Over The Pond and Through The Kilts

Saturday, at 1:30 pm, I will be flying over the Atlantic Ocean for the first time in my life. It's not that I'm nervous. I mean, people do this every day, right? And it's not like I'll be crossing the Bermuda Triangle...or wearing Bermuda shorts.

I'd say they're a worse wardrobe selection than a kilt.

Can I just say how much I love that picture? Either that guy's underwear (which they call "pants" in Scotland) are hilarious, or that guy isn't wearing anything under that kilt. I'm guessing it's the latter.

Anyway, I digress. The reason I will be headed to the land of haggis and scotch is for a conference. St. Andrews University will be hosting a "Theology, Imagination and the Arts Colloquium" from March 27-29.

I basically couldn't be more excited about this. Anyone who has been around me knows that the integration of theology and the arts has long been a passion of mine. How can we do theology within the context of the arts in a way that is faithful both to God's character and to the creative/imaginitive potential of his creation? So often, the church has erred on the side of the former and relegated the latter to the back seat...if not the trunk. Our Creator is an amazingly creative artist--don't forget to look around and realize that! It would seem that those who are being conformed to the image of the Son would have the greatest potentiality to reflect the artistry of the Father/Creator. Why have we fallen so short of this task, and what is the path to reclaiming our call? I hope this conference will help provide answers to these questions (and more!). Here is the lineup of speakers.

1. Professor Richard Bauckham, University of St Andrews: ‘Eternity in a Lilypond: Claude Monet's Nymphéas’

2. Dr Anna Williams, University of Cambridge: ‘Time and space: suggestions from paradise’

3. ProfessorPaul Fiddes, University of Oxford: ‘Patterns of hope and images of eternity: listening to Shakespeare, Blake and T.S. Eliot’

4. Dr Daniel Chua, King's College, University of London: ‘Echoes of hope: or how time travels in Monteverdi's L'Orfeo and Beethoven's Fidelio’

5. Dr Patricia Bruininks, Hendrix College, Arkansas: ‘Positive affect toward the future: understanding the process, sources, and temporal nature of hope’

6. Professor Trevor Hart, University of St Andrews: ‘Nothing is impossible! eucatastrophic consolations in theology and literature’

7. Jeremy Begbie, University of St. Andrews: Closing address

I'm familiar with about half the folks on this list. I know for a fact that Begbie, Hart and Bauckham are terriffic. I will try to post updates frequently to let you all in on the experience. Please keep me in your prayers!