The 2017 program for the UQ Theology Series  – to be held on the following Fridays at 2pm in Room E319 in the Forgan Smith Building. Please claim the dates in your diary of those seminars that you plan to attend.

Friday March 17 from 2pm to 4pm in E319 in the Forgan Smith Building

Clive Ayre: ‘Church, State, and Global Ecological Health’.  The paper explores the interface between current global ecological threats, the politics of division, and the role of the Christian Church.

In particular, ecological issues may be viewed both as part of the problem, as a dimension of the politics of division, and as a way of moving beyond them with the more universal agenda of ensuring that the earth remains habitable. In the first section, some contextual issues are addressed, including environmental threats to the earth and the role of adversarial politics. Second, some perspectives such as unity in bio-diversity and a review of “economy” may lead to a way forward. Third, the contribution of the Church is considered in the context of global ecological health as a pathway to a more sustainable and united community.

Neil Pembroke: ‘Overcoming Division in an Organisation: Dialogue and a Team Confrontation Method’

Many organisations are torn apart by factionalism, mistrust, and injustice. Assisting a dysfunctional, divided, and mistrustful organisation to move from sickness to health is deeply challenging. Though there are many strategies for positive intervention on offer, those that are based in the psychology of the dialogical self and the self-confrontation method (SCM) of Hubert Hermans present as particularly helpful. Not only are they proving to be very effective in practice, they are grounded in principles that accord well with the theology of the covenantal partnership between YHWH and Israel. In the team confrontation process, there is an insistence on listening to the minority voice, just as in the lament tradition YHWH’s primacy is provisionally overcome as Israel is accorded the right to speak frankly and even to register a complaint. YHWH has his powerful say, but Israel also claims the right to have her say. A team confrontation facilitator refuses to let the powerful voice dominate; both sides are given the right to speak and to be heard. A genuine partnership is built on dialogue, reciprocity, and trust. These are precisely the qualities that characterise the covenantal relationship as construed in the lament tradition.

Brisbane has been asked to consider hosting the National Australian and New Zealand Association of Theological Schools Confence in week 1 of July 2018.

A Brisbane ANZATS business meeting is planned for Monday 13 March in a few weeks time from 1.30 to 3.00 pm.

We are putting together ideas for the planned 2018 conference in the first week of July 2018.

I would love to hear further ideas you have about the conference and ways you and your college could be involved.

Afternoon tea will be available for those who are able to stay from 3 to 3.30. We plan to meet at Citipointe Ministry College, Lecture Room 1 underneath the Citipointe Church at 322 Wecker Road.

The main topic of discussion is the planned 2018 national ANZATS conference in Brisbane which is planned for Brisbane from Sunday 1st July and Monday 2nd July to Wednesday 4 July 2018.

It is planned to hold the conference at Emmanuel College, on the UQ campus. Transport is readily available from the city. Accommodation is available at Emmanuel College close to the venue for about $100 a night. The college is able to organize morning and afternoon teas and lunch for about $30 per person per day. They are also able to organize the Dinner for about $75. Venue hire is about $500 per room or a pair of seminar rooms. We will use about three to four rooms.

Andrew McGowan (formerly Australia, now Yale) has accepted the invitation to be a keynote speaker.
Andrew has written a number of books on early church practices in worship from social, historical and theological perspectives.

We are open to suggestions of other key note speakers who may be available at this time.
Let me know ideas you have on keynote speaker/s like Andrew and potential themes.

A suggested theme that is linked to the work Andrew has done is
Worship and Theology,
Or Theology as Worship.

Let me know if you have ideas for a conference theme and topics that relate to Andrew’s work, eg theology and worship, theology as worship or studying and teaching theology from biblical and theological perspectives, or other themes that you think could be relevant.

Various streams can be considered.
We could include a stream on women and theology or something similar
if you are interested in being part of organizing this, or we could link to
work you are doing at your college in various ways.

I would love to see you there if you can make it, or a representative from each of the colleges if you can pass this invitation on to them.

If you cannot make it, please email or phone suggestions for the upcoming 2018 ANZATS conference. Your suggestions will be appreciated.

Further details can be obtained from Sam Hey,

ph 3347 5833, or email shey@citipointechurch.com

Kind regards
Sam