God, Struggle and Suffering in the Evolution of Life
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Joined by Christopher Southgate, Paul Fiddes, Neil Messer, Bethany Sollereder and Mark Wynn, Michael Lloyd will be launching their joint work God, Struggle and Suffering in the Evolution of Life. There will be a short panel discussion on this work, undoubtedly delivered with Michael's usual humour and wisdom. |
About the event
How is the confession of the Christian God compatible with all the struggle, violence and suffering to which the Darwinian world testifies? This work identifies key fault lines in this rapidly growing debate - over the questions of resistance to the divine will in the non-human creation in particular. Is the picture of the biological world we derive from the sciences indicative of a profound resistance, distorting the character of creation? If so, what is the origin and character of this resistance? Or is it unnecessary to postulate such resistance before the evolution of human beings and their sin? Or is an intermediate position, in which some specific characteristics hint at resistance, the most coherent approach?
As such it also provides a model for how theology can be done collaboratively, respecting diversity of positions and using that diversity to advance the frontiers of debate.
Wycliffe Hall has set itself the modest task of fostering a New Renaissance of Christian scholarship, leadership and culture. As a key component of this vision, an innovative new project starting in autumn 2025 will help us to equip the Church to engage intelligently, creatively, winsomely, humbly with our society again, and to offer it a better song to sing. We will provide a unique formation experience to cultivate theological depth, artistic excellence, and multi-dimensional diversity in congregational music- and worship-leaders.
Event details
Date: Tuesday 28th October
Time: 5.15pm
Venue: Wycliffe Hall, 52-54 Banbury Road, Oxford, OX2 6PW
Getting here: Wycliffe Hall is on major bus routes. Limited parking may be available on site (please contact us by email if you have any special access requirements) and pay-and-display on-street parking is available close by in Norham Gardens.
Photography and filming: This event will include photography and filming: please contact us directly if you have any questions about this: conferences@wycliffe.ox.ac.uk.
All are welcome: the event is open to the public and free to attend.
Christopher Southgate, Paul S. Fiddes, Michael Lloyd, Neil Messer, Bethany Sollereder, Mark R. Wynn Bloomsbury Academic, 16 Oct 2025
About Michael Lloyd
Michael Lloyd is the Principal of Wycliffe Hall and was formerly the chaplain at The Queen’s College, University of Oxford and the Chaplain and Director of Studies in Theology at Christ’s College, Cambridge University. Dr Lloyd has taught theology and doctrine at the University of Oxford, Cambridge University and St Paul’s Theological Centre, London. He has published the popular introduction Café Theology and has co-written Image Bearers with Rachel Atkinson. He has a particular interest in the problem of evil - and an inexplicable love of cricket.
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