2024 Lecture Series

Some Info on Our Lecturers and Their Topics

One of the values that All Souls holds is study, and we believe that loving God with our minds is a faithful response to Jesus’ call in Matthew 23:37. In light of this, we’re thrilled to be having our 2^nd annual lecture series which is running for four consecutive weeks from July 17^th to August 7^th. We have a tremendous lineup of lecturers and a fascinating array of topics. We wanted to write here to let you know a little about our lecturers and their topics.

July 17^th

Dr. Preston Hill, “Trauma Safe Churches and the Trinity: The Heart of God for the Wounds of the World

To launch our series, Theologian and Therapist Dr. Preston Hill will speak on the topic “Trauma-Safe Churches and the Trinity: The Heart of God for the Wounds of the World.” You can check out his books and articles here. You should also check out his current work, “The Spiritual First Responders Project,” which is a two-year project involving 2 theologians, 5 psychologists and 20 clinical mental health professionals who are converging to help those in the deconstruction process by combining spiritual practices and mental health care practices in group settings for the purpose of the spiritual flourishing. Trauma is a deeply complex topic and is being engaged in theological circles yet needs to be talked about in the church. We’re so grateful for the work Dr. Hill is doing and to hear about his work on what makes Trauma-Safe Churches and how this relates to the Trinity.

July 24^th

Dr. Robert Jacobsen, “Following Jesus & the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence?

Dr. Robert Jacobsen is a full-time lecturer at UT for the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences specializing in the geology of Mars. He is also the Assistant Director of the Tennessee Space  Grant Consortium. His lecture will focus on what our thoughts and reactions regarding extraterrestrial life, from conspiracy theories to scientific inquiry, reveal about us. Dr. Jacobsen’s lecture will be a fascinating exploration on discipleship viewed through the lens of his field of study. As Dr. +Ed Gungor writes, “What if Jesus does not return for another fifty thousand years (or more!)? Certainly, dramatic change and discovery will continue. What if we find intelligent life from outside our solar system? What would be the theological implications of that…Theologians need new methodologies that can suggest plausible responses to these changes, while being honest about their own presuppositions and ‘come-froms.’“ A multi-disciplinary approach is necessary in such methodologies as we approach complex and controversial issues and we’re glad to be leaning into such an approach and hearing from a scholar from our own congregation!

July 31^st

Dr. Laura Lysen, “Theological Material: Everyday ‘Stuff’ and Christian Discipleship”

Dr. Laura Lysen will take us back to down to earth but will continue with the theme of discipleship by dealing with everyday material or “stuff.” She has recently accepted the Lecturer in Religious Studies position at TN Tech University, and a copy of her dissertation, “Theological Material: Food and Clothing, the Church, and the Freedom of God,” can be found in our library! Dr. Lysen engages important issues and scholars in a work which is incredibly relevant and challenging to our times and daily lives. We’re so excited to be able to hear about this fresh work from one of our own congregants whose work will no doubt go on to impact many.

August 7^th

Dr. Melissa Archer, “Worship in the Apocalypse”

To close out our series, we honored to have Dr. Melissa Archer speak on “Worship in the Apocalypse.” Dr. Archer and her husband Dr. Kenneth Archer are the co-directors of the MA in Bible and Theology program at Trinity Bible College and Graduate School. Prior to this she was a professor at Southeastern University’s Barnett College of Ministry and Theology, and her work and teaching has had a tremendous influence on many. Dr. Archer’s work, I Was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day: A Pentecostal Engagement with Worship in the Apocalypse, is an important contribution to the burgeoning field of Pentecostal studies and is a gift to both the Academy and Church at large. We’ve been wanting to have Dr. Archer come to All Souls for some time and this seems like a great time for an introduction to her and her work.

Friends, you don’t want to miss these lectures. Last year we had a number of people say, ‘I wish I had known what it was going to be like – I would have invited a lot more people!’ We highly encourage you to attend, but also to bring some people with you. These lectures promise to be both intellectually stimulating and a challenge to us wherever we find ourselves on our faith journey. There will be a time for question and response at the end of each lecture. And, because we get asked this question a lot, yes, all lectures will be recorded and posted to our podcast.

We hope you can make it!