Northwestern is making talking about tough topics their priority. The NEDTalks and Ngages are a great way for NW students to earn Christian Formation credits outside of Tuesday and Friday chapel. The NEDTalks are a half-hour long and only one Christian Formation credit, but you get free cookies and ice cream. Ngages are longer and gives students opportunities for two or more credits with three credits a rarity. NEDTalks take place during community hour most Wednesdays, while Ngages are more spread out and in the evening.
With the presidential election almost a month away, politics is a hot topic. “I think the political topics are important with election season,” said senior Collin Verschoor. “We often split into Republican or Democrat or other. We are supposed to be the body of Christ, but we see division where there should be unity.”
For most NW students, this will be their first time voting in a presidential election. So, NW is determined to reign in several opportunities for students to hear about how to live a Christian life in a political world. “I think too often we try to avoid it and think that we cannot connect politics with Christianity,” junior Hope Wallace said.
This semester’s NEDTalk theme is “Personal Faith in a Public Life.”
Two NEDTalks have already touched on how to live politically as a Christian. The first NEDTalk of the season featured Dr. Jeff VanDerWerff, professor of U.S. government and public life. Dr. VanDerWerff touched on “Hope & Humility: Following the Lamb, Not an Elephant or a Donkey.” “I thought Dr. VanDerWerff did a good job of explaining of how sometimes, Republicans and Democrats think they are more different from each other than they actually are in terms of their views on social issues,” Wallace said. “It was an encouraging and fresh perspective that kept me thinking after I left.”
The following NEDTalk featured Dr. Alex Sosler who spoke on “The Church is Political (But Not How You Think).” Upcoming NEDTalks feature speakers from NW staff, an SSP partner, a comedian and more.
This year, the Ngage theme is “Taboo Topics,” and the first couple Ngages will also touch on politics.
The first Ngage, titled “Faith and Politics (part 1): the call to compassion and conviction,” will be at 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 1. This Ngage will feature Justin Giboney, co-founder and president of the AND campaign. The AND campaign’s goal is to “educate and organize Christians for civic and cultural engagement that results in better representation, more just and compassionate policies and a healthier political culture,” according to andcampaign.org. Giboney will also speak in chapel that morning and during a NEDTalk the following Wednesday.
A second Faith & Politics Ngage will take place on Oct. 29 featuring Kaitlyn Scheiss, who will also talk at a NEDTalk the day after her Ngage.
This semester, another big “taboo topic” is family planning, involving conversations around natural family planning (NFP) and birth control.
In 2025, the “taboo topics” are more varied. Topics include “Getting Along When We Disagree,” “The Science of Faith” and “Racism in the Christian Community.”
Ngages and NEDTalks are a great way for students to meet their Christian Formation requirement if they are busy during Tuesday and Friday chapel times. They are also a great opportunity for tough topic discussions for the whole campus and for small groups, such as discipleship groups or dorm wings.
