Human Flourishing: The Theme of Following Christ 2008
News Release
For Immediate Release
(Madison, WI) — InterVarsity’s Graduate & Faculty Ministries will focus its third Following Christ conference, December 27-31, 2008, in downtown Chicago, on the theme of Human Flourishing. The theme of Human Flourishing, which is intimately bound up with calling and the promise of vocation, resonates deeply among Christian academics and professionals.
The good news of the gospel brings with it the promise of vocation, a calling to good works that God has prepared for each one of us as we follow Christ. In finding and fulfilling this vocation, we are led to human flourishing, not only for ourselves, but also for our neighbors as well as our employers and our culture. The theme of Human Flourishing comes from the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, “We are what he has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life.” (Eph. 2:10)
In plenary sessions and discipline-specific tracks, delegates will draw connections between Human Flourishing and their daily work, research, and study. The conference will include the hallmarks of InterVarsity events — solid biblical exposition, musical worship, Bible study, prayer, and multi-media from twentyonehundred productions — all centered on the theme of Human Flourishing. In addition to tracks divided by discipline, cross-disciplinary seminars on topics such as AIDS, globalization, and spiritual formation are being planned.
Following Christ 2008 will begin on December 27, 2008 with up to five optional one-day sessions for groups that share similar interests and concerns, such as the Emerging Scholars Network and Professional Schools Ministries. The main conference itself will commence on December 28 and end the morning of December 31.
The conference will be held at Chicago’s Marriott Magnificent Mile Hotel, located in the heart of one of America’s largest, bustling cities. This centralized location will allow delegates the opportunity for a number of immersion experiences in the nexus of faith and culture.
The Conference Director is Jon Boyd, Associate Director of InterVarsity’s Graduate Faculty Ministries. Previous Following Christ conferences were held in Atlanta in 2002-2003 and in Chicago in 1998-1999.