DTS's New Initiative, Podcast, and Conference on Cultural Engagement

Dallas Theological Seminary has expanded and renamed the Howard G. Hendricks Center for Christian Leadership to create more opportunities for the seminary to provide a biblical perspective on timely topics in contemporary culture.

DTS President Dr. Mark Bailey and DTS’ Board of Incorporate Members have appointed Dr. Darrell Bock as Executive Director for Cultural Engagement at what will now be called the Howard G. Hendricks Center for Christian Leadership and Cultural Engagement.

“This new emphasis for the Center reflects our belief that cultural engagement is imperative in today's world,” Dr. Bailey said. “Dr. Bock has long been on the cutting edge when it comes to theologians engaging with contemporary culture, so he is ideally suited for his new role.”

The Center will now cover the media, arts, workplace topics, social issues, sexuality, other religions and a myriad of other subjects. The goal is to be a useful resource for the Church, as well as to make sure DTS students are better equipped to engage the complex array of issues that are a part of our world.

The Table Podcast

“Theology is profoundly relevant,” Dr. Bock said. “Good cultural engagement with a sensitive yet challenging tone makes that clear. It helps us think about how God and culture connect. That is what we hope to show as we provide useful and significant resources for people to help them engage.”

The Center for Christian Leadership and Cultural Engagement began producing weekly videocasts this month for the public on an array of God and culture topics. These videocasts, called “The Table” because gathering around a table denotes discussing complex topics from a variety of perspectives, include interviews and conversations with DTS faculty and major evangelical leaders such as Andy Crouch, executive editor of Christianity Today; Dr. Stanton Jones, Wheaton College Provost and Professor of Psychology; and Kerby Anderson, a noted Christian author and radio host.

The videocasts, as well as special DTS chapel services on culturally significant topics, are available on the seminary website, as well as on iTunes.

The Table Conference

As part of the new emphasis, the Center will host an annual event called "The Table Conference." The first one, titled “Presenting God to Those who See Christianity Differently,” will be held April 19-20, 2013 at Bent Tree Fellowship in Carrollton, Texas. Dr. Bock said that best-selling author Lee Strobel will be one of the speakers.

Dr. Bock has served at DTS in the New Testament department for 31 years with a focus on Jesus and the gospels. He is a past president of the Evangelical Theological Society, editor-at-large for Christianity Today and has served in key supportive roles in recent years within the Lausanne movement, which works to unite Evangelicals to spread the Gospel around the world.

He is the author of many books that address contemporary issues, including a New York Times best seller, “Breaking the Da Vinci Code: Answers to the Questions Everyone's Asking.” Dr. Bock has blogged on God and culture for Bible.org for more than six years, as well as being a weekly panelist for the religion blog at The Dallas Morning News for almost four years.

He is frequently interviewed and consulted in areas of the Bible and culture by the national media and for documentaries and films.

Please visit www.dts.edu/ccl for more information on the Howard G. Hendricks Center for Christian Leadership and Cultural Engagement, named after a legendary DTS professor who mentored many prominent Christian leaders.