The Henry Center is thankful for last night’s conversation on “All Israel”, held in friendly conjunction with Chosen People Ministries.  It was very gratifying to draw 275 people to ATO Chapel and to have well over a hundred more tune in by live webcast for a rich conversation on Scripture, theology, and the future of Israel.

We are also thankful for Drs. Feinberg and Averbeck, organizer and moderator of the event, respectively, for Dr. Mitch Glaser and all that he and his staff did to make this event a success, and for Drs. Moo and VanGemeren for participating.

It is richly encouraging to see nearly 300 people turn out for a high-level debate on a key text of God’s Word.  Those who announce the death of theology might be surprised to see such a reception, which accords with attendance at previous events like the recent Scripture & Ministry lecture by Ravi Zacharias (over 500 people live, over 100 online), and past Trinity Debates (the McCall/Yandell vs. Ware/Grudem had over 450 in person and hundreds online from all over the world, while the Netland vs. Knitter debate drew roughly 300).

Where theology is believed and argued passionately, it seems it can find a large audience in God’s providence.  And it need not be toothless and timid.  Attendance at conversations like “All Israel” show us that there is a definite place for godly disagreement and intellectual advocacy, especially when it is directed toward the edification of the church and, ultimately, the glory of God.

Media will be posted on this site and this blog in coming weeks. 

The Henry Center is pleased to make media from the recent visit by apologist Ravi Zacharias available to all free of charge.  This audio has been professionally edited at a rapid rate and is now ready for the viewing public.  Dr. Zacharias’s visit galvanized the campus and has made an indelible impression on many.  Engage the media below to see why.

Click here to watch the video of Dr. Zacharias’s Scripture & Ministry talk, “Toward an Evangelical Understanding of Postmodernism and Mission.”  (Audience Q&A)

Click here to watch the interview with Dr. Zacharias conducted by pastor Steve Farish and HCTU Managing Director Owen Strachan.

Click here to watch the video of Dr. Zacharias’s chapel sermon, “Lessons from History: The Tale of Two Men.”

As noted previously, the Center was gratified to see hundreds and hundreds of people attend the lectures and tune in to the webcasts.  We trust that these resources will go far and wide and benefit many in the name of Jesus Christ.

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.

A report live-blogged by Andy Naselli

Ravi Zacharias is founder and chairman of the board of Ravi Zacharias International Ministries. Here’s how the Henry Center advertised this address:

Someone from India recently quipped to me, “India has gone from ancient to postmodern and skipped over the modern period.” Indeed, in distilling truth, it has been rendered to neutrality. How then, in a climate of cultural preferences (whether in the East or in the West), does one share the Gospel graciously and winsomely without it seeming like a cultural chiding or contravention? This is the essential challenge before us in the church today.

This address is available via live-stream.

The ATO Chapel is packed—over 500 people have filled the room.

*******

The only thing worse than nostalgia is amnesia. (Ravi earned his M.Div. here at TEDS from 1973 to 1976.)

Two weeks ago Ravi responded to the “Man Vs. God” Article in The Wall Street Journal, and WSJ printed his letter to the editor (though WSJ cut the length in half).

Malcolm Muggeridge:

It has become abundantly clear in the second half of the twentieth century that Western Man has decided to abolish himself. Having wearied of the struggle to be himself, he has created his own boredom out of his own affluence, his own impotence out of his own erotomania, his own vulnerability out of his own strength; himself blowing the trumpet that brings the walls of his own city tumbling down, and, in a process of auto-genocide, convincing himself that he is too numerous, and labouring accordingly with pill and scalpel and syringe to make himself fewer in order to be an easier prey for his enemies; until at last, having educated himself into imbecility, and polluted and drugged himself into stupefaction, he keels over, a weary, battered old brontosaurus, and becomes extinct. Many, like Spengler, have envisaged the future in such terms, and now what they prophesied is upon us.

Thoughts on Postmodernity in the West

• “We don’t know who we are, and he doesn’t know who he is.” That sums up postmodernity.
• Descartes should have said, “I think, therefore, thinking exists.” A pantheist could question his leap.
• You can ascribe intrinsic worth only if we are created by a creator. Talk of morality and intrinsic worth is not consistent with a worldview that embraces  empirical knowledge as the only knowledge.
• “It all depends on what the word ‘is’ means.”
• Cf. Nietzsche’s skepticism re objective truth.
• But when we are the victim of a lie, undoubtedly we will lay claim to the truth.

The Problem in the East

• Philosophy in the West has gradually moved to the existential, learning to the skeptical, art to the sensual, and spirituality to the mystical. Here’s the problem: While the West was moving unhinged from all these categories, the East was digging in its heels.
• Ravi has to be very careful that he not appear as a brainwashed Westerner when he speaks in the East.
• The West and East view Christianity, religion, and truth very differently.

Conclusion

Ravi closed with four stories that raise hard questions for postmodern thought.  Here are the essential points of the stories:

1. How do you affirm individuality?
2. We often don’t want to own up what goes on inside us.
3. Guilt is a terrible thing.
4. A prominent sheik told Ravi that it’s time to stop asking if Jesus died on the cross and start asking why he died on it.  This shows an abiding interest in the significance of the God-man.

The Henry Center is pleased to announce that on Wednesday, September 23, 2009 at 1pm, it will offer a free live webcast of the Scripture & Ministry lecture by legendary apologist Dr. Ravi Zacharias entitled “Toward an Evangelical Understanding of Postmodernism and Mission.”

Tune in here at 1pm for the free live webcast: http://tiuproductions.com/livestream/

The Center hopes that this talk by one of the church’s foremost apologists will spread understanding of a crucial set of topics amongst Christians from a wide variety of backgrounds.  Also, please visit the Center blog for Hansen Fellow Andy Naselli’s live-blog and summary of the lecture.

Those who are able to attend the event on Wednesday at 1pm at the Deerfield, IL campus of Trinity Evangelical Divinity School will not want to miss it.  In addition, Dr. Zacharias will speak in chapel on Thursday, September 24, 2009 at 11am (this event will not be broadcast).

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