Forming a
Christian Mind
Conferences in Cambridge for Christian postgraduate students and post-doctoral researchers from across the UK and Europe
Essay Prize
The annual Essay Prize invites evangelical PhD students and post-doctoral researchers in Europe to explore the relationship between the gospel and their academic field. A prize of €400 is awarded for the best essay.
The essay prize is organised in association with the Gospel and Academia Project, which seeks to strengthen a long-term evangelical theological contribution to the wider faith-and-scholarship conversation.
The submission deadline for this year’s Essay Prize is Friday 7 June 2024. Participants will be notified of the result in September 2024.
For more information, including the essay prize brief and submission details, please see here.
Fellows Programme Taster Sessions
The annual Fellows Programme is a weekly term-time study programme run in Cambridge and online for up to 10 postgraduate students. It explores the re-integration of the Christian faith with scholarship, teaching, research and the intellectual life.
Upcoming Taster Session for the 2023-2024 Programme:
Tue 19th Dec – Brad Green
Augustine and the intellectual impact of the Fall
Cambridge Christian Study Centre
The Cambridge Christian Study Centre is open at the Round Church during term time.
At one of our conferences, Dr Chris Watkin challenged each of us to set aside a portion of each week to study Christian literature and theology relevant to our academic work, as he himself had done as a student in Cambridge.
The Study Centre catalyses this vision with study desks, dedicated reference library and with coffee and lunch discussion with Centre staff including our recent conference speaker, Andrew Fellows.
Essay Prize
Forming a Christian Mind – alongside UCCF Research, IFES Europe and Crosslands Forum – is taking part in the Gospel and Academia Project (GAP), which researches and develops foundational resources for Christians at the outset of their university careers – celebrating the goodness and relevance of an evangelical theological vision for fruitful and faithful academic service.
The annual Essay Prize catalyses thoughtful contributions to the wider project where winners will receive feedback on their writing, a financial award of €700, and a mentoring meeting with a more senior evangelical theologian or academic.
This year’s deadline is Friday 16 June 2023. For more information, including the essay prize brief and submission details, please visit gospelandacademia.org.
Our conferences aim to help students study excellently with a Christian ethos and worldview, and to use what they study for cultural apologetics and mission.
Over the past few years, we have invited speakers such as Prof John Lennox, Rev Dr Craig Bartholomew, Dr Os Guinness, Rev Dr Chris Wright, Dr Rhoda Hawkins, Dr Anna Nickerson, Prof John Coffey, Prof Julian Rivers, Prof Russell Cowburn, Dr Daniel Hill, Prof Glynn Harrison, Prof John Wyatt, Dr Chris Watkin, Prof David Bebbington, and others.
- Fellows
For students and researchers who want to go deeper, we also organise an annual Fellows Programme, which encourages students to re-integrate the Christian faith with scholarship, teaching, research and the intellectual life. The programme includes discussion of guided reading and supported practical exercises through weekly seminars and 2 away days.
- Get Involved
Our events are primarily for postgraduates, post-docs and junior academics; however anyone who is pursuing an academic career in other ways is welcome.
To stay up-to-date on our plans for 2023-2024, please join our mailing list.
Discover some of our resources, including talks and videos from past conferences.
Dr Chris Watkin
'Introduction to Biblical Critical Theory'
Dr Dan Strange
'Speaking of Hope: A Model for Cultural Apologetics in the Academy'
Prof Glynn Harrison
'Identity, Politics and the Doctrine of the Image of God'
Prof John Wyatt
'Science, Modernity and the Post Human'
Dr David McIlroy
'The Narratives of Modernity and the Christian Story'
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