The community is cordially invited to a public lecture by Santa Cruz native the Reverend Jim Burklo, associate dean of religious life at the University of Southern California. Burklo’s intriguing topic is “The Bible and the Brain: Experiencing Christian Scripture Through Cognitive Science.” Burklo poses provocative questions: What is the role of the Bible in Christian faith? Does it prescribe our behavior as faithful people today, or does it describe the spiritual stories, both inspirational and cautionary, of faithful people who lived long ago? Is faith strengthened or weakened if we assume that the fantastic and miraculous events described in the Bible are mythical in nature? Can recent discoveries in neuroscience about the brain provide a bridge between ancient and modern interpretations of scripture?
The lecture is sponsored by Trinity Presbyterian Church and will take place in the sanctuary at 420 Melrose Avenue, Santa Cruz, on Saturday, October 8, at 7:30 pm. A reception will precede the lecture, beginning at 7:00 pm. A $10 donation is requested; however, no one will be turned away.
Jim Burklo writes and speaks frequently about progressive Christianity. He is the author of Birdlike and Barnless: Meditations, Poems, Prayers, and Songs for Progressive Christians, and Open Christianity, a primer on the progressive Christian movement.
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This event is the first of a planned series of annual lectures that relate to theological issues and spiritual insights. These lectures honor the legacy of Robert Bruce Hope, a lifelong Presbyterian and member of the Trinity Presbyterian congregation.
