A Speaking Tour in the United Kingdom

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I am getting ready to head to the UK to give a series of lectures, mostly on eschatology (but with a few other topics included as well). The first stop is in Scotland, with most of my time spent moving southward through England.

I was initially invited by folks who run the Thinking Faith Network (in Leeds) to speak on the topic of my eschatology book, A New Heaven and a New Earth. Given that I would be coming all the way across the Atlantic, they worked out a series of other speaking events for me in the UK.

It is a bit of a grueling schedule, so I would appreciate prayers from anyone who feels so led, both for my sustained energy and that my talks would be helpful to those in attendance.

 

If you are going to be in the areas where I’m speaking, you are invited to attend any of the public lectures.

So far the following locations and events have been confirmed.

St. Andrews

Two public lectures sponsored by the Logos Institute for Analytic and Exegetical Theology and the School of Divinity (St. Mary’s College), at the University of St. Andrews.

  • April 20 – “A New Heaven and a New Earth: For God So Loved the World.” Thursday afternoon lecture (4:00 pm), Lecture Room 1, St. Mary’s College, University of St. Andrews.
  • April 21 – “Voices from the Ragged Edge: The Gritty Spirituality of the Psalms for a Broken World.” Friday afternoon lecture (4:00 pm), Lecture Room 1, St. Mary’s College, University of St. Andrews.

Aberdeen

Durham

  • April 25 – “Unbinding the Aqedah from the Straightjacket of Tradition: An Inner-Biblical Interpretation of Abraham’s Test in Genesis 22.” Old Testament research seminar for postgraduate students in the Department of Theology and Religion, Tuesday afternoon (4:00-5:30 pm), Seminar Room C, Abbey House, Palace Green, Durham University.

Mirfield

Leeds

Two public lectures in the Life Matters series, Thinking Faith Network, Leeds. Click here for a flier about both talks.

  • April 28 – “Why Are We Here? Our Sacred Calling in God’s World.” Friday evening lecture (7:30-9:00 pm),  Quaker Meeting House, 188 Woodhouse Lane, Leeds.
  • April 29 – “Voices from the Ragged Edge: The Gritty Spirituality of the Psalms for a Broken World.” Saturday morning lecture (10:00 am-12:00 noon), Quaker Meeting House, 188 Woodhouse Lane, Leeds.

Oxford

Cambridge

Oxford

Cheltenham

  • May 3 – “A New Heaven and a New Earth: For God So Loved the World.” Wednesday evening public lecture (6:00-7:30 pm), University of Gloucestershire, Room TC001, Francis Close Hall Campus, Swindon Rd., Cheltenham. You can download a flier here.

Bristol

5 thoughts on “A Speaking Tour in the United Kingdom”

  3. Dr Middleton,

    You would be pleased to know that I was just in Europe with a German friend who’s studying Theology. Visiting her, we rented a chalet on the top of a mountain (ie. basecamp for a ski resort) and talked for 3 days. Our 3 days became an extended conversation on Genesis, creation, and eschatology, and staring at the mountains, Annabelle said she doesn’t want to leave this earth and go to heaven… much like your epiphany when you were hiking way back when. She said the idea of heaven coming to earth made much more sense, and it makes sense of “your kingdom come.” It was quite a surreal time, 2 weeks ago. So, I’ve sent her the link to your blog, in hopes she could make it to one of your lectures! We both agreed it would be fun if we both continued our education to write a book together (sitting atop a mountain, of course).

    Just curious – as someone who in intrigued in what you’re speaking about: What is it that would make someone want to do a gruelling speaking tour? If you know it’s going to be difficult… why do it? With all due respect, why is it “worth it” to you? The idea of becoming an OT professor is growing on me… I like the idea of one day giving lectures like you are – hence my question.

    All the best as you prepare for your travels!

    Once you live a good story, you get a taste for a kind of meaning in life, and you can’t go back to being normal; you can’t go back to meaningless scenes stitched together by the forgettable thread of wasted time. – Don Miller

  4. Hi Sami, I’m glad to hear about your mountaintop experience.

    As for the “grueling” speaking tour, it actually grew from a one-week tour to two weeks (sort of like the frog in the water getting heated up).

    But I have indeed thought and prayed about whether this is something I should do. My discernment process led me to reflect on 1) the fact that I think I have something important to say on the topics I’ll be speaking about (of existential import, beyond the academic) and I will be addressing audiences with whom I have not had contact before.

    I also realized 2) that I will have all the talks prepared (I only had to prepare one from scratch, or almost from scratch), so it is just a matter of giving them and interacting with the audience (and getting enough sleep each night, and some regular exercise, like walking).

    Finally, 3) I tend to get energized by teaching/speaking. it is afterwards that I need down time (and I have a vacation planned afterwards, with no academic responsibilities for a full month after).

    But you ask a really good question here.

  5. Pingback: Visiting Tom Wright—A Good Start in Scotland | CREATION to ESCHATON

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