Welcome

“When scientists observe regular patterns in nature, such as the cycle of the seasons or the growth of new grass every spring, they try to understand how it works. In some cases, the patterns are so universal that scientists call them natural laws. The law of gravity is a prime example. ... Because gravity is so regular and reliable, scientists sometimes say, 'The law of gravity governs the solar system.' But Scripture tells us that this isn't the whole story. Natural laws don't govern; God governs. God speaks of his 'covenant with day and night and the fixed laws of heaven and earth' (Jer. 33:25). The regular patterns of day and night, summer and winter, and other fixed laws of nature were established by God's design. The fact that these patterns are so regular and understandable is a gift from God, without which we would not be able to understand the world.”
by Deborah & Loren Haarsma Origins (2007) p. 36.

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Greetings and welcome to the web site of the Hill Country Institute for Contemporary Christianity.

The Institute has grown out of the work of a team of folks in the region who have worked together to organize and host a variety of events, including C.S. Lewis Conferences, Narnia Sneak Peeks, Influential Leader Simulcasts, Spiritual Formation Conferences and Events, and Christian Leadership Training. Our goal is to serve the Body of Christ by bringing together thought leaders to address issues of concern to followers of Christ and those who may be considering His place in our times.

We work to address those issues in a variety of forums, such as conferences, symposiums, quotes and written articles to be displayed on the web site and articles and books to be published. We also seek to support and encourage Christian artists in the expression of their faith in their artistic endeavors.

How Children Raise Parents: Dan Allender on Parenting will be offered on the evenings of February 11-12, 7-9PM, at City School. Dan is a well known author and speaker on parenting, counseling, and healing. He was the founding president of Mars Hill Graduate School in Seattle, and is now a professor there. Please contact us for additional informaton-visit the page under Events or call 512.680.7993.

Walter Bradley spoke on Saturday, October 17, on the topic Science and Faith: Complementary or In Conflict? Current Topics in the Debate. Walter is a Fellow of the Institute, Distinguished Professor at Baylor University, and noted author and speaker on faith and science topics. If you would like a copy of the PowerPoint from his presentation, please contact us. The presentation was co-sponsored by the Austin Chapter of Reasons to Believe and hosted by Hill County Bible Church Northwest.

Past events include Transforming Culture: A Vision for The Church and The Arts (featuring Eugene Peterson, Jeremy Begbie, David Taylor, Andy Crouch, Barbara Nicolosi and John Witvliet), C.S. Lewis Conferences and other events to serve the Body of Christ (CD’s are available, contact us by clicking here).

We are now in the planning and organizational stages of a major symposium on faith and science. The Vibrant Dance of Faith and Science: Empowering the Church to Transform the Culture, will be held in Austin, Texas, in late October, 2010. Confirmed speakers include Hugh Ross, Fazale Rana, Darrel Falk, Stephen Meyer, Dinesh D’Souza, Walter Bradley, Rob Norris, Dan Heinze, and Deborah Haarsma. Topics will include an overview of key issues including the interpretation of Genesis and the origins of the universe, life and mankind; worldview and science; the limitations and dangers of science; the nurture and spiritual formation of the scientific person, and how the Body of Christ can impact and transform the culture in the area of science. Please check back for additional details and to register at early bird registration rates.

We co-sponsored The Great Debate: Was Darwin Wrong?, April 28, at Gregory Gym, University of Texas. This event featured Dr. Hugh Ross and Dr. Fazale (Fuzz) Rana of Reasons to Believe, a Christian think tank which presents evidence for a Biblical view of creation and science; Dr. Michael Shermer, author and founder of The Skeptics Society; Dr. Sahotra Sarkar, Integrative Biology and Philosophy, University of Texas, and Dr. Ken Diller, Chair of the Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Texas. Drs. Ross and Rana presented their model for testing their theory of creation and Dr. Shermer offered comments on their arguments. A panel discussion followed, with questions from the audience. The university department which sponsored the event was the Department of Biomedical Engineering. The student sponsoring organization was Hill House. Other co-sponsors included the Center for Inquiry-Austin and Hill Country Bible Churches. The debate was videoed and is on YouTube.

As our web site grows and develops, we will feature additional articles and events on the core areas of character and leadership development, the work of C.S. Lewis and The Inklings, spiritual formation, worldview and apologetic issues, and Christians in the arts. We will feature links to sites of interest and to the web sites and online articles of the Fellows of the Institute.

As a young, growing organization, we are actively seeking financial support and assistance from volunteers. If you would like to be part of the team as a financial supporter, you can contact me or donate online.  If you are interested in learning more about our efforts to serve the Body of Christ, if you would like to be part of the team as a volunteer, or if we can be of assistance to you, please contact me.

Thank you again for visiting. Come back and see us soon and hope to see you at upcoming events.

Under the mercy,

Larry Linenschmidt
Executive Director
Hill Country Institute for Contemporary Christianity