Events

The last five centuries have seen rapid change and expansion of human knowledge and endeavour unparalleled in the history of the planet. A strong case can be made that this change was fuelled to a large extent by the West’s abandonment of the static worldview of classical antiquity for the worldview presupposed by Christianity. Central to this shift is the opening up of “the design space.” Absent of any notion of Platonic forms and born of Christianity’s astonishingly high view of human agency, this space is characterized instead by human freedom and creativity in manipulating the material world in ways that enhance life. I will argue that the bible is concerned with shaping, through experience and persuasion, human agents as God’s designers. We will also explore what this shift in perspective might mean, not just for the content of our “talk about God,” but how we do it and to what end.

Rikk Watts served as Professor of New Testament at Regent College for two decades. He now teaches in the Faculty of Theology at Alphacrusis College in Sydney, Australia. Hist areas of expertise include Mark, Isaiah, and the relationship of the Old and New Testaments.

This lecture is part of our 2018 Summer Evening Public Lecture Series.

Dr. Watts will be teaching the course "John's Gospel: The Life of God to the World" from July 9 – 13, 2018 and the course "The Use of the Old Testament in the New Testament" from July 16 - 20, 2018 as part of our 2018 Summer Programs. Learn more at rgnt.net/summer.

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