All of us experience suffering in some way, at some time. For many, life is full of physical pain and deprivation; others experience emotional turmoil; still others suffer the loss of friends and family to sickness and death. Indeed, it is no accident that many Christians throughout history have referred to life as a "vale of tears." Suffering often raises questions in our minds - and in the minds of unbelievers - about the sovereignty of God, or the goodness of our Creator. What do those who suffered have to teach us? How does the cross affect our view of suffering? Why does a good, sovereign God allow suffering come into the lives of His children?
When we turn to the pages of scripture, we see that the Bible is not silent on suffering. Nearly all the great men and women of scripture suffered in profound ways: from the ancient Job to the writer of the Psalms, from the prophet Jeremiah to the apostle Paul. The greatest Man of all, the Lord Jesus Christ, was called by Isaiah the prophet, "a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief." Peter, one of the closest earthly friends of the Lord, wrote to Christians scattered throughout Macedonia in words also meant for us today: "But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God. For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps."
The 2011 Princeton Regional Conference on Reformed Theology addresses this important topic. Our desire is to promote "Sound Doctrine, Preached," and, to that end, our title this year is, How Long, O Lord? Suffering, Scripture, and the Grace of God. We welcome Donald Carson and Ligon Duncan to preach and teach on this important topic so near to our own experience as Christians. We hope you will join us in Princeton this year.
Schedule
Friday, November 4, 2011
6:00 p.m. Registration
7:00 p.m. D.A. Carson, Job and Suffering
Saturday, November 5, 2011
8:30 a.m. Late Registration
9:00 a.m. Ligon Duncan, Jeremiah and Suffering
10:00 a.m. Ligon Duncan, The Cross and Suffering
11:00 a.m. Questions and Answers
12:00 p.m. Lunch
1:30 p.m. Seminars:
D.A. Carson, The Book of Revelation and Suffering
Ligon Duncan, The Psalms and Suffering
3:30 p.m. Sacred Concert
4:00 p.m. D.A. Carson, Paul and Suffering
Speakers
Donald A. Carson is an Alliance Council Member and research professor of
New Testament at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, IL
where he has taught since 1978. Dr. Carson received his B.S in chemistry
from McGill University, a M.Div. from Central Baptist Seminary, and his
Ph.D. in New Testament from Cambridge University. Carson has written or
edited over 40 books... Click here to read the complete biography.
Ligon Duncan is the Senior Minister of
the historic First Presbyterian Church (1837), Jackson, Mississippi,
President of the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals, Chairman of the
Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood, Together for the Gospel, The
Gospel Coalition, Convener of the Twin Lakes Fellowship, Adjunct
Professor at Reformed Theological Seminary, and served as the 32nd Moderator of the Presbyterian Church in America (2004-2005). Click here to read the complete biography.
