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Join us on Thursday, November 5, at 6:30 pm for the launch of What is Christian Humanism?, a new book from Dr. Jens Zimmermann. Jens will be joined by Dr. Brent P. Waters and Dr. Paul Allen for a discussion of the book.

In his book, Jens shows that “Christian” and “humanist” not only belong together, but that true humanism flows directly from the gospel and is impossible without Christianity. He also explores how humanistic values rooted in the incarnation of Jesus Christ can help us reclaim our humanity in every area of life. Our identity is found not in secular philosophies, but in Christ's revolutionary act of the Incarnation. Christian humanism can help us recover the vision of what it means to be and become fully human in Christ, more important now than ever.

Location: Regent College Chapel

Parking: Regent College does not have its own parking lot. Paid parking options are available nearby with metered parking on Western Parkway, among other locations, and covered pay parking at the Thunderbird Parkade. See parking.ubc.ca for more info.

From the Publisher

In our rapidly changing world, we face a rising tide of threats to our humanity. From artificial intelligence and the erosion of free speech to bioengineering and euthanasia, the humanistic values we cherish, like intrinsic human rights and the dignity of all persons, are increasingly at risk. We are in danger of losing our humanity without even realizing it.

In this book, Jens Zimmermann:

• defines Christian humanism as the greater Christian tradition’s interpretation of the gospel as God’s promise that we will achieve our full humanity in Christ;
• provides an inviting introduction to the ideas and history of the Christian humanist tradition and why it matters today;
• argues that the incarnation of Christ is central to understanding what it means to be human, offering an alternative to secular humanism; and
• demonstrates how Christian humanism can address the challenges in different areas of society, like art, technology, politics, and more.

Perfect for those seeking a fresh way to engage the challenges of our day, this book demonstrates that our identity is found not in secular philosophies, but in Christ's revolutionary act of the Incarnation. Christian humanism can help us recover the vision of what it means to be and become fully human in Christ, more important now than ever.

About the Speakers

Dr. Brent Waters is the Emeritus Jerre and Mary Joy Professor of Christian Social Ethics, and Emeritus Director of the Jerre L. and Mary Joy Stead Center for Ethics and Values at Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary, Evanston, IL. He came to Garrett in 2001 and retired in 2022.

Brent is the author of several books including: Common Callings and Ordinary Virtues: Christian Ethics for Everyday Life; Just Capitalism: A Christian Ethic of Globalization; Christian Moral Theology in the Emerging Technoculture: From Posthuman Back to Human; This Mortal Flesh: Incarnation and Bioethics; The Family in Christian Social and Political Thought; and From Human to Posthuman: Christian Theology and Technology in a Postmodern World. Brent has also written numerous articles and lectured extensively on the relationship among theology, ethics, and technology.

He was the recipient of the Paul Ramsey Award for Excellence in Bioethics in 2016, and has served previously as the Director of the Center for Business, Religion and Public Life, Pittsburgh Theological Seminary. He is a graduate of the University of Redlands (BA), School of Theology at Claremont (MDiv, DMin), and the University of Oxford (DPhil).

Dr. Paul Allen is the Academic Dean at Corpus Christi College and Professor of Theology at St. Mark’s College. His scholarly research centers on the science-theology dialogue, theological anthropology, and systematic theology.

He has written Ernan McMullin and Critical Realism in the Science-Theology Dialogue (Routledge), Theological Method: A Guide for the Perplexed (T&T Clark), and co-written Catholicism and Science (Greenwood). In addition, he has written book chapters and journal articles (e.g., Heythrop Journal of Theology, Ex Auditu, and American Catholic Philosophical Quarterly).

He is currently working on a three part theological anthropology, the first of which is titled Creaturehood: Sin and Evolution in Theological Anthropology. The second volume will address Christian interpretations of governance and natural theology. He is subject editor for the Prolegomena section of the forthcoming T&T Clark Encyclopedia of Christian Theology and editor of a forthcoming volume, Saint Augustine and Contemporary Social Issues.