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Christian Scholar Lecture Program Presents Author John Stackhouse

Prolific author and scholar John Stackhouse comes to Pepperdine University on Tuesday, Jan. 13, as the featured lecturer of the fifth annual Frank Pack Distinguished Christian Scholar Lecture Program. Stackhouse will present "Can God be Trusted? Faith and the Challenge of Evil," at 7 p.m. in Smothers Theatre, Malibu.

The title of the lecture comes from Stackhouse's book of the same name, in which he critically examines the doubts about a loving God that arise out of difficult situations. The book, originally published in 1998 and re-released this year, explores a myriad of theories by Christian scholars that exist about how God deals with evil, and Stackhouse will touch upon these points in the lecture.

Jerry Rushford, director of church relations at Pepperdine University, says Stackhouse was chosen for the lectureship because of his fearlessness in tackling difficult topics. "I was introduced to Can God Be Trusted? about six years ago and was very impressed," he says. "The books he writes are cutting-edge and tough, and have been very well received."

Stackhouse is the Sangwoo Youtong Chee Professor of Theology and Culture at Regent College, Vancouver, and the author of seven books exploring diverse topics relating to Christianity, including gender issues and Christian apologetics. He has authored over 500 articles, reviews, and book chapters, and has editorial roles at Christianity Today, Books & Culture, and Christian History & Biography. Additionally he is the senior advisor to the Center for Research on Canadian Evangelism and is in much demand by the media, having appeared on major American television networks, as well as in The Washington Post, The Globe and Mail, Reader's Digest, and The New York Times.

The Frank Pack Distinguished Christian Scholar Lecture Program began in January 2005 as a continuation of the Thomas F. Staley Lecture series. The program is named for Frank Pack (1916-1998) who served for 60 years as a preacher in Churches of Christ and for more than 45 years as a distinguished professor of biblical studies in three colleges related to Churches of Christ: David Lipscomb College (1940-1944), Abilene Christian College (1949-1963), and Pepperdine University (1945-1949 and 1964-1990). During his academic career Pack authored nine books and more than 300 periodical articles. He also preached in more than 300 evangelistic meetings and was a featured speaker in college Bible lecture programs throughout the nation.

For more information about the Frank Pack Distinguished Christian Scholar Lecture Program, contact the Church Relations Office at (310) 506-4270.