Ivy League Scholar, Pastor to Lecture on Barth in Christian Ethics and Pop Culture

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WACO, Texas (March 26, 2015) – Reformed Swiss theologian Karl Barth can be counted as one of the great minds of Protestant theology in the 20th Century.
Visiting scholar John Hardie, Ph.D., lead pastor of Grace North Atlanta Church, Georgia, will present two lectures on Barth: “The ‘End’ of Theodicy: Karl Barth on Christian Ethics and the Problem of Evil” at 3:30 p.m. Monday, March 30, in the Alexander Reading Room and “Barth on Job: How Barth’s Critique of Religion Plays at Bonnaroo and Big-time Sports” from 11 to 11:50 a.m. Tuesday, March 31, in George W. Truett Theological Seminary’s Paul W. Powell Chapel.
“The question of evil and suffering is one that impinges upon all of our lives in significant ways, and one which from time to time we all face, either with our own doubts or the doubts of those around us,” said Junius Johnson, Ph.D., assistant professor of historical theology in Baylor’s Honors College.
“John is on campus primarily to speak to students at Truett out of his experience marrying ministry with high academic standards of theological study.”
Hardie will address the question of theodicy, the problem of evil, through Barth’s theology and interpret the question: “if God is good and all powerful, why do evil and suffering still exist in the world?”
“While Barth’s answer may or may not be the one students are looking for, it will certainly challenge them to think deeply about this perennial topic and offer some new insights and possibilities,” Johnson said.
Hardie performed his graduate studies in theology and ethics at Yale University and Princeton University. He wrote his dissertation on Barth's reading of the book of Job. Hardie has served 24 years in various ministry roles from a missionary in Prague to a campus minister at Yale to now a lead pastor of a megachurch in Atlanta.
Alexander Reading Room is located in Alexander Residential Hall at 1413 S. Seventh St. in Waco.
The George W. Truett Theological Seminary is located at 1100 S. Third St. in Waco.
For more information, contact Junius Johnson
by Sarah Czerwinski, student newswriter, (254) 710-6805
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