through his book, A Public Faith, in this 9-part video series and 26-page discussion guide.
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What does it mean to live out faith in democratic public life?

In this series, developed and produced by the Yale Center for Faith & Culture, Miroslav Volf walks through a chapter-by-chapter discussion of how followers of Christ should serve the common good.

A deep expression of public theology and a commitment to the Christian tradition and contemporary pluralistic engagement, Miroslav’s book A Public Faith offers biblical grounding and theological reflection for Christians who recognize both the difficulty and demands of living out their faith in public today.

The series features new material from Miroslav that contextualizes, explains, and expounds on the most central elements of the book in order to provide real-time and relevant insights for the ever-changing and troubling political environment.

Through 9 videos and a 26-page discussion guide for leaders, you and your community can work together, discussing and applying the principles of Miroslav’s public theology, and seeking a robust vision of a public Christian life that is truly worthy of our humanity.

Each resource element is available immediately upon subscribing above.

What does it mean to be a Christian in a political world in which we disagree so strongly?

The questions are big, and the answers aren’t simple.

In 2011, Miroslav Volf explored three questions that we’re still asking today.

1. In what ways does the Christian faith malfunction in the contemporary world, and how should we counter these malfunctions?

2. What should be the main concern of Christ’s followers when it comes to living well in the world today?

3. How should Christ’s followers go about realizing their vision of living well in today’s world in relation to other faiths and together with diverse people with whom they live under the roof of a single state?

New Public Faith Curriculum and Video Resources for Small Groups

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Featuring Miroslav Volf’s personal introductory videos for each chapter of the book, you and your community can work through the challenges for living a public faith and seeking a robust vision of a life that is worthy of our humanity.

Will you consider joining this effort and leading your community through the coming political season?

Possible implementations might include:

  • Church programming or sermon series resources
  • A 9-week summer bible study or community group program
  • Your next book club pick
  • College and young adult ministry programming
  • Helping young Christians think through the challenges of living a public faith

Includes 9 videos and a PDF discussion guide, covering each chapter of the book:

Part 1: Countering Faith's Malfunctions

1. Malfunctions of Faith
2. Idleness
3. Coerciveness
4. Human Flourishing

Part 2: Engaged Faith

5. Identity and Difference
6. Sharing Wisdom
7. Public Engagement

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Subscribe Above for Immediate Access to the Following Discussion Guide and Video Resources

PDF Discussion Guide: Public Faith for Troubled Times

A helpful resource for leading groups through Miroslav Volf’s popular book, A Public Faith.

Intro: Faith, Fear, & the Public Sphere

What does it mean to be a follower of Jesus Christ in a nation where some shout his name as a kind of battle cry and others wish to banish it from public life?

Ch 1: Malfunctions of Faith

Christian faith has all too often malfunctioned—it has failed to live up to its own standards as a prophetic religion and religion of peace.

Ch 2: Idleness

Faith can malfunction from inactivity too—idle, passive, and going nowhere. How do we overcome this idleness of faith?

Ch 3: Coerciveness

Many who fear religious violence and coercion say: “The less Christian faith in public, the better!” My response is exactly the opposite. We need more.

Ch 4: Human Flourishing

So often the Christian faith is presented mainly as the ticket to eternity. But our flourishing in this world—and this world’s flourishing—matters to God.

Ch 5: Identity & Difference

In a multicultural, shifting world, how do we define and live out our identity as Christians? How do we avoid the pitfalls of imposing conformity or isolationism?

Ch 6: Sharing Wisdom

Christians are called to share the wisdom of their faith as an expression of love for God and neighbors. But how can we share wisdom in a pluralistic culture?

Ch 7: Public Engagement

How can believers and secularists coexist and thrive in a democracy? By fostering peace and drawing from within the heart of our own distinct faith perspectives.

Conclusion: God’s Mission in the World

We live in difficult, fractious times. And yet we have a responsibility to bring a Christian vision of life to bear on the public challenges we face.

More about Miroslav Volf's Public Faith

A Public Faith: How Followers of Christ Should Serve the Common Good

Miroslav Volf
Bookshop.org | Amazon | Baker Publishing | faith.yale.edu

From the book:

“Engagement is not a matter of either speaking or doing; not a matter of either offering a compelling intellectual vision or embodying a set of alternative practices; not a matter of either merely making manifest the richness and depth of interior life or merely working to change the institutions of society; not a matter of either only displaying alternative politics as gathered in Eucharistic celebrations or merely working for change as the dispersed people of God.

It is all these things and more. The whole person in all aspects of her life is engaged in fostering human flourishing and serving the common good.


Christian faith is therefore a ‘prophetic’ faith that seeks to mend the world. An idle or redundant faith—a faith that does not seek to mend the world—is a seriously malfunctioning faith.”

Praise for A Public Faith

"Why should Christians use the resources of their faith to speak to and to serve the common good rather than reducing the faith to a message that soothes individuals or energizes them to pursue success? And how can they do that without coercing those who are not Christians? Miroslav Volf sets for himself the daunting task of addressing these two deep and urgent questions in a way both that is widely accessible and that takes account of the scholarly literature. He succeeds on all counts."


— Nicholas Wolterstorff, Yale University; senior fellow, Institute for Advanced Studies in Culture, University of Virginia

"Our efforts as people of faith to bring our religious convictions into the public arena have clearly malfunctioned in recent years. But Miroslav Volf does not want us to retreat to a 'private faith' mentality. Instead he offers profound counsel about how faith-based public advocacy can promote the common good in our increasingly pluralistic world. This important book is packed with wisdom!"

— Richard J. Mouw, Fuller Theological Seminary

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Public Faith for Troubled Times

What does it mean to be a follower of Jesus Christ in a nation where some shout his name as a kind of battle cry and others wish to banish it from public life? Miroslav Volf leads you through his book, A Public Faith, in this 9-part video series and 26-page discussion guide.

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