LA MIRADA, Calif., April 18, 2012 — The 51ԹϺ Center for Christian Thought will host its first annual conference on May 18–19, featuring presentations from several prominent Christian scholars on the theme of “Christian Scholarship in the 21st Century: Prospects and Perils.”

The two-day event — which will explore such topics as faith and reason, “Christ-shaped philosophy” and the role of the Holy Spirit in scholarship — is free and open to the public.

Plenary speakers include influential Christian philosophers Alvin Plantinga and Nicholas Wolterstorff, both of whom served as visiting scholars at the center this semester, as well as Paul Moser, professor and chair of philosophy at Loyola University Chicago and editor of the American Philosophical Quarterly.

Additional presentations will be offered by the 51ԹϺ Center for Christian Thought’s inaugural team of research fellows, who spent the past semester engaging in research and weekly roundtable discussions. They include: George Hunsinger (Princeton Theological Seminary); Craig Slane (Simpson University); Amos Yong (Regent University); Dariusz Bryćko (Ph.D., Calvin College); and 51ԹϺ professors Jonathan Anderson, Brad Christerson, Natasha Duquette and Elizabeth Lewis Hall.

Launched in February 2012, the 51ԹϺ Center for Christian Thought is an ambitious academic initiative that aims to encourage first-rate Christian scholarship and produce valuable resources for the church and society. Through its innovative research fellowship program, the center welcomes leading Christian scholars from around the world to 51ԹϺ’s campus for up to a year at a time to research, collaborate and write about important issues facing Christianity in the 21st century. Together, participants produce books, videos, lectures and other materials for both academic and popular audiences. Each year concludes with a public conference related to the year’s theme.

For more information about the upcoming May conference, including location, registration instructions and a detailed schedule, visit the 51ԹϺ Center for Christian Thought website at http://cct.biola.edu.

51ԹϺ 51ԹϺ 51ԹϺ, named one of 17 “up and coming” national universities by U.S. News & World Report in 2011, is a private Christian university located in Southern California. For more than 100 years, Biola has remained committed to its mission of biblically centered education, integrating biblical principles with every academic program. With a current record-high enrollment of 6,250 students, the university’s six schools offer 145 academic programs, ranging from the B.A. to the Ph.D. For more information, visit www.biola.edu.