Centre for Public Christianity

Last updated

The Centre for Public Christianity (CPX) is an Australian not-for-profit media company that supplies mainstream media and the general public with material about the relevance of Christianity in the 21st century. [1] The Centre has no denominational affiliation and seeks to represent historic Christianity as defined by the Nicene Creed.

Contents

History

CPX was established in 2007. John Dickson and Greg J Clarke [2] were its first directors, with Richard Grellman Chairman. Initial funding from Mission Australia helped get the venture started. [3] After support from Hammond Care, CPX signed a memorandum of understanding with Bible Society Australia. [4] Simon Smart has Executive Director since 2018. [5] [6]

Activities

Writers from CPX have contributed articles to The Sydney Morning Herald , [7] The Age , [8] and the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC). [9]

CPX has an online resource library featuring interviews with writers, scholars and commentators.[ citation needed ] CPX releases a weekly 'Life & Faith' podcast. [10]

CPX runs the annual Richard Johnson Lecture, a series that aims to "highlight Christianity’s relevance to society and positively contribute to public discourse on key aspects of civil life." [11] 2018’s speaker was Nick Spencer, Research Director of Theos, a think tank in London. [12]

The Centre has produced popular and academic works exploring the relevance of the Christian faith, including Public Christianity: Talking about faith in a post-Christian world, [13] 10 Tips for Atheists and other conversations in faith and culture [14] and The Wisdom of Islam and the Foolishness of Christianity. [15] In 2013, Smart co-authored a book with Jane Caro, Antony Loewenstein and Rachel Woodlock called For God's Sake: An Atheist, a Jew, a Christian, and a Muslim debate religion. [16]

In 2009 CPX released an historical documentary called The Life of Jesus [17] that was shown nationally on the Seven Network.

In late 2015 CPX began work on a documentary: For the Love of God: How the Church is Better and Worse Than You Ever Imagined. [18] The project considers the impact of Christianity on the world, both good and bad. It combines on-location filming with interviews with experts, including Marilynne Robinson, Rowan Williams, Alister McGrath and Miroslav Volf. [19] The documentary was released in May 2018.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Richard Dawkins</span> English evolutionary biologist and author (born 1941)

Richard Dawkins is a British evolutionary biologist, zoologist, science communicator and author. He is an emeritus fellow of New College, Oxford, and was Professor for Public Understanding of Science in the University of Oxford from 1995 to 2008. His 1976 book The Selfish Gene popularised the gene-centred view of evolution, as well as coining the term meme. Dawkins has won several academic and writing awards.

The Boyle Lectures are named after Robert Boyle, a prominent natural philosopher of the 17th century and son of Richard Boyle, 1st Earl of Cork. Under the terms of his Will, Robert Boyle endowed a series of lectures or sermons which were to consider the relationship between Christianity and the new natural philosophy then emerging in European society. Since 2004, this prestigious Lectures series has been organized, with the assistance of Board of the Boyle Lectures, by the International Society for Science and Religion (ISSR) and has been held at one of its original locations, the Wren church of St Mary-le-Bow on Cheapside in the City of London.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cultural Christians</span> People who appreciate Christianity primarily because of its cultural legacy

Cultural Christians are nonreligious persons who received Christian values and appreciate Christian culture. These individuals may identify as culturally Christian because of family background, personal experiences, or the social and cultural environment in which they grew up.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alister McGrath</span> Northern Irish theologian, Anglican priest, and academic (born 1953)

Alister Edgar McGrath is a Northern Irish theologian, Anglican priest, intellectual historian, scientist, Christian apologist, and public intellectual. He currently holds the Andreas Idreos Professorship in Science and Religion in the Faculty of Theology and Religion, and is a fellow of Harris Manchester College at the University of Oxford, and is Professor of Divinity at Gresham College. He was previously Professor of Theology, Ministry, and Education at King's College London and Head of the Centre for Theology, Religion and Culture, Professor of Historical Theology at the University of Oxford, and was principal of Wycliffe Hall, Oxford, until 2005.

<i>The God Who Wasnt There</i> 2005 film by Brian Flemming

The God Who Wasn't There is a 2005 independent documentary written and directed by Brian Flemming. The documentary questions the existence of Jesus, examining evidence that supports the Christ myth theory against the existence of a historical Jesus, as well as other aspects of Christianity.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bart D. Ehrman</span> American biblical scholar (born 1955)

Bart Denton Ehrman is an American New Testament scholar focusing on textual criticism of the New Testament, the historical Jesus, and the origins and development of early Christianity. He has written and edited 30 books, including three college textbooks. He has also authored six New York Times bestsellers. He is the James A. Gray Distinguished Professor of Religious Studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Keith Ward</span> English philosopher, theologian, and Anglican priest (born 1938)

Keith Ward is an English philosopher and theologian. He is a fellow of the British Academy and a priest of the Church of England. He was a canon of Christ Church, Oxford, until 2003. Comparative theology and the relationship between science and religion are two of his main topics of interest.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Richard Carrier</span> American historian & philosopher (1969-)

Richard Cevantis Carrier is an American ancient historian. He is a long-time contributor to skeptical websites, including The Secular Web and Freethought Blogs. Carrier has published a number of books and articles on philosophy and religion in classical antiquity, discussing the development of early Christianity from a skeptical viewpoint, and concerning religion and morality in the modern world. He has publicly debated a number of scholars on the historical basis of the Bible and Christianity. He is a prominent advocate of the theory that Jesus did not exist, which he has argued in a number of his works. However, Carrier's methodology and conclusions in this field have proven controversial and unconvincing to most ancient historians, and he and his theories are often identified as fringe.

Antony Loewenstein is a Jewish Australian-German freelance investigative journalist, author, and film-maker.

Theos is a Christian religion and society think tank researching the relationship between religion, politics and society in the contemporary world. Theos aims to impact opinion around issues of faith and belief in society through research, publications, media engagement, podcasts, animated videos, and events such as debates, seminars and lectures. Theos is headquartered in the United Kingdom in Westminster, London.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Dickson (author)</span> Australian historian of religion (born 1967)

John Dickson is an Australian author, Anglican clergyman and historian of the ancient world, largely focusing on early Christianity and Judaism. Since 2022, he has served as a teaching Professor at the graduate school of Wheaton College (Illinois).

Lewis's trilemma is an apologetic argument traditionally used to argue for the divinity of Jesus by postulating that the only alternatives were that he was evil or mad. One version was popularized by University of Oxford literary scholar and writer C. S. Lewis in a BBC radio talk and in his writings. It is sometimes described as the "Lunatic, Liar, or Lord", or "Mad, Bad, or God" argument. It takes the form of a trilemma—a choice among three options, each of which is in some way difficult to accept.

Christian atheism is an ideology that embraces the teachings, narratives, symbols, practices, or communities associated with Christianity without accepting the literal existence of God.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Irreligion in Australia</span>

Atheism, agnosticism, scepticism, freethought, secular humanism or general irreligion are increasing in Australia. Post-war Australia has become a highly secularised country. Religion does not play a major role in the lives of much of the population.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Matt Dillahunty</span> American atheist activist (born 1969)

Matthew Wade Dillahunty is an American atheist activist and former president of the Atheist Community of Austin, a position he held from 2006 to 2013. Between 2005 and October 2022, Dillahunty was host of the televised webcast The Atheist Experience.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Lennox</span> Northern Irish mathematician and philosopher of science

John Carson Lennox is an Irish mathematician, bioethicist, and Christian apologist originally from Northern Ireland. He has written many books on religion, ethics, the relationship between science and God, and has had public debates with atheists including Richard Dawkins and Christopher Hitchens.

The term New Atheism describes the positions of some atheist academics, writers, scientists, and philosophers of the 20th and 21st centuries. New Atheism advocates the view that superstition, religion, and irrationalism should not simply be tolerated. Instead, they advocate the antitheist view that the various forms of theism should be criticised, countered, examined, and challenged by rational argument, especially when they exert strong influence on the broader society, such as in government, education, and politics. Critics have characterised New Atheism as "secular fundamentalism" or "fundamentalist atheism". Major figures of New Atheism include Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris, Christopher Hitchens, and Daniel Dennett, collectively referred to as the "Four Horsemen" of the movement, as well as Ayaan Hirsi Ali, until her conversion to Christianity in 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jane Caro</span> Australian feminist writer and social commentator

Catherine Jane Caro is a feminist social commentator, writer and lecturer based in Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">David Robertson (minister)</span>

David Andrew Robertson is a Scottish Presbyterian minister and religious commentator. Robertson was the minister of St Peter's Free Church in Dundee, Scotland, from 1992 until 2019. He served as Moderator of the Free Church of Scotland between 2015 and 2016. Robertson is also a blogger, podcaster, and writer. He gained public attention following his critique of The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins and has since become a commentator on religious, social, and political affairs in Scotland, with an annual readership of over one million.

References

  1. ↑ "Centre for Public Christianity". Centre for Public Christianity. Retrieved 27 March 2018.
  2. ↑ "Greg Clarke to head new national Bible Society". sydneyanglicans.net. Retrieved 27 March 2018.
  3. ↑ Stephens, Mark (15 July 2018). "The Parachurch Down Under: A Case Study". Christian Scholar’s Review. Retrieved 15 January 2024.
  4. ↑ "New Alliance Brings CPX and Bible Society Together". biblesociety.org.au. 14 September 2012. Retrieved 27 March 2018.
  5. ↑ "Simon Smart - ABC News". Australian Broadcasting Corporation .
  6. ↑ "Product Details - Pan Macmillan Australia". panmacmillan.com.au. Retrieved 27 March 2018.
  7. ↑ "The generation brought up on self-esteem is struggling". 13 April 2017.
  8. ↑ Zwartz, Barney (2 December 2017). "Faith: When it comes to religion, as for gender, 'vive la difference!'". The Age. Retrieved 27 March 2018.
  9. ↑ "Finding the holy in Hollywood". Radio National. 1 December 2017. Retrieved 27 March 2018.
  10. ↑ "Life & Faith Podcast - Centre for Public Christianity". publicchristianity.org. Retrieved 27 March 2018.
  11. ↑ Payne, Matthew (15 March 2018). "Christianity's Unique Contribution to Western Civilisation: 2018 Richard Johnson Lecture with Nick Spencer". The Gospel Coalition | Australia. Retrieved 15 January 2024.
  12. ↑ "Christianity's Unique Contribution to Western Civilisation: 2018 Richard Johnson Lecture with Nick Spencer - The Gospel Coalition - Australia". thegospelcoalition.org. Retrieved 27 March 2018.
  13. ↑ Smart, Simon (April 2011). Public Christianity: Talking about faith in a post-Christian world. Centre for Public Christianity.
  14. ↑ Moore, Natasha (June 2016). 10 Tips for Atheists and other conversations in faith and culture. Centre for Public Christianity.
  15. ↑ Shumack, Richard (April 2004). The Wisdom of Islam and the Foolishness of Christianity. Island View Publishing.
  16. ↑ Caro, Jane; Loewenstein, Antony; Smart, Simon; Woodlock, Rachel (July 2013). For God's Sake: An Atheist, a Jew, a Christian and a Muslim debate religion. Macmillan Publishers.
  17. ↑ "Scenes from the Life of Jesus documentary - Centre for Public Christianity". April 2009.
  18. ↑ "For the Love of God: How the Church is better + worse than you ever imagined". Centre for Public Christianity. Retrieved 27 March 2018.
  19. ↑ "'We need to be honest about the failings of the church'". eternitynews.com.au. 7 March 2018. Retrieved 27 March 2018.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.