I'm heading off Monday for Washington, D.C. to attend the Evangelical Theological Society meeting and also the parallel apologetics conference sponsored by the Evangelical Philosophical Society, this year co-hosted with McLean Bible Church. We'll do some sightseeing on Tuesday, and then plunge into the most intellectually stimulating and exhausting weeks of my year at the conferences. My 17-year-old niece is joining me and I'm excited to introduce her to many, many rigorous Christian thinkers who have characters to match their intellect.
The Christian Mind posted some thoughts by John Stott that seemed appropriate for the coming week. Given that Stott's prayer is 30 years old, I'd say God is answering. But it's well worth continuing to pray because the need is so huge.
A friend of mine saw a bumper sticker the other day: Keep your prayer out of my school and I'll keep my thinking out of your church. How sad that someone could have formed this opinion of Christianity. Though I think sometimes this is a built-in prejudice, too often Christians have given poor witnesses to reinforce this impression. In principle and in the practice of many, it's, of course, not at all true that Christianity is incompatible with thinking. The men and women gathering in D.C. next week are towering testaments to that fact.
I really wish I was going. Being able to experience the apologetics conference in Marietta, GA a few years ago was a life-changing experience for me.
I guess I'll just have to settle for the mp3s, though I still have barely listened to all the ones from last year :P
Posted by: Brian | November 10, 2006 at 09:05 AM
I know exactly what you are talking about when it comes to mind stretching. I attended my first Ligonier Conference and RC Sproul and Al Mohler challenged my mind to the point of a headache from deep thought overload. Enjoy, Melinda.
Posted by: Cary | November 10, 2006 at 09:32 AM
Melinda,
Have a safe trip. Tell us all about it when you return.
Posted by: Deborah | November 12, 2006 at 01:13 PM