Speaker Bios

Dr Os Guinness

Os Guinness is an author and social critic, who is a Senior Fellow at the Oxford Centre for Christian Apologetics. He completed his undergraduate degree at the University of London and his D.Phil in the social sciences from Oriel College, Oxford. Os has written or edited more than twenty five books. Os has been a Guest Scholar at the Woodrow Wilson Center for International Studies, a Guest Scholar and Visiting Fellow at the Brookings Institution, both in Washington DC, and most recently a Senior Fellow at the EastWest Institute in New York. He has been a frequent speaker and seminar leader at political and business conferences in both the United States, Europe, and Asia.

Dr Matthew Kirkpatrick

Matthew Kirkpatrick is a Department Lecturer in Christian Ethics at the University of Oxford. He studied theology and then ethics at Regent's Park College, before completing a D.Phil, analysing the thought of Søren Kierkegaard and Dietrich Bonhoeffer. His research interests include existential philosophy, ethics, and systematic theology. He is the author of Attacks on Christendom in a World Come of Age: Kierkegaard, Bonhoeffer, and the question of 'Religionless Christianity', and is a regular contributor to Third Way magazine.

Prof John Lennox

John Lennox is Professor of Mathematics at Oxford University and an Adjunct Professor at the Oxford Centre for Christian Apologetics. He is also a Fellow in Mathematics and Philosophy of Science at Green Templeton College, Oxford. He is particularly interested in the interface of science, philosophy and theology and his most recent books include Seven Days that Divide the World, Gunning for God and Stephen Hawking and God. In the past five years, Professor Lennox has debated a number of the world's leading atheists including Richard Dawkins, Christopher Hitchens and Peter Singer.

Revd Prof Alister McGrath

Alister McGrath is Professor of Theology, Ministry, and Education at King's College, London, Senior Research Fellow at Harris Manchester College, Oxford, and President of the Oxford Centre for Christian Apologetics. His writings include his acclaimed book on apologetics, Bridge Building, his widely popular Christian Theology: An Introduction and various titles on science and religion, such as Surprised by Meaning and The Open Secret: A New Vision for Natural Theology. He has also written a number of books on atheism, Why God Won't God Away, The Twilight of Atheism and The Dawkins Delusion?.

Dr Kosta Milkov

Kosta Milkov has recently finished a doctorate in Patristic Theology at the University of Oxford. Kosta and his wife, Nada, currently run the Balkan Institute for Faith and Culture (BIFC). He is a visiting lecturer of theology at the Evangelical Theological Seminary, Osijek, Croatia, a Senior Associate of RZIM Europe and an ordained minister in the Evangelical Church in Macedonia.

Amy Orr-Ewing

Amy Orr-Ewing is the UK Director of RZIM Europe and the Director of Programmes for the Oxford Centre for Christian Apologetics. She gained a first class degree in Theology at Christ Church, Oxford University, before receiving a Masters degree at King's College, London. Amy has written a number of books exploring key apologetics topics, such as Deep, But is It Real? and Why Trust the Bible? Amy has given talks on Christian apologetics to many audiences worldwide, including at the Keswick Convention, the European Leadership Forum in Hungary, and to the White House staff in Washington D.C.

Revd Frog Orr-Ewing

Frog (Francis) Orr-Ewing is Rector of Latimer Minster, oversees the Minster's weekly congregations and has overall responsibility for the Minster projects. He is also the Chaplain and Missioner to the Oxford Centre for Christian Apologetics. In 2003, he became the youngest incumbent in the country as vicar of All Saints church in Peckham after a curacy at St Aldate's Church in Oxford. Despite Peckham's many challenges, over seven years the congregation witnessed marked growth and breakthroughs in community engagement and mission. He has co-written Deep and Holy Warriors with his wife, Amy.

Tom Price

Tom Price is an Academic Tutor at the Oxford Centre for Christian Apologetics, and a speaker for RZIM Europe. He studied Philosophy at university and later completed a Masters in Christian Apologetics. Before studying for his Masters, Tom worked for the University and Colleges Christian Fellowship as the founding editor of their apologetics website www.bethinking.org. Tom is also a speaker for Damaris Trust.

Michael Ramsden

Michael Ramsden is the European Director of RZIM Europe and is also Director of the Oxford Centre for Christian Apologetics. Michael was brought up in the Middle East and later moved to England where he worked for the Lord Chancellor's department investing funds. While doing research in Law and Economics at Sheffield University, he taught Moral Philosophy and his numerous speaking engagements have included addressing leaders at NATO's headquarters and Members of the European Parliament. He has contributed to the books Preach the Word! and Beyond Opinion.

Michelle Tepper

Michelle joined the RZIM team as an apologist-evangelist in 2011. A graduate from the Oxford Centre for Christian Apologetics and a gifted communicator, Michelle has spent the last few years serving as a full-time Student Pastor at St Aldate's Church, Oxford with her husband Peter. Michelle has a passion for evangelism, building community and seeing lives transformed by the revelation of the love of Christ.

Vince Vitale

Vince Vitale is Senior Tutor at the Oxford Centre for Christian Apologetics and Tutor in Evangelism and Apologetics at Wycliffe Hall, Oxford. He is in the final stages of an Oxford doctorate in Philosophy, having first completed an M.Phil. in Theology. His primary research interests are in ethics, epistemology, and philosophy of religion, areas which converge in his doctoral thesis on 'the problem of evil.' Vince is an Associate Editor of Forum Philosophicum: International Journal for Philosophy and he previously taught with rank of Lecturer in the Philosophy and Religion Departments of his alma mater, Princeton University.

Tanya Walker

Tanya Walker is an apologist for RZIM Europe, having been an Associate and a guest lecturer at the Oxford Centre for Christian Apologetics for several years. Following her undergraduate degree in Politics, Philosophy and Economics from Christ Church, Oxford University, Tanya worked in the charity sector in a variety of public policy and media communications roles. She speaks in a range of settings, including regular opportunities in universities and churches, has taught at several RZIM events and on the CARE leadership development programme in Westminster. She has a broad understanding of other faiths, has an MA in Islamic studies and her PhD research has focussed on the political and sociological implications of Islamic law in the West. She is married to Toby and they are based in London.

Dr Ravi Zacharias

Ravi Zacharias is Founder, Chairman, and CEO of RZIM. He has spoken in over 50 countries and in universities such as Harvard, Princeton, and Oxford. He has addressed writers of South Africa's peace accord, the parliament and cabinet in Peru, and officers at the Lenin Military Academy in Moscow. Ravi has spoken at the National Day of Prayer in Washington, DC, the Pentagon, and twice at the United Nations Annual Prayer Breakfast. He has written over twenty books and has a daily and weekly international radio program.

Extra Information

VENUE

RZIM Europe's Summer School will again be held in the Queen's College, which is one of the oldest colleges of Oxford University that is situated on the historic High Street. The magnificent Radcliffe Camera, Sheldonian Theatre, Bodleian Library and Bridge of Sighs are all just a few minutes' walk away, as are the Botanical gardens, Magdalen College and the university Examination schools. Originally named the ''Hall of the Queen's Scholars at Oxford", the college is the sixth oldest and was founded in 1341 by Robert de Eglesfield, a chaplain in the household of Queen Philippa, who named it in her honour. The magnificent library, one of the finest in England, was added during 1693-6 to house Bishop Thomas Barlow's (Provost 1658-77) collection of books. It houses around 100,000 volumes and boasts one of the most diverse collections of rare books in Oxford. The Front Quad has been called 'the grandest piece of classical architecture in Oxford' and the chapel, the striking chapel has stood virtually unchanged since it was consecrated by the Archbishop of York in 1719. The college also has a fascinating Christian heritage. One of the most famous figures in the history of the church, John Wycliffe, studied here in the fourteenth century. Wycliffe, one of the forerunners to the reformation, argued for sweeping reform of the church and is perhaps most famous for translating the Bible into English. For further information about Queen's College, please visit: www.queens.ox.ac.uk A virtual tour is available on http://www.queens.ox.ac.uk/visitors/virtual-tour

WEEK AT A GLANCE

The Oxford Summer School is an intensive week of exploring contemporary issues that challenge the Christian faith. The morning sessions include a daily Bible study led by John Lennox and a series of talks on "Jesus: In the Image of God" and "Downgrading and Upgrading Humanity". In the afternoon sessions delegates have the choice of seminars addressing either "Reality or Fantasy?" or "Rival Faiths" followed by "Ethical Challenges" or "War of the Worldviews."

COST

Please see our website for details on Oxford hotels, as well as answers to other frequently asked questions. There is an Early-bird discount of £75 per booking off all the above prices, for registrations made before 1st February 2012. Payment needs to be made in pounds sterling (GBP). We regret that we are unable to offer scholarships for this week.

REGISTRATION

Note:
Full instructions for completing the payment of your summer school fees are contained in the final page of the registration, and also in the confirmation email that you receive after registration. If you have misplaced this information, then please telephone our office on +44 (0)1865 302900.

Download our FAQs

We have loads of information in our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs), so do download the PDF as it will answer the majority of questions you may have regarding many aspects of the Summer School.

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