UBC Graduate & Faculty Christian Forum Speaker Series
Kevin Vanhoozer, Three Documents of the University: Reading Nature, Culture, and Scripture Theologically.
Date & Time:
Tuesday, January 27, 2026 | 12:00 PM (Pacific Time)
Location:
Online | Zoom
*link to join will be posted on the UBC Graduate & Faculty Christian Forum (see link below)
Who’s it for:
These lectures are aimed at graduate students and faculty or academics, but others who are interested in this topic are welcome to join.
What to expect:
Universities arguably exist to make the universe legible (readable) and intelligible (understandable). In Christian tradition, what the Second Helvetic Confession calls the “Book” of nature is as readable as the book of Scripture, for both ultimately precede through the Logos in whom all things hang together. The “book” of culture, human history, is similarly legible, because it is written by those created in the image of the Logos. Modern secular universities, however, struggle to make sense of these three documents. What Hans Frei termed the “eclipse” of biblical narrative led to a “great reversal” in hermeneutics in which the biblical narrative gave way to other frames of reference.
This presentation argues that the prevailing metaphysical frames of reference used today in the natural and human sciences, as well as in biblical studies, are ultimately unable to read rightly their respective texts. Brief examples from each of the three books – the laws of nature; human dignity; the historical Jesus – illustrate both the problem and also the way forward. This involves a retrieval of a theological frame of reference that privileges biblical narrative and enables faith-fueled scholarship to gain a deeper understanding of reality.
More Details:
More details can be found at the UBC Graduate & Faculty Christian Forum here:
Cost:
This is a free online event.
Hosted by:
UBC Graduate & Faculty Christian Forum
Questions?
Contact Gord Carkner at gcarkner@outreach.ca