Bartlesville Radio: The area’s best source for news, weather and sports!

Oklahoma Wesleyan University President, Dr. Everett Piper, went to the Vatican on Nov. 7 to teach at a conference. Piper says he would continue to have ecumenical conversations with Catholic brothers and sisters at a pontifical site at the Vatican until Nov. 9. He says he commends those Catholic brothers and sister for their defense of the Gospel.

Somehow today, Piper says, we often shun 2000 years of wisdom and tradition with what we think we know today. Piper says he will take the tradition and wisdom he found at the Vatican over the popular ideas of our day.

Piper says the defense of the church and tradition has to do a lot with the brokenness our world faces today. He says we need to open our eyes and that we need to listen to he brokenness in our world. With everything happening in Europe and in our own country, he says the powder keg could easily blow up into violence. For example, racial tensions in the U.S. haven't resorted to violence but they could fall on the cusp of violence at some time. 

Piper says we will only be rescued by the Gospel and a Biblical worldview.

And when Piper wasn’t lecturing at the conference at the Vatican, he enjoyed the art and culture of Rome. He says the art specifically pointed to the Gospel message for the illiterate ages ago so they could know the biblical messages through the power of art. All the art from sculptures and cathedrals directs people to the Gospel in some way shape or form. It's like Christmas (as we approach the holiday season) pointing to the Reason for the season, but the art is the catalyst that points us and everyone to the Reason.

Dr. Piper's wife Marci also joined him on his trip to Rome. The two went to Florence in their free time to enjoy their 35th anniversary. They took a pit stop in Iceland on the way back to go snorkling in sub-forty degree water, and they also got to witness the Northern Lights.