In just a few short hours, the Henry Center will host a high-level theological conversation on the meaning of the phrase “All Israel” (Romans 11:26).  To view the live webcast, please visit http://tiuproductions.com/livestream/ or click here to be taken to the link.

The following is a short summary of what this event will cover.  We hope to see you there–whether online or in-person.

On February 3, 2010 from 7pm-9:30 in ATO Chapel at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, the Henry Center, in conjunction with Chosen People Ministries, will host a conversation entitled “‘All Israel’ and the Church: A Conversation on Scripture, Eschatology, and Evangelism”. Conversational partners will include Dr. Mitch Glaser of CPM, Dr. Douglas Moo of Wheaton College, Dr. Willem VanGemeren of Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, Dr. John Feinberg of TEDS, and the moderator, Dr. Richard Averbeck of TEDS. All are welcome and invited to this free event.

The following outlines possible avenues of discussion:

In Romans 11 Paul makes the case that God has not cast off his people Israel, despite their rejection as a nation of Jesus, their Messiah. His final argument that God isn’t finished with Israel is that “all Israel will be saved” (Rom 1l:25-27). What did Paul mean and how will this come to pass? Who constitutes “Israel,” the biological seed of Abraham or his spiritual seed? Is the salvation in view spiritual, national, socio-economical, or all of these? Has this promise been fulfilled during the NT era by individual Jews and Gentiles turning to Christ and hence “filling up” the “all Israel?” Or is the promise to be fulfilled in the end-times at the return of Christ? If the latter, will only those biologically Jewish be saved, or will there also be a massive turning to Christ among the Gentiles? Whatever the answers to such questions, what are the implications for how Christians should understand the modern state of Israel? And, of most practical importance, how should one’s understanding of Rom 11:25-27 impact one’s attitudes toward and efforts in evangelizing Jews?

On February 3, 2010 from 7pm-9:30 in ATO Chapel at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, the Henry Center, in conjunction with Chosen People Ministries, will host a conversation entitled “How and When Will All Israel Be Saved? A Theological/Missiological Conversation on Scripture, the End-Times, and Jewish Evangelism.”

Conversational partners will include Dr. Mitch Glaser of CPM, Dr. Douglas Moo of Wheaton College, Dr. Willem VanGemeren of Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, Dr. John Feinberg of TEDS, and the moderator, Dr. Richard Averbeck of TEDS.  All are welcome and invited to this free event.

The following outlines possible avenues of discussion:

In Romans 11 Paul makes the case that God has not cast off his people Israel, despite their rejection as a nation of Jesus, their Messiah. His final argument that God isn’t finished with Israel is that “all Israel will be saved” (Rom 1l:25-27). What did Paul mean and how will this come to pass? Who constitutes “Israel,” the biological seed of Abraham or his spiritual seed? Is the salvation in view spiritual, national, socio-economical, or all of these? Has this promise been fulfilled during the NT era by individual Jews and Gentiles turning to Christ and hence “filling up” the “all Israel?”  Or is the promise to be fulfilled in the end-times at the return of Christ? If the latter, will only those biologically Jewish be saved, or will there also be a massive turning to Christ among the Gentiles? Whatever the answers to such questions, what are the implications for how Christians should understand the modern state of Israel? And, of most practical importance, how should one’s understanding of Rom 11:25-27 impact one’s attitudes toward and efforts in evangelizing Jews?

The event will be webcasted live and live-blogged by the Center.  All are welcome and invited to attend.  No tickets will be distributed; seating will go quickly, however, and attendees are encouraged to arrive early to avoid confusion.

With Chosen People Ministries, the Henry Center anticipates a lively and edifying conversation on the nature and future of the Israel as seen by the Apostle Paul and interpreted by modern-day theologians.

The Center is anticipating a lecture by Dr. Richard Mouw, President of Fuller Theological Seminary, on January 20, 2010.  The lecture falls within the Center’s Scripture and Ministry program.  See info about the talk below (and note that it is free and open to all).

Wednesday, January 20, 2010 | Richard Mouw | Fuller Theological Seminary, Pasadena, CA “Confessions of an Evangelical Pietist”  (1pm in ATO Chapel at TEDS)

The Christian community needs to work at integrating our doctrine, action and piety (”head, hands and heart”). But which takes priority? And a closely related issue: what, in the most basic sense, is the Bible trying to “do” to us? Shape the way we think? Guide us in the activist programs we align ourselves with in the word? Transform our inner life? Obviously, all three are crucial. But Richard Mouw will explain why he keeps coming back to the fundamental need to be guided in everything else by the kind of piety that characterized the “sawdust trail” of our revivalist past.

It’s time to start marking your calendar for the Center’s full slate of spring events.  The following is a partial list of upcoming offerings, all of which are free and open to all:

Scripture and Ministry Series — Richard Mouw January 20-21, 2010

Lecture: Jan 20 | 1PM ATO Chapel

Timothy Series — Wayne Ogimachi Feb 9, 11, 2010

Chapel: Feb 9 | 11AM ATO ChapelChapel: Feb 11 | 11AM ATO Chapel

Scripture and Ministry Series — Christine Pohl March 17-18, 2010

Lecture: Mar 17 | 1PM ATO Chapel

Timothy Series — Dave Johnson April 20, 22, 2010

Chapel: Apr 20 | 11AM ATO ChapelChapel: Apr 22 | 11AM ATO Chapel

After two days with world-renowned apologist Ravi Zacharias, the Henry Center is grateful to God for the response to his speaking.  Audio and video will be posted soon–check back in coming weeks.

The Center hosted a Wednesday lecture entitled “Toward an Evangelical Understanding of Postmodernism and Mission” and a Thursday chapel entitled “Lessons from History: A Tale of Two Men.”   Both events were standing-room only.  The Thursday chapel filled both the ATO Chapel and the overflow room.  In addition, the webcast of the Wednesday lecture drew one of the largest online audiences the Center has ever received.  For these good responses, we are grateful.

Dr. Zacharias is an evangelist with a global reach.  It was inspiring to hear him speak, and it is exciting to think of the fruit that we trust will come from his ministry to TEDS.

Please note the Gospel Growth conference from October 14-16, 2009 at TEDS. The Henry Center is a co-sponsor of this excellent conference, which is astonishingly cheap at $99 for pastors and just $59 for students.  The conference features D. A. Carson, Mark Dever, Philip Jensen, Tony Payne, David Helm, and Marty Sweeney.

This would be a terrific investment for a pastor, future pastor, student, scholar, and interested layperson.  It will help you center your ministry in the gospel, not statistics or any other measurement.  So many models and organizations clamor for emulation today, promising huge numbers and massive payoffs.  How refreshing to find a conference that emphasizes faithfulness both to Scripture and in ministry.

The Henry Center is pleased to be a co-sponsor of this conference with our friends from Matthias Media, Simeon Trust, and The Gospel Coalition.

The Henry Center is pleased to announce that it will be webcasting the Kantzer Lectures in Revealed Theology featuring Stephen Williams (Union Theological College, Belfast, Ireland).  These lectures will be available on the Kantzer Lectures page from September 8-15, 2009.  See the series page for the times.

The Center is pleased to be able to bring its constituency these lectures thanks to cutting-edge technology.  Past webcasts have proven highly successful for the Center, with thousands watching the Ware-Grudem debate roughly one year ago.

In three weeks, the Center will host Dr. Stephen Williams of Union Theological College (Belfast, Ireland) for its prestigious Kantzer Lectures in Revealed Theology.  The Center is pleased to announce event times and locations for the lectures, all of which are free and open to the public.

The series will be of special interest to those who enjoy rich, deep theology.  It is moderated by Dr. Kevin Vanhoozer and will be published by Eerdmans.

September 8-15, 2009 | Dr. Stephen Williams (Union Theological College, Belfast, Ireland)

Series 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.  Please note that all lectures and free and open to the public.

Series Outline

Lecture One, Tuesday, September 8 | The different ways of understanding God that surface in debates about election. 7pm in ATO Chapel, dessert reception to follow in Hinkson Hall (Rodine Building on the campus of TEDS)

Lecture Two, Wednesday, September 9 | A lecture on Barth on election integrated with Barth’s views on Mozart, Beethoven and Brahms. 4pm in Hinkson

Lecture Three, Thursday, September 10 | The question of election as a determination of destiny, specifically, the problem of perseverance. 4pm in Hinkson

Lecture Four, Monday, September 14 | The question of election and particular atonement, working from the John Owen/McLeod Campbell debate. 10am in Hinkson

Lecture Five, Monday, September 14 | Election, regeneration and faith. 4pm in Hinkson

Lecture Six Tuesday, September 15 | An exposition of Romans 9-11 offering a positive proposal on election, prepared for in lectures 1-5. 4pm in Hinkson

The Henry Center has an exciting semester–and year–ahead of it. In three weeks, we begin the second installment of our prestigious Kantzer Lectures.  Soon after that we bring Ravi Zacharias to campus. Please note these free events and join us for them.

Here is the event calendar for the year.  Please take it, copy it, and paste it into your schedule.  We do hope to see you at these events, all of which (excluding the Gospel Growth and Tokyo conferences) are free and open to all.

Kantzer Lectures: Stephen Williams Sept 8-15, 2009

Lecture 1: Tuesday, September 8 | 7PM ATO Chapel
Lecture 2: Wednesday, Sep 9 | 4PM Hinkson Hall

Lecture 3: Thursday, Sep 10 | 4PM Hinkson Hall

Lecture 4: Monday, Sep 14 | 10AM Hinkson Hall

Lecture 5: Monday, Sep 14 | 4PM Hinkson Hall

Lecture 6: Tuesday, Sep 15 | 4PM Hinkson Hall

Scripture and Ministry Series — Ravi Zacharias Sept. 23-24, 2009

Lecture: Wednesday, Sep 23 | 1PM ATO Chapel
Chapel: Thursday, Sep 24 | 11AM ATO Chapel

Scripture and Ministry Series — Craig Carter October 7, 2009

Lecture: Wednesday, Oct 7 | 1PM ATO Chapel

Trinity Symposium — Gospel Growth = People Growth Conference October 14-16, 2009

Timothy Series — Josh Moody October 20, 22, 2009

Chapel: Tuesday, Oct 20 | 11AM ATO Chapel
Chapel: Thursday, Oct 22 | 11AM ATO Chapel

Scripture and Ministry Series — Richard Mouw January 20-21, 2010

Lecture: Wednesday, Jan 20 | 1PM ATO Chapel
Chapel: Thursday, Jan 21 | 11AM ATO Chapel

Timothy Series — Wayne Ogimachi Feb 9, 11, 2010

Chapel: Tuesday, Feb 9 | 11AM ATO Chapel
Chapel: Thursday, Feb 11 | 11AM ATO Chapel

Scripture and Ministry Series — Christine Pohl March 17-18, 2010

Lecture: Wednesday, Mar 17 | 1PM ATO Chapel
Chapel: Thursday, Mar 18 | 11AM ATO Chapel

Timothy Series — Dave Johnson April 20, 22, 2010

Chapel: Tuesday, Apr 20 | 11AM ATO Chapel
Chapel: Thursday, Apr 22 | 11AM ATO Chapel

International Conference — Tokyo July 21-23, 2010

Future Events:

Scripture and Ministry — Ajith Fernando | October 6, 2010

Scripture and Ministry — Dallas Willard | October 27, 2010

Scripture and Ministry — Alistair Begg | October 26, 2011