The Academic Dean’s Forum exists to explore topics of church, culture, and theology in a casual atmosphere with more depth than is often possible in classes. We invite our community and the general public to join us for these monthly discussions on a variety of topics. All forums are live streamed on Facebook. Registration is only required for our limited in-person attendance and lunch. Please see below for more information on our upcoming events.
Can God suffer in his divine nature and still be God? If not, can he adequately respond to human suffering? How does the cross relate to such questions?
Discuss how to embrace pain, disappointment, and failure as pathways to greater intimacy with God and usefulness for the cause of Christ.
See how ministry workers can partner with mental health professionals and utilize their insight without compromising the vision, mission, and orthodoxy of the Church.
2023–2024
Dr. Zack Eswine expounds how pastoring and preaching are done best when seen as acts of love and wonder hovering within the ordinary lives of particular people.
Dr. Carmen Joy Imes uses Genesis to offer a meaningful path forward in addressing the issues of the new sexual revolution and the rise of artificial intelligence.
Leading evangelical authors and scholars explore how the church can engage with modern culture through Christ-centered cultural apologetics and missions.
Small-town pastors and Gordon-Conwell professors Dr. Stephen Witmer and Dr. Jason McConnell share about living a fruitful and significant life devoted to small-place ministries.
Rev. Dr. John Huh shares about mental health and pastoral counseling needs in the Asian American context and ways to encourage and equip our churches.
Dr. Richard Lints, Senior Distinguished Professor of Theology, speaks on how the church can respond to an increasingly divided world.
2022-2023
Dr. Joel Lawrence, Executive Director of the Center for Pastor Theologians, and Dr. Gordon Isaac, Gordon-Conwell professor, on the ancient call of the pastor to be a theologian.
Crawford Loritts reflects on the reality that we are headed toward the very presence of God should motivate us to complete His assignments for us with focused intentionality.
Dr. George Yancey analyzes what reforms show promise, and how communities can heal and improve race relations through the promotion of collaborative conversations.
What can we learn from one another as we seek to be a worshipping community? Hear from this diverse panel as they address these important questions, and others.
Dr. Wesley Hill presents a biblical, pastoral theology of sexuality in light of the present and future kingdom of God, in which God promises redemption for our whole selves in Christ.
Maria Garcia, expert in immigration and mental health, shares why it’s vital for the church to be aware of the presence and effect of trauma in the church and the resources available.
2021-2022
Join Dr. Gordon Hugenberger, Senior Professor of Old Testament, as he develops basic principles of justice in the Old Testament that aid in the interpretation of challenging texts.
Dr. Tim Tennent, President of Asbury Theological Seminary, presents the contours of the Christian vision of the body and human sexuality as biological and theological entities.
Dr. Karen Mason, Director of Hamilton Counseling and author of Preventing Suicide, and Dr. David Currie, DMin Director, speak to how churches can help prevent suicide.
How can we communicate well in the church and society and be true to God’s Word? Hear from Dr. Quentin Schultze, and Dr. Jeffrey Arthurs, Robinson Chair of Preaching and Communication.
Dr. Charles Slagen, Exec. Dir. of Hope Psychological Services and former therapy instructor at Gordon-Conwell, explores shifts in marriage and ministering to millennials.
Dr. Matthew Kim will speak about his new book, Preaching to People in Pain. We will also hear from Pastor Bobby Warrenburg of North Shore Community Baptist Church.
2020-2021
Dr. David Johnston, Adjunct Assistant Professor of Islamic Studies at Fuller, will share how Christians can best engage with Muslims on the topics of justice and love.
Dr. Aaron Howard, Pastor at All Souls Church in Nashville, will present how Pentecostal forms of embodied worship can retrieve a more holistic approach to corporate and individual worship.
Dr. Dennis Hollinger, Professor of Christian Ethics, looks to transgender realities and suggests theological, ethical, and pastoral responses of truth, conviction, civility and love.
Dr. Dorothy Boorse will explore how we can care for creation and for our fellow humans in light of a theology of reconciliation.
A diverse panel of our faculty will reflect on how we can be the body—diverse yet with full equity and genuine inclusion.
This talk focused on pastoral challenges and best approaches in providing spiritual care within the context of serious illness.