Trinity Theological College and Vision Books are working together to host a couple of forums on theology on Saturday November 26.
Challenging the church with the gospel
The morning session (10 am – 12 noon) is an opportunity for dialogue with the President of the Uniting Church, Rev. Dr. Dean Drayton. In a recently published book, Which Gospel? Three New Testament Perspectives, Dr. Drayton has challenged the church to re-acquaint itself with the New Testament accounts of the gospel. The book has been described as a wake up call to the churches to reconsider their function as gospel bearers that focus on God rather than ourselves.
Dr Drayton will expand on these insights and discuss them with a panel of UCA members.
As well as being President of the Uniting Church in Australia (2003-2006) , Dean is Lecturer in Theology: Mission and Evangelism at the United Theological College in Sydney. See his profile there. Ordained in 1969, he has served as parish minister, Director of the New South Wales Synod’s Board of Mission, and Moderator of the NSW Synod in 1995/96.
Defending Christianity in a scientific age
The afternoon session (1 pm to 4 pm) is an opportunity to explore some recent discussions in the encounter between Science and Christianity. Professor Peter Harrison (Bond University) and Professor Ross McKenzie (University of Queensland) will provide insights into Alister McGrath’s, Dawkins God: Genes Memes and the Meaning of Life.
Richard Dawkins, Oxford’s Professor of the Public Understanding of Science, is one of science’s most unrelenting critics of Christianity. Alister McGrath, Oxford’s Professor of Historical Theology, is among the most able contemporary Christian apologists. Peter Harrison and Ross McKenzie will introduce us to the theological and scientific issues at stake in this debate.
Peter is Professor of History and Philosophy at Bond University. He is widely published in the history of modern thought and his current writing is at the forefront of discussions about the relationship between science and Christianity. His book, The Bible, Protestantism and the Rise of Natural Science (Cambridge, 1998) has been widely acclaimed. He is a founding member of the International Society for Science and Religion.
Ross is a Professorial Research Fellow in the Physics Department at the University of Queensland. His research interests focus on using quantum physics to understand complex molecular materials ranging from organic metals to proteins. He often gives seminars at universities and churches on the relationship between science and theology. He is currently the Chairman of the Queensland branch of ISCAST (Institute for the Study of Christianity in an Age of Science and Technology).
Indooroopilly Uniting Church is located at 74 Station Road, Indooroopilly (on the corner with Musgrave Road, directly opposite the south-west corner of Indooroopilly Shopping Town). Parking is available on church grounds via the Musgrave Road entrance.
There is no cost for either session, although a gold coin donation would be appreciated for morning and afternoon teas.
Morning Tea will be served from 9.40 until the commencement of the first session at 10.00am. You can either bring your own lunch or buy something from the Shopping Town food court (literally across the road) or from the many other nearby food outlets in Indooroopilly. Afternnon tea will be served during a break in the aftenroon session.
You do not need to have read the books to participate in the sessions. The presenters will not assume that the books have been read beforehand. A bookstall will be present on the day. If you wish to purchase Which Gospel? Three New Testament Perspectives beforehand, you can do so via Vision Books. Dawkins’ God: Genes, Memes and the Meaning of Life is available at most mainstream Christian bookstores in Brisbane at the various online bookshops.
Vision Books is an activity of Broadwater Road Uniting Church, 481 Broadwater Road, Wishart. It specializes in resource needs for UCA congregations. Email them or phone 061 7 3849 8548.
Trinity Theological College is the Uniting Church member school of the Brisbane College of Theology. It offers courses in undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in both theology and ministry. Visit the college website www.trinity.qld.edu.au/ or phone 3377 9950.