Baylor University’s Truett Seminary Hosts Science and Christian Ministry Conference Feb. 24-25

Media Contact: Terry Goodrich, Baylor University Media and Public Relations, 254-710-3321
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by Cerenity Austin, student news writer, Baylor University Media and Public Relations

WACO, Texas (Feb. 24, 2020) — Baylor University’s George W. Truett Theological Seminary will present the Science and Christian Ministry Conference, a two-day workshop featuring four national speakers who will address topics that pastors and churches encounter in their ministries. The conference will be held Feb. 24-25 in Truett Seminary, 1100 Third St.

Pre-registration with lunch included is now closed, but the conference sessions are free and open to the public. Visit Truett’s website for a schedule of speakers .

Kimlyn Bender, Ph.D., professor of Christian theology, said Truett Seminary received a $75,000 Science for Seminaries grant from the American Association for the Advancement of Science. The grant is part of a larger project to integrate science into the Seminary’s core curriculum and funds the conference.

“Oftentimes, churches have been at a loss of how to think about science and how it relates to questions of Christian faith and practice,” said Bender. “The conference is focused on helping pastors and seminarians in training, as well as all interested persons, speak responsibly and knowledgably about issues in science that directly impact Christian life and ministry today.”

The conference speakers will highlight four main topics in the workshops and lectures including, Science and the Bible; Pastoral Care and Mental Illness; Engaging the World and Stewardship of Creation; and the Relationship of Theology and Natural Science.

“I hope that ministers, students and all attendees will leave with a better understanding of these issues, as well as more confidence in thinking and speaking about science in their congregations,” Bender said. “All of these matters taken up by the conference have direct relevance for ministry today.”

Featured Conference Speakers

• Dr. Johnathan Moo, Edward B. Lindaman Endowed Chair and associate professor of New Testament and environmental studies at Whitworth University in Spokane, Washington.

• Dr. Nancey Murphy, senior professor of Christian philosophy at Fuller Seminary in Pasadena, California.

• Dr. Matthew Stanford, CEO of the Hope and Healing Center & Institute in Houston, Texas, adjunct professor of psychiatry at Baylor College of Medicine and the Houston Methodist Hospital Institute for Academic Medicine.

• Dr. John Walton, Old Testament professor and scholar at Wheaton College and Graduate School in Chicago.

Murphy will present Truett’s annual Willson-Addis Lecturer and will address the question of “What Christian Ministers Should Know About Science and Why It Matters to the Churches.”

“Insofar as science is a prominent reality of our modern world, this conference attempts to equip ministers, seminarians and all interested Christians to think carefully about our world, its systematic investigation and how science is a gift of God given for the understanding of our world and ourselves,” Bender said.

Click here for more information on speakers and a full conference schedule.

ABOUT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY

Baylor University is a private Christian University and a nationally ranked research institution. The University provides a vibrant campus community for more than 17,000 students by blending interdisciplinary research with an international reputation for educational excellence and a faculty commitment to teaching and scholarship. Chartered in 1845 by the Republic of Texas through the efforts of Baptist pioneers, Baylor is the oldest continually operating University in Texas. Located in Waco, Baylor welcomes students from all 50 states and more than 90 countries to study a broad range of degrees among its 12 nationally recognized academic divisions.

ABOUT GEORGE W. TRUETT THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY

Baylor University's George W. Truett Theological Seminary provides theological education leading to the Master of Divinity, the Doctor of Ministry or the Master of Theological Studies degree that is centered in the gospel of Jesus Christ and consistent with historic Baptist commitments to prepare persons to carry this gospel to the churches and the world. Within the M.Div. degree program, students can choose concentrations in Biblical Studies and Theology, Christian Education, Ministry Leadership, Missions and World Christianity, Worship Leadership and Youth/Family/Student Ministry. Truett Seminary also offers two Dual Degree programs - M.Div./MSW and MTS/MSW - through a partnership with Baylor's School of Social Work and an M.Div./Master of Music through a partnership with the Baylor University School of Music. Visit www.baylor.edu/truett to learn more.