Theology
2009 King’s Public Lecture Series on Theology & Culture
The Theology Department at The King’s University College, would like to invite you to our first annual King’s Public Lecture Series on Theology & Culture. These lectures will touch on various topics where popular culture and theology intersect.
Each lecture will include time for discussion and interaction. Consistent with the aims of our institution, we will explore these topics from a distinctively Christian perspective. The three lectures for this fall are:
Lecture 1: “Why did Missy Die? God, Evil & The Shack” by Dr. Randal Rauser, Associate Professor of Historical Theology, Taylor Seminary, Edmonton (Thursday 1 October, 7:30-9:00 pm). You can listen to the lecture on MP3 by clicking on the title.
How can God be perfectly loving and absolutely powerful, and yet allow the innumerable horrors that occur every day? This age-old question lies at the heart of William Paul Young’s bestselling novel The Shack which confronts the horrific abduction and murder of a six year old girl with an honesty and directness rarely seen in Christian literature. In this lecture we will explore The Shack’s richly textured treatment of the intellectual and existential dimensions of the problem of evil.
Dr. Rauser, Associate Professor of Historical Theology at Taylor Seminary in Edmonton, is an engaging, progressive, and prolific theologian. Author of a number of books and articles, his volume Finding God in The Shack (Paternoster, 2009) has now been translated into Portuguese. His other publications include Faith Lacking Understanding: Theology “Through a Glass, Darkly” (Paternoster, 2008). Dr. Rauser has just published Theology in Search of Foundations with Oxford University Press.
Lecture 2: “The Religious Evolution of Charles Darwin: A Christian Perspective” by Dr. Denis O. Lamoureux, Assistant Professor of Science and Religion, St. Joseph’s College, University of Alberta, Edmonton (Thursday 22 October, 7:30-9:00 pm). You can listen to the lecture on MP3 by clicking on the title.
It has been 150 years since the publication of Charles Darwin’s magnum opus, The Origin of the Species. While Darwin is known for his theory of biological evolution, not much is ever said about his own religious life. Was Charles Darwin an atheist? A Christian? Or an agnostic? In his best-seller The Blind Watchmaker, Richard Dawkins proclaims that “Darwin made it possible to be an intellectually fulfilled atheist.” This presentation reviews passages from Darwin’s letters and books, and even defends the provocative thesis that Darwin made it possible, for the presenter, to be an intellectually fulfilled theist!
Dr. Lamoureux, Assistant Professor of Science and Religion at St. Joseph’s College in the University of Alberta, holds earned doctoral degrees in dentistry, theology, and biology. He is a member of the executive council of the Canadian Scientific and Christian Affiliation, a Fellow of the American Scientific Affiliation, and is cited in the Who's Who of Theology and Science. Dr. Lamoureux lectures throughout Canada and the United States in both Christian and secular academic institutions. His most recent publication is Evolutionary Creation: A Christian Approach to Evolution (Wipf & Stock, 2008).
Lecture 3: “John Calvin: Champion of Prayer” by Dr. James Payton, Jr., Professor of History, Redeemer University College, Hamilton, Ontario (Monday 2 November, 7:30-9:00 pm)
The year 2009 marks the 500th anniversary of the birth of John Calvin, the great religious reformer. Most past studies of Calvin have been preoccupied with identifying a core doctrine around which he structured his thought, namely predestination. In contrast, this presentation will reflect on the reality that Calvin devotes more attention in his Institutes to prayer than predestination. This will lead us to focus on Calvin’s overriding concern, to enable his hearers and readers to draw near to God. This lecture is part of the ARIHE Lectureship on the Occasion of the 500th Anniversary of the Birth of John Calvin and is sponsored by the Association of Reformed Institutions of Higher Education (ARIHE).
Dr. Payton, Professor of History at Redeemer University College in Hamilton, is thoroughly conversant in the history and teaching of the Reformed tradition. He has published several studies on John Calvin and other reformers, as well as the role of religion in various Eastern European nations. Dr. Payton’s book, Light from the Christians East: An Introduction to the Orthodox Tradition (InterVarsity, 2007), has received two awards.
All lectures are free and will be held in the Atrium, The King’s University College, 9125 - 50 Street. In support of this event, we would greatly appreciate if you could promote these lectures. For more information, including brief abstracts and other promotional material, contact me at your convenience.
I would like to thank you in advance for promoting these lectures and I hope to see you at them. Also, if you have any questions about the Theology program at King’s, please feel free to contact me.
Yours truly,
Tyler F. Williams
Assistant Professor of Theology
The King’s University College
Phone/Voice mail: 780.465-3500 x8102
Our email addresses are First Name dot Last Name at kingsu.ca.