Coming Event of the Socratic Club

Does The World Need Jesus?

Tuesday, October 20, 2009 @ 7 PM

Austin Auditorium LaSells Stewart Center, OSU

Speakers: Dr. Marcus Borg and Dr. Martin Emmrich

In the western world the age of Christendom is over, and in the academic world suspicion rules supreme. What --if anything-- does Jesus of the Bible have to offer to a world of relativism and cynicism? Why should his voice be heard? Is it merely one among many appeals of many pundits that compete in the marketplace of ideas?

Marcus J. Borg is Canon Theologian at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral in Portland.  Internationally known in both academic and church circles as a biblical and Jesus scholar, he was Hundere Chair of Religion and Culture at OSU until his retirement in 2007.  He is the author of eighteen books, including the best selling Meeting Jesus Again For The First Time. He holds a D.Phil. degree from Oxford University.  

Martin Emmrich is Pastor of Westminster Presbyterian Church in Corvallis.  He holds a B.A. in Law from the University of Frankfurt in Germany and a Ph.D. in biblical hermeneutics from Westminster Seminary in Philadelphia. He is the author of Pneumatological Concepts in the Epistle to the Hebrews and several articles on New Testament criticism.

The debate is free and open to the public.

The Socratic Club is beginning its eighth year as a student organization at OSU.  It is modeled on the Socratic Club founded at Oxford University in 1941 by C. S. Lewis to provide an open forum for the discussion of Christian issues.  At OSU the Club presents opposing points of view on subjects of contemporary debate related to the Christian faith.  Each speaker is given 25 minutes to present one side of an issue, after which the two discuss their differences, before opening the floor to questions from members of the audience.  Two events are planned for each quarter. For more information phone (541) 908-1461, for video recordings of past debates visit our archives.