IUCC is pleased to host Marcus Borg and John Dominic Crossan, historical scholars, best-selling  authors and widely acclaimed speakers, who will lead this two day Conference called, “Jesus, Then and Now,” February 17 – 18, 2012 on our church campus located at: 4915 Alton Parkway, Irvine, CA, 92604.

This lecture series will focus on describing Jesus in the historical matrix of the first century and his significance today, especially in the context of American Christianity.

The following are the individual lecture descriptions:

- Friday – February 17, 7:30 pm - #1 Telling the Story Now and the World of Jesus Then.  Ways of telling the story of Jesus in American Christianity today compared to setting his story in the historical matrix of his time and place.

- Saturday – February 18, 9:00 am – #2 The Kingdom and the Way.  “The kingdom of God” and “the way of the Lord” as the central themes of Jesus’ life, message, activity, and passion in the gospels.

- Saturday – February 18, 11:00 am – #3 Good Friday and Easter. Jesus was executed by the powers that ruled his world and raised by God.  What did this mean then?  And what does it mean now?

- Saturday – February 18, 2:00 pm - #4 Following Jesus and American Christianity Today.  What does faithfully following Jesus mean for American Christians today?  Is it about believing in Jesus so that we can go to heaven?  Or is it about our transformation and the transformation of this world?

– for more information and a copy of the brochure, please click the link below –

click me!

Information on Speakers ~

Borg and Crossan have lectured in locations around the world. Their individual works have been translated into over 10 languages.

Marcus Borg is Cannon Theologian at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral in Portland, Oregon.

Internationally known in both academic and church circles as a biblical scholar, he was Hundere Chair of Religion and Culture in the Philosophy Department at Oregon State University until his retirement in 2007.

He is the author of nineteen books, including Jesus: A New Vision (1987) and the best seller, Meeting Jesus Again for the First Time  and three books co-authored with John Dominic Crossan, The Last Week (2006), The First Christmas (2007), and The First Paul (2009).  His novel,  Putting Away Childish Things, was published in April 2010.

Described by The New York Times as a “leading figure in his generation of Jesus scholars,” he has appeared on NBC’s “Today’s Show” and “Dateline,” PBS’s “Newshour,” ABC’s “Evening News” and “Prime Time” with Peter Jennings, NPR’s “Fresh Air” with Terry Gross, and several National Geographic programs.  A Fellow of the Jesus Seminar, he has been national chair of the Historical Jesus Section of the Society of Biblical Literature and co-chair of its International New Testament Program Committee, and is past president of the Anglican Association of Biblical Scholars.  For more information visit: www.marcusborg.com

Borg has authored 19 books including Meeting Jesus Again for the First Time, the single bestselling book by a contemporary Jesus scholar, and The Heart of Christianity, a popular study book in churches.

John Dominic Crossan is generally regarded as the leading historical Jesus scholar in the world. He is the author of several bestselling books, including The Historical Jesus, Jesus: A Revolutionary Biography, The Birth of Christianity, and Who Killed Jesus?  He has written twenty-five books on the historical Jesus, earliest Christianity, and the historical Paul.

John Dominic Crossan was born in Nenagh County in Tipperary, Ireland, in 1934. He was educated in Ireland and the United States, received a Doctorate of Divinity from Maynooth College in Ireland in 1959, and did post-doctoral research at the Pontifical Biblical Institute in Rome from 1959 to 1961 and at the École Biblique in Jerusalem from 1965 to 1967.  He was a member of a thirteenth-century Roman Catholic religious order, the Servites (Ordo Servorum Mariae), from 1950 to 1969 and was an ordained priest from 1957 to 1969. He joined DePaul University in Chicago in 1969 and remained there until 1995. He is now a Professor Emeritus in its Department of Religious Studies. He was the Co-Chair of the Jesus Seminar from 1985-1996.  He was elected Vice President of the Society of Biblical Literature for 2010-2011 and President for 2011-2012.  He lives in Clermont, Florida with his wife Sarah. For more information visit: www.johndominiccrossan.com.

The two Biblical scholars have co-authored The Last Week: A Day by Day Account of Jesus’s Final Week in Jerusalem, The First Christmas: What the Gospels Really Teach About Jesus’s Birth, and The First Paul: Reclaiming the Radical Visionary Behind the Church’s Conservative Icon. Borg and Crossan have lectured in locations all around the world. Their individual works have been translated into over 10 languages.

FAQ’s ~

Are discounts available for event?

Yes!  Discounts are available in a variety of ways.  Full event packages are $100 if purchased before December 31, 2011.  Other discounts are extended for IUCC members, students and seniors.

Are tickets available for individual lectures?

Yes! If you are unable to attend the whole event, a selected amount of tickets are available for purchase to the individual lectures.  We suggest that you purchase those early as they may not be available after December 31, 2011.

Are there hotels close to the church?

Yes, several within 2 miles and most at very reasonable prices.  We suggest a simple search engine on the internet to help you with this. The John Wayne Airport is within 5 miles of the church campus.

Are there Restaurants close to the church? 

Yes, several and many within 1 mile.  Everything from fast food and deli’s to sit down dining.  We are also offering a box lunch (Saturday, Feb. 18) for those who pre-register for an additional cost of $15.  This will include a sandwich, chips, fruit or salad and cookie.  There will be no box lunches available for purchase on that day.

Will the Speakers books be available for purchase?

Yes, we will have a local bookseller here. While we will not be able to have all of the titles here, we will have a good representation of both Borg and Crossan’s many titles.

Spread the Word ~

Use the materials and announcements to invite others like: people interested in learning more about the historical Jesus, friendly church goers, students, colleagues and buddies. Invite your friends on Facebook.

This is the first of what hopes to be MANY posts regarding the many upcoming and ongoing Events and Activities surrounding Irvine United Church of Christ.!

Keep checking back, and stay tuned!

www.iucc.org