Dead Apologists' Society


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What is it? Where did it come from? Where is it going?

Frustrated by the lack of opportunity for grappling with issues of theology and culture in their local congregations, Simon Bibby, Murray Thornhill, Matt Malcolm, Ian Packer and Steve McAlpine started the Dead Apologists' Society in 1999. The Dead Apologists' Society is a group of Christians who meet regularly together to discuss issues of Christian faith in the context of contemporary Western culture. We hope to stimulate other Christians, especially 'lay people', to think through the implications of their faith in everyday life, whether by joining us or starting similar groups in their own locale.



Discipleship in the New Millennium

... Includes Loving God with Our.... Mind?!
We believe that Christian faith entails discipleship and that there is no sphere of life excluded from the call to follow Jesus. In this case, questions of contemporary thought, society, culture, art, technology, money, work, leisure, possessions and family come under the call of "whole life discipleship."


... Needs a Theology of God?s Kingdom and Creation
We affirm a non-dualistic view of Christian faith, holding that the whole of life comes under the kingdom rule of God; that while God's salvation is deeply personal, it is not private but is corporate and cosmic, embracing all creation. Therefore the gospel must be expressed as 'public truth'.

... Engages Western Culture and the Problem of (Post)Modernity
We understand that (post)modernity presents momentous challenges to those who would live as Jesus' disciples. Further, despite historic Christian influence, our culture requires a genuinely missionary engagement. It is in this light that we seek to understand cultural trends. We also believe that Christ is the transformer of culture particularly through his people as a community gathered and as scattered throughout the 'everyday world'.

... Seeks to Shape Christian Common Life
The Dead Apologists? Society is not a 'church' but cares deeply about Christian community. We are concerned to seek reform and renewal in common life, and especially to foster and embody practices that witness to the presence of God's kingdom. Following Jesus commits us to a live as an alternative counter-cultural community.





What are we reading?

The ?Dead Apologists? have read and are reading such things as:

  • John Howard Yoder, Body Politics.
  • David Wells, God in the Wasteland.
  • Lesslie Newbigin, The Gospel in a Pluralist Society.
  • Leonard Sweet, SoulSalsa.
  • Alan Kreider, The Change in Conversion and the Origin of Christendom.
  • Tom Sine, Mustard Seed vs McWorld.
  • Duane K. Friesen, Artists, Citizens, Philosophers: Seeking the Peace of the City: An Anabaptist Theology of Culture.
  • Marva Dawn, Reaching Out Without Dumbing Down.
  • Mark Strom, Reframing Paul: Conversations in Grace and Community.
  • Rodney Clapp, A Peculiar People.
  • Articles by Richard Hays, John Howard Yoder, Stanley Hauerwas, N. T. Wright... and others...

Nancey Murphy Lesslie Newbigin James Wm. McClendon, Jr. Karl Barth Miroslav Volf John Howard Yoder Stanley Hauerwas
Judith Gundry-Volf Tom Wright Dietrich Bonhoeffer Richard Hays Oliver O'Donovan Charles Taylor Alasdair MacIntyre
Terrence Tilley Kevin Vanhoozer John Milbank Michael Baxter William T. Cavanaugh D. Stephen Long Jonathan Wilson
Barry Harvey L. Gregory Jones John Goldingay William Willimon Reinhard H?#034; SRC= Nicholas Wolterstorff


We support...



Interested?

For upcoming sessions of the Dead Apologists' Society,
meeting every 4 to 6 weeks
:

From the cover of _New Internationalist_ Issue 259From the cover of _Historied Thought, Constructed World_ by Joseph Margolis, University of California Press

IN SYDNEY:
Commencing in 2005!
Contact:

Ian Packer: ianpacker@exemail.com.au
or
iangpacker@hotmail.com.au

IN PERTH:
At the Guildford Hotel.
Contact:

Ian Packer: ianpacker@exemail.com.au
or
Simon Bibby: simon4242@hotmail.com


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Copyright © 2001-2004 Ian Packer