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Saturday, April 19thThe Symposium
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April 19, 2008, 8:00 am to 12:30 - New Covenant Community Church
In Defense of the Faith: A Symposium

breakout sessions

Pluralism – Other Major Religions
with Craig Hazen of Biola University

People today generally think Christianity is just one among a whole variety of religions, but what is religion? Does Christianity even fit the category?

In this provocative presentation Dr. Hazen will show how Christianity is dramatically set apart from the other great religious traditions.

Craig J. Hazen is a Professor of Comparative Religion and Christian Apologetics at Biola University and Director of the Master of Arts Program in Christian Apologetics. In addition, he is the editor of the philosophy journal, Philosophia Christi, one of the top circulating philosophy of religion journals in the world. He did his doctoral work in the Department of Religious Studies at the University of California where he focused on the historical interaction of science and religion. He is the author of articles such as “Is a Science of Religion Possible?” “God and the Law,” a co-author of the book The New Mormon Challenge, a monograph entitled The Village Enlightenment in America ( University of Illinois Press), and has contributed to two books nominated for Gold Medallion publishing awards. His latest work is a well-received novel titled Five Sacred Crossings (Harvest House). Prof. Hazen holds a Ph.D. and an M.A. in Religious Studies, a B.A. in Biological Sciences, and has studied at the International Institute of Human Rights in Strasbourg, France. His academic work has been recognized with multiple awards for excellence from the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the American Academy of Religion. He has been a fellow of U.C. Berkeley’s Bancroft Library, The Intercollegiate Studies Institute, and the Interdisciplinary Humanities Center. As an instructor at the University of California, Prof. Hazen was nominated three times as teacher of the year and co-taught one of the largest single classes in the University of California system. At Biola University he was named the winner of the Robert B. Fischer Award for Faculty Excellence, the highest faculty honor. Prof. Hazen has lectured to audiences around the United States and Europe on the evidence for the Resurrection, the historical reliability of Scripture, religion and science, and Christianity among World Religions. Hazen has lectured to Congress and their staffers on Capitol Hill. He is also a former cohost of a national radio talk program and has debated on Lee Strobel’s television program “Faith Under Fire.” He and his wife, Karen, live in southern California with their four children.

Hot Moral Issues
with Bishop John-David Schofield of the Anglican Diocese of San Joaquin

John-David Schofield is the Bishop of Anglican Diocese of San Joaquin. He was consecrated October 9, 1988 and became diocesan December 15,1988. The Bishop has led the Diocese through a historic transition from Episcopal Church to the Anglican Church. For more information about the Diocese transition, please read the Bishop's letter to the Diocese.

Youth Culture & Faith
with Chap Clark of Fuller Theological Seminary

Grounded in a solid theology of church life and community, this session will help us to grapple with our own fears regarding our changing world, and allows us to recognize and address how these fears get passed down the kids that God is calling each of us to serve, nurture, embrace, and love. Specific application strategies and tips will provide the hope that adults in today's society so desperately need in learning how to serve this so highly misunderstood and abandoned generation.

Chap Clark is associate professor of youth, family and culture and director of youth ministry programs at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, CA.  As well as being a two-degree seminary graduate, Chap holds a Ph.D. from Denver University in Human Communication specializing in relationships, teams, and organizational and family systems.   His responsibilities at Fuller include chair of Practical Theology Division ( School of Theology), Director of the Doctor of Ministry in Youth, Family and Culture, and Director of the Institute of Youth Ministry.  Dr. Clark also oversees the Ph.D. youth and family ministry track.

Chap is the author of several books, including Next Time I Fall In Love on dating and sexuality (Zondervan), a marriage communication/devotional from NavPress, Let Me Ask You This... (co-authored with his wife, Dee), The Performance Illusion (both NavPress), which was nominated for Reader's Choice Book of the Year 1993 for Christianity Today, Boys To Men (Moody), on raising sons, Faith on Fire: Creative Bible Lessons in Romans, The Youthworker’s Handbook To Family Ministry (Zondervan), Daughters and Dads (co-authored with Dee, NavPress), Starting Right:A Practical Theology of Youth Ministry (as co-general editor, Zondervan Academic), 4 Views of Youth Ministry and the Church (Zondervan Academic) and From Father to Son (NavPress). His latest book is a ECPA finalist for book of the year, Hurt: Inside the World of Today’s Teenager (Baker Academic, October, 2004).

Following his 15 years of serving on the Young Life staff, Dr. Clark has served the church in a variety of roles – training youth workers as a speaker/consultant for Youth Specialties, as the Executive Administrator at Glendale Presbyterian Church, and recently as Senior Pastor at Emmanuel Evangelical Free Church in Burbank, CA. 

A gifted trainer-teacher and energetic speaker, Chap has served in diverse settings in church, parachurch, education, military and other government settings.  He is a highly acclaimed resource for parenting and family conferences; parachurch, college and seminary consulting; leadership training seminars and consulting; and cultural trends, especially related to popular culture, adolescents and society.  His diverse ministry, leadership background and training, authentic style, and use of humor have won Chap the ability to speak to all ages, groups, organizations, and backgrounds.  His years in academic, parachurch and parish leadership have given him the credibility and experience to be in constant demand as a consultant for leadership teams, boards, large churches and international ministry organizations.  People from all backgrounds, both those from the church and those who are not comfortable in the pew, find Chap refreshing, real, and able to speak to them in a way that connects.

Chap has been married to Dee for over twenty-five years, have three children (two on Young Life student staff, one a senior in high school), and makes his home in Gig Harbor, WA while commuting to Fuller Seminary in Pasadena, California.

Tactics in Defending the Faith
with Alan Shlemon of Stand to Reason

There's no need to be either intimidated or combative in conversations about your faith and values. In Tactics in Defending the Faith, you'll learn easy-to-remember techniques to help you articulate your beliefs so that your conversations with friends will look more like diplomacy than warfare. You'll learn how to: initiate conversations, graciously and effectively expose faulty thinking, present the truth clearly, cleverly, and persuasively, and generally engage in more winsome and effective dialogue.
After taking this workshop, you'll be able to make an impact for Christ in any conversation on any topic with anyone at any time.

Alan Shlemon trains Christians to be effective ambassadors for Christ. He teaches skills in the areas of theology, apologetics, and bio-ethics in churches and groups throughout southern California. He has spoken at churches like Calvary Chapel, San Diego, Rolling Hills Covenant Church, and is a regular teacher at North Coast Church in Vista. Alan has distinguished himself in training Christians about the most controversial issues of our time like evolution, abortion, homosexuality, euthanasia, and cloning.

He is a graduate of California State University, Long Beach, and is currently pursuing his graduate degree at Biola University.