Renowned Scholar Dr. Michael Licona Coming to Campus for Christian Worldview Lectures Jan. 13-14

December 19, 2019

Dr. Michael Licona, associate professor of theology at Houston Baptist University, will deliver a series of lectures on Christian worldview during OBU’s January term. These lectures will follow along with the course of the Christian worldview class that is offered for free for freshman every J-term.

His five lectures will be based on his most recent book, “Why Are There Differences in the Gospels?” All lectures will be held in the Geiger Center room 220. The first three lectures will be held Monday, Jan. 13 from 9:30 a.m. to 10:45 a.m., 11 a.m. to 12:15 p.m., and 7 to 9 p.m. The first two lectures of the day will cover the differences in the gospels, with the evening lecture discussing two approaches to understanding gospel differences. The final two lectures titled “Are the Gospels Historically Reliable?” and “A Test Case: Assessing the Historical Reliability of Suetonius’s ‘Life of Augustus’ and the Gospel of Mark,” will be held Tuesday, Jan. 14, at 9:30 a.m. and 11 a.m.

The lectures are for students in the Christian worldview class but are free and open to the public. Pastors, church leaders and members of the community are invited to attend.

Christian Worldview is a first-year experience course offered through the Hobbs College of Theology and Ministry. This course is intended to assist each student in the development of biblical and theological foundations to understand the Christian view of reality. In this course, students examine the nature, scope, importance and content of worldview in general. They also discuss methods for identifying, evaluating and analyzing worldviews, while discussing questions like origins, the nature of the universe, human nature, truth, knowledge, morality, spirituality and history. Through this examination, students are challenged to develop a Christian worldview as a part of their own spiritual growth, faith and life. Students in the course also get the chance to analyze several alternative philosophical and religious worldviews and seek to understand how adherents of other worldviews see and understand reality and how their worldview motivates them to action.

Licona is a theology professor at HBU. He has taught many courses that focus on New Testament studies and apologetics. After completing a bachelor’s degree, he earned his master’s degree in religious studies from Liberty University and a Ph.D. in New Testament studies at the University of Pretoria in South Africa. He is a frequent speaker on university campuses. He has engaged in numerous public debates, usually on the historicity of Jesus’ resurrection.

He has published numerous books including, “The Resurrection of Jesus: A New Historiographical Approach” and “Why Are There Differences in the Gospels?” Licona has also contributed to many other books as well as written numerous essays on the topic of the New Testament. He is a published author in many journals and has written many book reviews over the years, and he has also been featured in many Baptist Press articles.

Every year, OBU invites renowned theologians and professors to deliver the Worldview Lectures. Past guests include Gary Habermas, one of the world's leading scholars on the resurrection of Jesus; Randal Rauser, philosophical theologian and widely published author; Craig Bartholomew, author; Michael Goheen from Trinity Western University; and Mary Jo Sharp, a leading Christian apologist from Houston Baptist University.