Pacific Coast Theological Society

Then and Now: 75 Years of Pushing Theological Boundaries

Tucson Room at Church Divinity School of the Pacific (CDSP), Berkeley, California

Schedule

Friday, Nov 7

Saturday, Nov 8

Topic

The first meeting of PCTS was held in October, 1939. In celebration of our 75th anniversary, distinguished members and guests will revisit the topics and papers from that first meeting and examine what our theological history can tell us about future directions. Please read both the 1939 papers and the contemporary papers prior to the meeting for full participation in our discussion.

Paper Session - Friday, Nov 7, 2-5 pm

Theological Perspectives

Ted Peters (PLTS)

Commenting on "What is essential in the Christian religion? Is Protestantism a positive principle." (pdf)
by Aaron J. Ungersma, 1905-2000 (SFTS, books)
Contemporary paper is also titled "What is essential in the Christian Religion? Is Protestantism a Positive Principle?" (pdf)
Respondent is Jack Crossley (USC)

Andrew Porter (GTU)

Commenting on "What is essential in the Christian religion? Christianity as idea and as event." (pdf)
by Elton Trueblood, 1900-1994 (Stanford, wikipedia, bio, books)
Contemporary paper is "Christianity in History, Then and Now" (pdf)
Respondent is Doug McGaughey (Willamette)

Public Lecture - Friday, 7-8:30 pm

Public Lecture, Richard Payne (IBS)

Crossing Streams in the Dark: Orthogonal Wanderings

Theologians, attempting to articulate the unique status of Christian belief, have struggled with issues of pluralism since the very beginning of theological reflection. In the eras of discovery and empire, however, contact with an increasing variety of religious traditions, beyond the already familiar categories of Judaism and Islam, pushed the topic of pluralism even further into explicit theological reflection. In the last century and a half, several different theological programs have been proposed to address concerns regarding pluralism as such, and more recently concerns regarding plural religious identity. The speaker, though not himself a theologian, seeks to articulate the dialectic of strange/familiar/strange as a means to move beyond what Hans Blumenberg has called "reoccupied positions." The tendency to interpret Buddhist thought from a Christian perspective forces Buddhism to occupy theologically familiar positions. This fundamentally Procrustean interpretive strategy impedes the apprehension of pluralism, which is especially important for theological education in today's religious landscape.

Paper Session - Saturday, Nov 8, 9:30 am-noon

Biblical Perspectives

Barbara Green (DSPT)

Commenting on "What is essential in the Christian religion? Hebraism, Judaism, and Christianity." (pdf)
by James Muilenburg, 1896-1974 (PSR, Essays in Honor of)
Contemporary paper is "If That Was Then, What Is Now? James Muilenburg, Ourselves and Religious Discourse" (pdf)
Respondent is Gina Hens-Piazza (JST)

Herman Waetjen (SFTS Emeritus)

Commenting on "What is essential in the Christian religion? the Jesus of history and the church." (pdf)
by Randolph Crump Miller, 1910-2002 (CDSP, obituary, books)
Contemporary paper is "A Look at 'The Jesus of History and the Church' by Randolph Crump Miller" (pdf)
Respondent is Jack Crossley



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