The Summit 2012 theme, “Intimacy: Return to God” will focus on the story of Hosea and how it is relevant to society.
Elaine Heath, Walter Brueggemann, and Dallas Willard will participate as featured speakers.
In the story, God tells Hosea, an Old Testament prophet, to marry a prostitute.
Dr. Brady Bryce, director of ministry events, said it is not a typical ACU dating story.
“We’re going to unpack the story of Hosea at great length this fall,” Bryce said. “It’s a story that has significant application for our contemporary world, and ACU Summit will be a place we can talk about some of these things and embrace them. It will stretch all of us.”
Bryce anticipates riveting discussions to emerge during the 2012 Summit.
“We’ve been having these conversations for 106 years, and the topics we’ve discussed and the places we go don’t always feel safe,” Bryce said. “But at Summit, we have a safe place for conversation, not by dealing with safe issues, but creating a space where Christians can dialogue and embrace all kinds of views and perspectives.”
Elaine Heath, McCreless associate professor of evangelism at Southern Methodist University, is an ordained minister in the United Methodist Church. She has been asked to speak about her book “The Gospel According to Twilight: Women, Sex and God.”
Walter Brueggemann, retired professor of Old Testament at Columbia Theological Seminary, focuses his study on Old Testament theology. He has more than 58 published books, most recently being “The Practice of the Prophetic Imagination,” released in January.
Dallas Willard, professor in the School of Philosophy at the University of Southern California, is a renowned philosopher. Willard is a bestselling author, and his most recent book, “Knowing Christ Today,” was published in May 2009.
“I’m very excited about the speakers. It’s a really amazing group of folks,” Bryce said. “Dallas Willard has been especially formative in my own life, and I’m very excited about him being here.”
Well-known Church of Christ ministers Mitch Wilburn, Colin Packer, Chris Goldman, Jeff Christian and Jerry Taylor have also been invited to speak and expand on the scripture of Hosea.
Summit will also feature the iron pour, a slam poetry concert, concerts featuring M.A. Double and The Light Parade, and a screening of FilmFest entries.
“My hope is that when people leave Summit, they feel equipped to return to their field and minister,” Bryce said. “People will see how we all are unfaithful to God on some level, and we have a need to return to greater intimacy with God.”
