Hopes for 2007

Theology

Hopes for 2007

Written by Bruce Nicholls Tuesday, 30 November 1999 12:00

Dear friends,

Greetings for the New Year, 2007. I trust you have had a joyous Christmas and a refreshing holiday.

We are grateful to Nicola Hoggard-Creegan for her willingness to take the lead in launching the project TANSA with support from Carey Baptist College and BCNZ. You are all encouraged to support her plans for a series of annual conferences and environmental projects with A Rocha.

Telos Books published 4 small books in 2004. While our forum continued through 2005 and 2006 we have yet to publish the fruits of our work. I hope during 2007 we can publish 2 more books; one from work already done and another on a topic of great concern to many people today. As a working title I am calling it "Made in His Image. From Faith to Science". The assumption being Anselm's dictum of "faith seeking understanding". As a start for discussion I envisage 5 chapters as follows:

Christ, the Man in God's Image.
From homo erectus to man in the image of Adam.
From Faith to Understanding a) Alister McGrath's critique of Richard Dawkins b) Sam Berry on the gulf between science and religion c) Graeme Finlay on evolving creation d) Neil Broom on purpose and design in nature.
Suffering, sin and death in the cosmos.
Christian Ethics for a frustrated planet seeking freedom.

I hope this makes you want to become involved! If contributed to by a panel of us, scientists and theologians, it could influence our students at university and church members seeking answers for a more coherent understanding of the harmony of modern science and biblical faith rightly understood. The issues raised here are also fundamental to the political process in our nation and to our witness in the market place.

It is amazing how widespread the public reaction has been to the media calling Bishop Randerson "an agnostic". In a letter following his sermon last week he said "we need to have courage to do theology in the public square and when we do the response is enormous. It is a moment of special opportunity for proclaiming the Gospel". While the religious and secular press delight in highlighting issues, Telos Books must be one avenue that is courageously giving biblically-based answers by doing theology in the public square.

We are looking for 10 persons, 4 scientists, 4 theologians and 2 practitioners, who will commit themselves to seeing this book through to completion and on sale in the market place.
Our first planning meeting is scheduled for Friday March 16 at the home of Ken Mickleson, 105 St Andrew's Road, Epsom, 6.00pm for a common meal and 7.00-9.00pm for planning the book.
Please This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it me or Ken if you can come to explore this project. You can then decide if you want to be involved

Yours in the Faith,
Bruce Nicholls