Political Content of Christianity To Be Examined Nov. 15-16

Tuesday, October 12, 1999

The political character of Christianity will be explored by four theologians during a Nov. 15-16 symposium at The University of Tulsa. The event is free and open to the public.

“Christianity has political ideas at its core,” says John Bowlin, professor of religion and philosophy at TU who is organizing the symposium, which comprises the 1999 R. Grady Snuggs Lectures in Religion.

Americans traditionally try to keep religion and politics apart, says Bowlin, “and yet the Christian scriptures are full of political images and ideas, as are the liturgy and worship of many churches. We hope these lectures will shed light on this important feature of Christian belief and practice.”

The symposium, “Trajectories in Political Theology,” begins with a presentation at 7:30 p.m. in Sharp Chapel on Monday, Nov. 15, by Oliver O’Donovan, professor of moral and pastoral theology at Oxford University. His lecture is titled “Justice and Judgment: Two Contrasting Models of the Political Task.”

Three lectures will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 16, in the Faculty Study of McFarlin Library. David Yeago, professor of systematic theology at Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary, will speak at 9:30 a.m. His talk is titled “The Political Theology of Martin Luther -– A Reconsideration.” Joan L. O’Donovan, an independent scholar, will speak at 11 a.m. on “A Timely Conversation on Political Society and the State” and at 1:45 p.m. Francis Fiorenza, professor of Roman Catholic Theological Studies at Harvard Divinity School, will present “Justice and Charity: Political Theology and Social Welfare.”

The symposium will end with a roundtable discussion at 3:15 p.m.

For more information, contact the TU philosophy and religion department at (918) 631-2279.