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.

Comments

[Terry]

I hope these will be published or available to download.

[Jim Gordon]

My admiration for David Fergusson derives from a friendship started in Aberdeen, his role as my Doctoral supervisor, his rapidly accruing list of prestigious Lecture series, and the unfussy sharpness of his theological insight. The Giffords were learned, clear and at times even fun. His work on providence has been a project of some years now so when the book comes out it will automatically find itself in the amazon shopping basket!
Hope your own theological explorations and training are going well, Andy.

[Terry]

Do you know when the book's due out, Jim?

[Jim Gordon]

My guess is at least a year after they are delivered - but that depends - the Bampton's took a while and the Giffords aren't out yet nearly a year on. So the Warfields? In the providence of God.......... :-)

[Terry]

Thanks, Jim. I actually thought you meant he had another book on providence coming out any time now! But I'll still look forward to the Warfields being made available.