Jessica Bills | Banner Luke Stamps, Online and Professional Studies professor, Chase Kuhn, alumnus, Richard Mobley, professor, and Adamson Co, professor, attended the second annual LA Theology Conference at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena. The conference was a two-day event that spanned Jan. 16 -17. The topic was advancing Trinitarian theology: explorations in constructive dogmatics. Speakers discussed the topic at length and there were also question-and-answer panels, where students were encouraged to ask questions of the theological scholars.
Professors from California Baptist University attended the Second Annual Los Angeles Theology Conference held at the Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, Calif., Jan. 16 and 17.
Focusing on advancing Trinitarian theology the conference featured speakers from local universities and seminaries as well as professors from Scottish and English universities. The speakers were also available for question-and-answer panels, where the discussions became passionate and provoking.
“We want to infuse people with how important Christian theology is and how important it is to reach out to those other people doing those sorts of things in different aspects of the Christian tradition. So the more we can do to encourage that to happen, the better,” said Oliver Crisp, professor of systematic theology at Fuller Theological Seminary, and co-founder of the conference.
Karen Kilby, lead professor of Catholic theology at the University of Durham in the United Kingdom, and one of the guest speakers this year, said she believes these discussions are vital to the Christian walk.
“I have concluded that the Christian faith requires a doctrine of the trinity and that it plays various roles, but it doesn’t require us to think that we have a tidy grasp on the concept of the trinity or of God,” Kilby said. “Just because we don’t think we know or have a really detailed picture of God doesn’t mean that we should just sit back and give up on it.”
Dr. Adamson Co, associate professor of theology at CBU, said he believes this conference would benefit students studying theology.
“The LA Theology Conference, in a sense, takes what they’ve learned and really takes them to the next level where they grow deeper in knowledge as well as the implications of what they have learned, and therefore it makes them very sharp in their theological thinking and therefore enhances their ministry capacity,” Co said.
Though the CBU students who hoped to come this year could not due to the price of admission, Co said he thinks next year will be a success.
With large group discounts and the amount of churches in the local area interested in the conference, Co said he thinks the opportunity will be better if everyone can work together.
“We are hoping that next year we will get the ball rolling earlier and maybe secure this group earlier so that no one needs to back out,” Co said.
Daniel Salyers, research assistant for Fuller Theological Seminary, also agreed that the conference has major benefits to students, but especially to those who are serious about digging deep into their studies and gaining theological truth to possibly share at the pulpit.
“I think the importance lies in the people who wish to engage their faith in a much more intellectual level,” Salyers said.
Next year, the conference will be held at Biola University in La Mirada, Calif., and will focus on atonement. With a list of compelling speakers such as faith and theology blogger Ben Meyers from Australia, CBU students will have another opportunity to engage in this theological event.
“I hope that as we go forward with the conferences and in the years to come we will find that younger theologians and young people studying theology will hear about what we are doing,” Crisp said.
Students who would like to attend the conference next year are encouraged to ask Professor for more information.
