2025 New Testament Symposium

The Evangelical Foundation for Biblical Research (EFBR) warmly issues this invitation for a small group of New Testament scholars and pastor-scholars to gather for a symposium focused on The Church in an Age of Political Power. One way that EFBR fulfills its mission of ‘scholarship in the service of the church’ is through sponsoring small, focused conferences where scholars and practitioners address a biblical topic relevant to today’s church. The 2025 event will be held at the beautiful Glen Eyrie Conference Center in Colorado Springs, CO, nestled among the natural wonders of the Rocky Mountains. EFBR will pay all conference, meals, and travel expenses for participants. While participation in the full program is required—from Thursday evening to Saturday afternoon—an additional evening of accommodation will be provided for those who wish to explore the natural wonders around Colorado Springs (check out on Monday morning). Spouses are cordially invited and the spouse’s accommodations and communal meals (and an excursion or two) will also be provided, but the spouse’s travel is at personal expense). As in previous years, the aim is that our meeting will result in rich discussion and a volume of essays for the life of the church. To this end, upon submission of a revised version of the paper for publication, the participant will receive a stipend of $500.

The Church in an Age of Political Power

In their recent book, Jesus and the Powers: Christian Political Witness in an Age of Totalitarian Terror and Dysfunctional Democracies, N. T. Wright and Michael Bird issue an urgent call for Christians to examine the nature of God’s Kingdom in the midst of all the political upheaval in these fragmented times. Essentially, they ask: what is the right sort of political engagement for those whose first allegiance is to the Kingdom of God?

Historically, as some have withdrawn to form tight-knit, like-minded Christian communities, others have advocated for Christians to seize the reins of cultural power. How do believers stay kingdom-focused, maintain a prophetic distance from power, and yet speak into corrupt and corrupting systems? What is the right level of involvement within the processes without becoming part of the problem? What does it mean for Christians to declare “Jesus Is King!” and yet vote for their preferred candidate(s)? On a more grassroots level, how does “God, Guns, and Country” fit into a New Testament ethic? Does Peter’s or Paul’s admonition to heavenly citizenship speak to the church today? How might a pastor guide her/his flock over this often-contentious issue without losing a voice (or even a job)?

What can we learn about “politics” and “power/s” from Scripture? What can we glean from past and recent Church history? How is the Spirit directing the Church today?

We will gather to consider these and other significant issues.