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Flourish: The Good News of Science-Engaged Theology
Whether we have thought long and hard about it or not, everyone cares about flourishing. What does it mean to live well? What do the “good news” and the “good life” share in common? At this conference, we pulled from a variety of resources from the Christian tradition and the social sciences to think together on these questions.
The conference was part of a Sir John Templeton research grant and hosted through Carey Baptist College.
Programme
| Day 1 Conference: Monday 18 July | Day 2 Conference: Tueday 19 July | ||
| 8.45am | Registration | ||
| 9.00am | Coffee/Tea/Pastry | 9.00am | Coffee/Tea/Pastry |
| 9.15am | Welcome | 9.30am | Flourishing and Neurodiversity: Dr Pamela Ebstyne King* and Dr Joanna Leidenhag |
| 9.30am | Flourishing and Human Need: Dr Christa McKirland |
10.20am | Religion in NZ since 2009: Insights from the NZ Attitudes and Values Survey Dr Joseph Bulbulia |
| 10.20am | Let Justice Roll Down: Dr Andrew Picard and Jordyn Rapana |
11.15am | Morning Tea |
| 11.15am | Morning Tea | 11.45am | Paper Break out Sessions |
| 11.45am | Paper Break out Sessions | 1.15pm | Lunch |
| 1.15pm | Lunch | 2.00pm | Freedom and Flourishing in Community: Dr Nicola Hoggard Creegan |
| 2.00pm | Women Flourishing in Theological Academy and Church: Panel with Jordyn Rapana, Maja Whitaker, Joanna Leidenhag |
2.45pm | Small Group Discussion |
| 2.45pm | Accountability and Human Flourishing: Dr Andrew Torrance |
3.20pm | Closing Remarks and Acknowledgments |
| 3.40pm | Afternoon Tea | 3.40pm | Afternoon Tea |
| 4.00pm | End of Day One | 4.00pm | End of Conference |
*Dr Pamela Ebstyne King will be speaking via Zoom
What attendees thought about the conference
International Key Note Speakers
Dr Pamela Ebstyne King*
Pamela Ebstyne King is the Executive Director of the Thrive Center of Human Development and the Peter L. Benson Chair of Applied Developmental Science in the School of Psychology & Marriage and Family Therapy at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California.
At this conference she spoke about talking on a theology of flourishing for neurodiversity.
Dr Joanna Leidenhag
Joanna Leidenhag (PhD, University of Edinburgh) is lecturer in Liberal Arts and Theology at the University of Leeds, UK. She studied at the University of St Andrews and Princeton Theological Seminar, before completing her PhD in Systematic Theology at the University of Edinburgh in 2018. She serves on Logia International Board of Advisors.
At this conference she spoke about talking on a theology of flourishing for neurodiversity.
Dr Andrew Torrance
Andrew Torrance (PhD, University of Otago) is senior lecturer in theology, School of Divinity at the University of St. Andrews, Scotland, UK. He studied at the University of Otago, NZ completing his PhD in Systematic Theology.
At this conference he spoke about talking on “Accountability and Human Flourishing”.
Local Key Note Speakers
Dr Joseph Bulbulia
Joseph Bulbulia (PhD, Princeton University) is a professor of psychology at Victoria University, where he serves as Director of the Centre for Applied Cross-Cultural Research. Joseph is also a researcher for the New Zealand Attitudes and Values Study (University of Auckland), a longitudinal study with over 35,000 New Zealanders currently participating.
At this conference he spoke about features of religious stability and change within New Zealanders during the past 12 years.
Dr Nicola Hoggard Creegan
Nicola Hoggard Creegan (PHD, Drew University, New Jersey) is a theologian living in Auckland. She is co-director of New Zealand Christians in Science, and the author of Animal Suffering and the Problem of Evil (OUP, 2013) and co-editor (with Andrew Shepherd) of Creation and Hope (Wipf & Stock, 2018).
At this conference she spoke about “Freedom and Flourishing in Community”.
Dr Christa McKirland
Christa L. McKirland (PhD, University of St. Andrews) is lecturer in systematic theology at Carey Baptist College in Auckland, New Zealand. She is the founder and executive director of Logia International, which seeks to support women across the divinity disciplines for the sake of the academy and the church.
At this conference she spoke about the benefits of looking at basic human needs theory and what light that may shed upon divine to human and human to human interactions.
Dr Andrew Picard
Andrew Picard (PhD, University of Otago) is a lecturer and director of the Carey Graduate School in Auckland, New Zealand. Andrew has a passion for justice, and he teaches, researches, publishes, and supervises in systematic theology and public theology to serve the church in its service of the gospel.
At this conference he spoke about “‘Let Justice Roll Down’: Decolonising Theological Education for Human Flourishing”.
Jordyn Rapana
Jordyn Rapana (BApplTheo, Carey Baptist College) is a lecturer at Carey Baptist College. She has over ten years ministry service and experience. She is fluent in Te Reo Māori. She joined Carey in 2021 where her role is to support and advocate for Māori students to enable them to thrive in their experience and studies at Carey.
At this conference she spoke about “‘Let Justice Roll Down’: Decolonising Theological Education for Human Flourishing”.
Flourish Conference Photos
Check out these photos taken on the second day of the conference!