andygoodliff

Fergusson's 2008 Gifford Lectures to be Published in July

Faith and its Critics (OUP)

Heralded as the exponents of a 'new atheism', critics of religion are highly visible in today's media, and include the household names of Richard Dawkins, Daniel Dennett and Sam Harris. David Fergusson explains their work in its historical perspective, drawing comparisons with earlier forms of atheism. Responding to the critics through conversations on the credibility of religious belief, Darwinism, morality, fundamentalism, and our approach to reading sacred texts, he establishes a compelling case for the practical and theoretical validity of faith in the contemporary world.

An invitation to engage in a rich dialogue, Faith and Its Critics supports an informed and constructive exchange of ideas rather than a contest between two sides of the debate. Fergusson encourages faith communities to undertake patient engagement with their critics, to acknowledge the place for change and development in their self-understanding whilst resisting the reductive explanations of the new atheism.

Readership: All with an interest in questions of faith in contemporary society and the arguments of 'new atheism'; students and scholars of the relationship between science and religion; of the sociology of religion

Contents
Introduction
1. Atheism in historical perspective
2. The credibility of religious belief - claims and counter-claims
3. Darwinism - how much does it explain?
4. Religion, art and morality - invention or discovery?
5. Is religion bad for our health? Saints, martyrs, and terrorists
6. Sacred texts - how should we read them?
Conclusion

Forthcoming Books for 2009 from Baker

Desiring The Kingdom: Worship, Worldview, and Cultural Formation by James K. A. Smith (August)

Exploring ecclesiology : an evangelical and ecumenical introduction by Brad Harper and Paul Louis Metzger (March) (this looks good, it looks like it partly might be a critique of 'purpose-driven church')

The politics of discipleship : Becoming Postmaterial Citizens by Graham Ward (July)

A cross-shattered church : reclaiming the theological heart of Preaching by Stanley Hauerwas (July)

Ezekiel by Robert Jenson (Brazos Theological Commentary) (May)

1 & 2 Peter by Doug Harink (Brazos Theological Commentary) (August)

churchmorph : how Megatrends are reshaping christian communities by Eddie Gibbs (August) (this looks interesting, building in part of his earlier work on emerging churches)

Hopefulimagination hosting Lent Book Blog

I'm organizing a slightly different Lent group blog at hopefulimagination to start next week. If you're interested in joining in, let me know. This is the plan:

Choose a book (apart from the bible) that has made an impact on your life and thinking - could be from a long time ago or very recently. The hope is to have at least one or two books over the six weeks. Tell us a little of something about the book (and perhaps the author), why it made an impact and perhaps a short extract. Via comments let me know the date and if you can the book's title.

Readers are then are encouraged to post comments either with their thoughts on the book or with some questions if they've not read it.

McDonald Lectures and also Keith Ward

Last few weeks have been very busy. I've been attending Nigel Biggar's McDonald Lectures (3 down, 1 to go). These are an expansion and development of his inaugural lecture last year (now published in the Journal of Religious Ethics 37.1 (2009). The first McDonald lecture asked what kind of integrity a Christian ethic should have. The second lecture argued that sometimes Christians will find consensus with non-Christians, although this may be tense. The lecture defended a natural law understanding of Christian ethics. The third lecture argued that Christians should engage with non-Christians, but this does not mean (pace Habermas) that they should suppress their theological convictions or language. The fourth lecture (next Wednesday) is titled 'can a theological argument behave?' The lectures will eventually be published in book form, but for those interested in an early sketch see the article in the Journal of Religious Ethics.

Last night Regent's held its first chaplaincy dinner with guest speaker Keith Ward talking about his recent book Why There Almost Certainly is a God.  Keith is great fun as a speaker. He argued against Dawkins and others because they are materialists (which is apparently dead as a scentific idea) and argued for quantum theory (which apparently is the new science), which makes a good case for saying there is a God. We hoping to make chaplaincy dinners a regular feature.

David Fergusson to Deliver Warfield Lectures

Next week sees Professor David Fergusson of Edinburgh University deliver the 2009 Warfield Lectures.

Fergusson’s lecture series, titled “The Theology of Providence: Historical, Dogmatic, and Pastoral Perspectives,” will include six lectures given. The schedule of lectures is as follows:

Lecture I: “Providence in Hebrew and Christian Traditions” on Monday, February 16
Lecture II: “Reformed Emphases? Calvin to Barth” on Tuesday, February 17
Lecture III: “Deism and the Persistence of Providence” on Tuesday, February 17
Lecture IV: “The Politics of Providence” on Wednesday, February 18
Lecture V: “What Did Darwin Do to Providence?” on Thursday, February 19
Lecture VI: “Providence and Pastoral Care” on Thursday, February 19

Educated in philosophy and theology in the Universities of Glasgow, Edinburgh, and Oxford, Fergusson worked for several years as a parish minister in the Church of Scotland. Before returning to Edinburgh to his present position, he was professor of systematic theology at the University of Aberdeen from 1990 to 2000. His research interests include issues in Christian doctrine, theological ethics, and the history of Reformed theology, especially in the Scottish context. He has served as president of the Society for the Study of Theology (2000 to 2002) and is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh.

Fergusson has delivered the Cunningham Lectures in Edinburgh (1996), the Bampton Lectures in Oxford (2001), and most recently the Gifford Lectures in Glasgow (2008), which will be published as Faith and Its Critics by Oxford University Press.

In April and May Richard Harries will deliver the annual Sarum Theological Lectures on Christianity and Public Life. The political philosophy of our society is now dominated by key concepts like freedom, human rights and democracy. It is assumed that these are the values of a secular society that has outgrown religion.Richard Harries shows that there are very different understandings of the secular and argues that essential political values have deep roots in the Christian faith.

In September Professor Stephen Williams (Union Theological College, Belfast, Ireland) will deliver the 2nd Kantzer Lectures under the title "The Election of Grace: a Riddle without Resolution?". Lectures on election with special reference to Karl Barth, the Bible, and the pastoral function of the doctrine.

In October Professor Alan Torrance (University of St. Andrew's) will deliver the 2009 Didsbury Lectures.

British Baptist Theologians 13: H. Wheeler Robinson

Born 1872. Died 1945.

An important Baptist theologian from the first half of the twentieth century. A renowned Old Testament scholar. Robinson was Principal of Regent's Park College when it moved from London to Oxford.

Tutor, Rawdon College (1906-1920)
Principal, Regent's Park College (1920-1945)

President of the Baptist Historical Society
President of the Society for Old Testament Study  (1929)

Major Publications

The Christian Doctrine of Man (1911, 2nd ed. 1913, 3rd ed. 1926)

The Religious Ideas of the Old Testament (1913, 6th ed. 1938)

Baptist Principles (1925, 2nd ed. 1926, 3rd ed. 1938, 4th ed. 1955)

The Life and Faith of Baptists (1927, rev ed. 1946)

The Christian Experience of the Holy Spirit (1928, 3rd ed. 1962)

'The Hebrew Conception of Corporate Personality', Zeitschrift fur Alttestamentliche Wissenshaft (1936)

Redemption and Revelation: in the actuality of history (1942)

Inspiration and Revelation in the Old Testament (1946)

The Cross in the Old Testament (SCM, 1955)

Secondary Literature

Ernest A. Payne (ed.), Studies in History and Religion: Presented to Dr. H. Wheeler Robinson, M. A., on his seventieth birthday (Lutterworth, 1942)
E. A. Payne, Henry Wheeler Robinson: Scholar, Teacher, Principal: A Memoir (1946)
W. R. Matthews, H. Wheeler Robinson', Baptist Quarterly 12.1 (1946)
M. P. Matheney, 'Teaching Prophet: The Life and Continuing Influence of Theodore Henry Robinson', Baptist Quarterly 29.5 (1982)
D. A. Garrett, 'H. Wheeler Robinson' in T. George and D. S. Dockery (eds.), Baptist Theologians (Nashville, 1990)
Rex Mason, 'H Wheeler Robinson Revisited' Baptist Quarterly 37.5 (1998)

Baptist Quarterly, January 2009

This is the first edition to be published by new editor Ian Randall and also includes an article by me, which I'm really pleased about. It was written back in 2006 for the Baptists Doing Theology in Context Consultation, when I was still a church youth worker in Stevenage. I'm now a 2nd ministerial student at Regent's Park College in Oxford. This edition also includes John Colwell's excellent Dr George Beasley-Murray Memorial Lecture, which is a must read for all Baptists interested in the future of the Union.

Catholicity and Confessionalism: Responding to George Beasley-Murray on unity and distinctiveness - John E. Colwell

Celebrating Diversity: Towards an inclusive church - Andy Goodliff

A Missionary Family in China - Michael Ball

A Letter of John Pendarves from 1656 - Larry J. Kreitzer

Christianity: a history

Christianity: a history is on the whole proving to be a very helpful and interesting series. If you've not been following, its on sunday evenings at 7pm. Tonight's episode on the crusades was very good, showing the muslim's deep sense of history and the "west's" almost ahistorical-ism. I also thought the episode on constantine was very good, demonstrating the very mixed blessing of christianity becoming the official religion of the Rome empire. Next week is the reformation, with episodes on christianity and africa, christianity and science and the future of christianity also still to come. Well done the programme makers and channel 4 for producing such a good series.