Faith Matters, a free lecture series designed for church leaders and the general public, is slated for Monday nights in Edmond. Beginning February 16, 2009 and ending on March 23, all presentations will be held from 7:00 – 8:30 p.m. at Southern Hills Christian Church located at 3207 S. Boulevard in Edmond.

February 16: “Digging the Faith: Archaeology and the Bible.” William Tabbernee, PTS president and Stephen J. England Distinguished Professor of the History of Christianity. This presentation will focus on the discovery and excavation of ancient places mentioned in the Bible.

February 23: “Faith Matters at the Table: Dinner with Jesus and Paul.” Dennis Smith, LaDonna Kramer Meinders Professor of New Testament and author of From Symposium to Eucharist: The Banquet in the Early Christian World (Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2003). In this illustrated lecture, Smith will explain banquet traditions in the Greco-Roman world and how both Jesus and Paul utilized those traditions in their teachings.

March 2: “Faith Matters in Our Singing: Going Down to the River to Pray.” Belva Brown Jordan, associate dean for admissions and student services and Instructor of Ministry Studies. “Music crosses cultural boundaries,” Jordan said. “This presentation will examine how Christian communities have used music to express their connection and experience of God and Jesus Christ.”

March 9: “Political Faith: How Candidates Use Religion.” Joseph Bessler, associate dean and Robert Travis Peake Associate Professor of Theology. Bessler will discuss why and how religious themes and structures are inevitably intertwined in American political discourse. He’ll especially focus on the recent convention addresses of Barak Obama and John McCain, as well as earlier addresses by Bill Clinton and George Bush.

March 16: “Garden-Variety Mystics: Living Our Faith.” Kay Northcutt, Fred B. Craddock Associate Professor of Preaching and Worship. This session will explore Christian wisdom through the writings and thought of great spiritual leaders such as Benedict of Nursia, Meister Eckhardt, Teresa of Avila, Julian of Norwich, Amanda Paulsell Madigan, Elizabeth Redwood, and Thelma Northcutt.

March 23: “Practices of Faith: Call to Discipleship and Decolonialization.” Anne Joh, assistant professor of theology. Joh will examine various ways that our practices of faith and discipleship have been shaped by Christianity’s intimate connection with Western imperialism and colonialism. Understanding this legacy is vital if we are to achieve greater openness to one another.

Registration is not required for any program in this special series. For more information on the series please contact Southern Hills Christian Church at 405-341-0766. For more information on PTS, go to www.ptstulsa.edu.