The discipline called apologetics can seem to be the territory of gifted ‘specialists’ schooled in esoteric philosophical arguments, and academics in non-philosophical fields can feel reluctant to engage in it. Such timidity is compounded when we contemplate ‘doing’ apologetics within our professional and academic setting within the university. How do we introduce matters of ultimate concern in a world whose horizons appear to be stubbornly limited and inflexible, far removed and perhaps even vehemently opposed to any consideration of the gospel? How do we share the gospel of Jesus Christ with our colleagues in an authentic and organic way without attempting the excruciating ‘crunch’ of conversational gear-changes that is both superficial and artificial? Might it not be better to keep our heads down, quietly get on with our work, and leave apologetics to the experts who might occasionally come and do a mission at our university? 

At this conference Dr Dan Strange (Director of Crosslands Forum) will introduce a theological framework that will show how academics in all disciplines can engage in apologetics and evangelism in a winsome way, and for which their academic expertise is not a hindrance but a help. He will present a new paper offering an academic model to think about the way Christ both subverts and fulfils the deeper longings expressed through the cultures of our various faculties. Three leading academics from a range of fields will respond to the proposed framework and consider how it can be applied. The conference will also feature discipline-specific workshops.