July 20-22, 2023
Over a century ago, Friedrich Nietzsche famously declared that God is dead. He observed that Western culture no longer accepted the idea of God, and he noted that its values and practices would eventually reflect this. We now live in a world that conforms in many ways to his prediction.
But as Christians we know—even if the culture doesn’t reflect it—that God is very much alive. What difference, then, should this make in the way we think and act? At Gutenberg’s 2023 Summer Institute, we will examine several aspects of our world and our lives—science, ethics, psychology, community—and we will consider the ways a belief in God should impact our thinking about them. Why are some differences we see between Christians and non-Christians so pronounced? In what ways might we be absorbing views that implicitly reject God? How can we be encouraged by recognizing God’s relevance to every area of our lives? Join us July 20-22 for book discussions, talks from Gutenberg tutors, good food, and great conversations.
Speakers
Eliot Grasso
Talk: “Christianity, Christendom, and the Church: Existential vs. Cultural Commitments”
Nancy Scott
Talk: “God is Alive, and Life is Hard: Can Secular Psychology Interact with a Biblical View of Life?”
Institute Details
When
Thursday night, July 20
Friday night, July 21
Saturday, July 22
Where
Gutenberg College
1883 University Street
Eugene, OR 97403
Cost*
(Includes dinner on Friday night; continental breakfast on Saturday morning; and lunch on Saturday):
By July 1: $85 (Individual); $115 (Family); $40 (Student);
July 2 and after: $100 (Individual); $130 (Family); $45 (Student)
* Financial Aid: Limited financial aid packages are available for those who wish to attend. If you wish to apply, please contact the office.
* Volunteer opportunities: We can also offer reduced costs for volunteers. If you would like to volunteer, please contact the office.
Housing
Rooms may be available at Gutenberg College. To inquire, please contact the office.
Conference Schedule
Thursday Night, July 20th
| 5:30-6:15 | Check-in |
| 6:15-6:30 | Welcome |
| 6:30-8:00 | Discussion of Reading One: Existentialism is a Humanism by Jean-Paul Sartre |
| 8:00-8:15 | Break |
| 8:15-9:00 | Lecture 1: Brian Julian, “Identity With and Without God” |
Friday Night, July 21st
| 5:00-6:00 | Dinner |
| 6:00-7:30 | Discussion of Reading Two: Practice in Christianity by Søren Kierkegaard |
| 7:30-7:45 | Break |
| 7:45-8:30 | Lecture 2: Eliot Grasso, “Christianity, Christendom, and the Church: Existential vs. Cultural Commitments” |
Saturday (all day), July 22nd
| 8:00-9:00 | Continental Breakfast |
| 9:00-10:30 | Discussion of Reading Three: The Road Less Traveled by M. Scott Peck |
| 10:30-10:45 | Break |
| 10:45-11:30 | Lecture 3: Nancy Scott, “God is Alive, and Life is Hard: Can Secular Psychology Interact with a Biblical View of Life?” |
| 11:30-12:30 | Lunch |
| 12:30-2:00 | Discussion of Reading Four: Personal Knowledge by Michael Polanyi |
| 2:00-2:15 | Break |
| 2:15-3:00 | Lecture 4: Charley Dewberry, “Can Belief in God Inform the Sciences?” |
| 3:00-3:30 | Q&A |
Previous Summer Institute Topics:
2022: Stories of Conversion
2021: The Meaning of the City: Rebellion and Redemption
2020: Struggle & Hope
2019: Tribes and Truth: What Happened to Civil Discourse?
2018: Are We All Reading the Same Bible?
2017: Meaning and Flourishing in a Secular Age (audio)
2016: How to Build a Bridge
2015: Reunion: Tanakh and the Gospel of Matthew (audio)
2014: What We Have Learned (audio)
2013: How To Follow Jesus When You Cannot Kill the Beast (audio)
2012: What the BLEEP Can We Know? (audio) and The Problem of Evil (audio)
2010: Democracy: A User’s Manual (audio)
2009: Paychecks, Politics & Paradigms (audio)
2007: Søren Kierkegaard (audio)
2006: Faith & Science (audio)
2005: Disenculturating the Gospel (audio)
2004: Making Sense of the Bible (audio)
2003: Postmodernism, Reason, and the Church (audio)
2002: Christianity & Culture