Ravi Zacharias, Stephen Williams, Josh Moody: Henry Center 2009-10

Piper-Carson 251 The Carl F. H. Henry Center for Theological Understanding at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School (Deerfield, IL) has a powerhouse lineup of speakers and events in 2009-10. This is my employer, and I am personally excited about the year to come. All events are free and open to the public (except for the Gospel Growth conference).

Here’s a preview of several important upcoming events:

1. The year kicks off with the Center’s world-class Kantzer Lectures in Revealed Theology featuring Dr. Stephen Williams of Union Theological College (Belfast, Ireland). This series, moderated by Dr. Kevin Vanhoozer and published with Eerdmans, will consider the relationship between election and grace with special reference to Karl Barth, the Bible, and the pastoral function of the doctrine. It will be of interest to pastors, theologians, students, and laypeople who enjoy deep, rich, heady theology.

Here are the details:

September 8-15, 2009 | Dr. Stephen Williams (Union Theological College, Belfast, Ireland)

Series Title: The Election of Grace: a Riddle without Resolution?

Lectures on election Please note that all lectures and free and open to the public.

Series Outline

Lecture One, Tuesday, September 8 | The different ways of understanding God that surface in debates about election. 7pm in ATO Chapel, dessert reception to follow in Hinkson Hall (Rodine Building on the campus of TEDS)

Lecture Two, Wednesday, September 9 | A lecture on Barth on election integrated with Barth’s views on Mozart, Beethoven and Brahms. 4pm in Hinkson

Lecture Three, Thursday, September 10 | The question of election as a determination of destiny, specifically, the problem of perseverance. 4pm in Hinkson

Lecture Four, Monday, September 14 | The question of election and particular atonement, working from the John Owen/McLeod Campbell debate. 10am in Hinkson

Lecture Five, Monday, September 14 | Election, regeneration and faith. 4pm in Hinkson

Lecture Six Tuesday, September 15 | An exposition of Romans 9-11 offering a positive proposal on election, prepared for in lectures 1-5. 4pm in Hinkson

ravi 2. Next up is a Scripture and Ministry lecture on Wednesday, September 23rd at 1pm by apologist Ravi Zacharias on the topic “Toward an Evangelical Understanding of Postmodernism and Mission.”

Here’s the talk description: “Someone from India recently quipped to me, “India has gone from ancient to postmodern and skipped over the modern period.” Indeed, in distilling truth, it has been rendered to neutrality. How then, in a climate of cultural preferences (whether in the East or in the West), does one share the Gospel graciously and winsomely without it seeming like a cultural chiding or contravention? This is the essential challenge before us in the church today.”

dever 3. Please note the Gospel Growth conference from October 14-16, 2009 at TEDS. The Henry Center is a co-sponsor of this excellent conference, which is cheap at $99 and features Carson, Jensen, Dever, Payne and Helm. This would be a terrific investment for a pastor or future pastor. It will help you center your ministry in the gospel, not statistics or any other measurement.