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Aurora University To Host Religion Lectures Jan. 29, 30
1/13/2009
AURORA, Ill.—Phillip Jenkins, author and Edwin Erle Sparks Professor of Humanities at Pennsylvania State University, will deliver religion lectures on Thursday and Friday, Jan. 29-30, at Aurora University.
Both lectures are free to the public in Perry Theatre in the Aurora Foundation Center for Community Enrichment at 1305 Kenilworth Place in Aurora. The sponsor is AU’s Wackerlin Center for Faith and Action.
At 7 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 29, Jenkins will discuss “How Will Global Christianity Transform American Churches?”
At 10:30 a.m. on Friday, Jan. 30, Jenkins will present “What Will the Church Look Like in 2050?"
The programs are part of AU’s Celebrating Arts and Ideas series, 21 events including art, films, theatre, music and lectures during 2008-2009.
Sponsors are Nicor, gold sponsor; City of Aurora, Harris Aurora, Human Resource Management Systems, LLC, Old Second National Bank, and Sodexo, silver sponsors; BFC, Sikich, and Comcast bronze sponsors; and The Beacon News, media support.
Jenkins was named Edwin Erle Sparks Professor of Humanities in 2007. Earlier he had served Pennsylvania State as a professor of criminal justice and various other positions.
From 1977 to 1980, he was research officer on an Oxford and Cambridge project on the history of the English criminal law 1790-1914.
Jenkins is a regular contributor to Christian Century magazine. An expert in history and religious studies, his major current interests are global Christianity, emerging religious movements, and post-1975 U.S. history.
He has authored more than 20 books which have been translated into 10 languages. His God’s Continent was rated among the top 10 religion titles of 2007.
Other recent titles include Lost History of Christianity (2008), The Next Christendom: The Rise of Global Christianity (2002),Decade of Nightmares: The End of the 1960s and the Making of Eighties America (2006) and God's Continent: Christianity, Islam and Europe's Religious Crisis (2007).
Jenkins travels worldwide to deliver lectures and attend conferences. In October 2008, he spoke at a summit on Chinese spirituality and society in Beijing, and in June 2007 he spoke at a conference on Islam and Muslims in the World Today in London.
Jenkins earned bachelor’s, master’s and doctorate degrees from Clare College at Cambridge University, England.
Call (630) 844-4924 or e-mail artsandideas@aurora.edu for more information.
