The Christian Faith & History
Hosted by the Lutheran Student Fellowship at Stanford
April 28 - 30, 2006 – Stanford University, Building 60 in the Main Quad area, Room 61H and
Trinity Lutheran Church Parish Hall
Friday, April 28, 7:30 P.M.
Stanford University – Building 60, Room 61H
*On the main quad to the right of Memorial Church
“The Significance of Christianity in the Study of History”
Who are we and what has made us who we are—as individuals, as a nation, as a civilization? These are questions we all ask because we are by nature historically minded. And many answers can be offered. For the past century, however, one answer has been studiously ignored: the Christian religion has shaped who we are—as individuals, as a nation, and as a civilization. This presentation will suggest that the history of the western world cannot properly be understood without some knowledge of the peculiar Christian beliefs—about God, humanity, and the world itself—which shaped western history and significantly contributed to the modern convictions cherished by Christians and non-Christians alike.
Saturday, April 29, 10:00 A.M. – 3:00 P.M.
Trinity Lutheran Church – 1295 Middlefield Rd., Palo Alto
“The Significance of History in the Study of Christianity”
Contrary to many popular opinions, and contrary to many world religions, Christianity is not based on ethics or emotions. It is based on an appeal to history, on the belief that specific events—the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus—occurred in human history. This presentation will explore the historical evidence for the truth-claims of the Christian religion.
[Please call the church office at 650-853-1295 to reserve a lunch.]
“The Protestant Reformation and the Origins of the Historical Discipline”
The history course is an inescapable feature of any modern educational curriculum. Largely responsible for the rise of history as an academic discipline were the issues of the sixteenth-century Reformation, during which both Protestants and Catholics attempted to defend their views with appeals to history. During these debates the broad outline of the modern historical method took shape. This presentation will explore the role of the Reformation in giving shape to modern historiography.
Sunday, April 30, 9:45 A.M.
Trinity Lutheran Church -- 1295 Middlefield Road, Palo Alto
Student contact: Nellie Olsen (LSF at Stanford president for 2005-2006 school year) nolsen@stanford.edu
