Interdisciplinary

Postmodernism, Worship, and Evangelism

While we often associate "postmodernism" with the explosion of communications technology or the outlandish claims of "deconstruction," this workshop suggested that postmodernism might also mean a return to symbols, icons, and ritual. With this in mind, this workshop explored the shape of worship as evangelism in postmodernity.

January 1, 2009
Paved Roads

“Be still and know that I am God.” That is the exhortation we hear from God in Psalms 46:10. But how possible is this in our modern technological world? What does it mean to be still before God? I used to think I understood

January 1, 2009
Why Read Abraham Kuyper (1837-1920) on Worship?

Abraham Kuyper's accomplishments were many and he had a stellar career. He served as pastor, theologian, founder of the Free University in Amsterdam, chief organizer of a Calvinist political party, prime minister of the Netherlands. He is, however, less well-known for another major contribution-his writings on worship and liturgy which are still relevant for the church today and now appear in an English translation as Our Worship.

January 1, 2009

Worship in the Early Church: Unity in Diversity

This seminar explored the history of worship in the early church in the hope that we might learn about, accept, and apply different attitudes and practices in our own times.

January 1, 2009
Rediscovering the Lord's Supper: Growing Deeper into the Gospel

A renewed theology and practice of the Lord's Supper can help believers grow into a deeper and multifaceted vision of salvation. Come and explore the ways in which the Lord's Supper illuminates the gospel as participation in Christ by the Spirit.

January 1, 2009

Introduction to The Catechetical Lectures of Cyril of Jerusalem

Can a theologian be a good pastor or evangelist? Can an effective, church-growing evangelist be theological? Can a caring pastor preach doctrine in a relevant way? Is it possible for one person to be a dynamic evangelist, pastor, and theologian all at once? Looking at Cyril, the fourth century bishop of Jerusalem, is helpful.

May 8, 2008
Kenneth E. Bailey on Jesus through Middle Eastern Eyes

Middle East scholar Kenneth Bailey's books, lectures, and more invite Christians to strip away cultural mythologies and worship the real Jesus of the Middle East. A feature story exploring the life of Jesus through his own Middle-Eastern culture.

May 7, 2008

Praying with the Early Church: Crucial Lessons about Intercessory Prayer

This session reviewed several prayer texts from the third to the fifth century, and then probed the very practical ways they might challenge us to pray more deeply in worship today.

January 1, 2008
Spiritual Formation in Worship-Centered Congregations

Differing circumstances call forth different liturgical, theological and formational questions and inspire different congregational conversations about what we do in worship and why we do it. The workshop began with a PowerPoint presentation on the history of Christian worship and its relationship to spiritual formation in congregational life, concluding with 'where we are now.' Practices for spiritual formation were described in relation to the congregation's worship life.

January 1, 2008