Over consecutive Monday evenings in Belfast, starting on 25th September, six speakers from both the Reformed and Roman Catholic tradition will look at different aspects of the Reformation in four thought-provoking seminars.
With the College’s teaching staff providing three of the speakers, those attending will also hear from Dr. Francis Campbell, the UK’s former ambassador to the Holy See and current Vice Chancellor of St Mary’s University, Twickenham. Father Tim Bartlett, Secretary General of the World Meeting of Families will take a joint seminar with Rev. Trevor Gribben, General Secretary of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland and Clerk of the General Assembly. The title of their talk will be ‘Presbyterians and Catholics: Areas of common concern.’
Union College principal Very Rev. Professor Stafford Carson said the seminars are an opportunity to follow up on some of the issues raised in the College’s Luther 500 Conference in January, especially around the key question, ‘What is the continuing relevance of the Reformation for churches today?’
“One of the slogans of the Reformation was ‘The Church reformed and always reforming’ and we will look at what areas has the church continued to be reformed since the 16th century and in what areas does it still need to be reformed?
“The speakers that we have brought together will help us reflect on these questions from their different perspectives. I hope in running this series it will create a greater awareness of the Reformation, its meaning and ongoing legacy, especially in Ireland. In helping us to do that, I want to extend a very warm welcome to all our special guest speakers who I believe will make a valuable contribution to that understanding,” Professor Carson said.
“We also wish to affirm that the insights of the Reformers have a continuing relevance for key Christian doctrines and continue to provide the Presbyterian Church in Ireland with important biblical guidelines as it undertakes its mission and ministry in the contemporary world.”
Seminar subjects and speakers
| Date |
Seminar title |
Speakers |
| 25th Sept |
The Presbyterian Church in Ireland: A Reformed Church and Always Reforming? |
Prof. Laurence Kirkpatrick Professor of Church History, Union Theological College |
| 2nd Oct |
The Roman Catholic Church and Reformation |
Dr Francis Campbell, Vice-Chancellor, St Mary's University, Twickenham |
| 9th Oct |
Presbyterians and Catholics: Areas of Common Concern |
Father Tim Bartlett, Secretary General, World Meeting of Families & Rev. Trevor Gribben Clerk of the General Assembly and General Secretary of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland |
| 16th Oct |
The Reformation Continues: By Grace Alone, through Faith Alone |
Dr. Martyn Cowan, lecturer in Historical Theology & Dr. Zach Cole, lecturer in Biblical Studies, Union Theological College |
The autumn series ‘The Unfinished Reformation’ will be held in Union Theological College, Belfast. Starting at 7.30pm, each seminar costs £7.50 with an all ticket bundle (all seminars) available for £25. For more details and to register visit the Union College website here.