CONTACT: TOM SNEE
300 Plaza Centre One
Iowa City IA 52242
(319) 384-0010; fax (319) 384-0024
e-mail: tom-snee@uiowa.edu

Release: Oct. 4, 2002

Professional musician, minister will be Geneva Lecture Speaker Oct. 11-12

Dr. Jeremy S. Begbie of Cambridge University, England will be the UI Geneva Lecture Series speaker Friday, Oct. 11 and Saturday, Oct. 12.

The activities of his two-day visit will include a lecture and concert titled "The Music of God and the God of Music" on Oct. 11 at 8 p.m. at Harper Hall. He will also lead a lecture and workshop on Oct. 12 at 10 a.m. titled "Music, Worship and the High Priesthood of Jesus," also at Harper Hall. Both events are free and open to the public.

In addition, Begbie will lead an 11 a.m. joint worship celebration of First Presbyterian Church and St. Andrew Presbyterian Church at 11 a.m. on Oct. 13 at First Presbyterian Church, 2701 Rochester Ave., Iowa City.

Begbie is a professional musician, oboist, and conductor and an ordained minister in the Church of England. He is a much sought-after speaker in England, the United States, Canada, and South Africa. His unique contribution is in finding how music can enrich and advance our understanding of God and God's ways with the world. In his Friday evening lecture/concert, he will explore a wide range of musical phenomenon--rhythm, metre, resolution, repetition, improvisation--and through them open up some of the central themes of the Christian faith--creation, salvation, time and eternity, Eucharist and the Christian community.

Begbie is also the vice principal of Ridley Hall, Cambridge and teaches systematic theology at Ridley Hall and in Cambridge University. In addition, he is also director of 'Theology Through the Arts' (Center for Advanced Religious and Theological Studies) at Cambridge. He is author of "Music in God's Purposes, Voicing Creation's Praise," and "Theology, Music and Time," as well as many articles in music and worship.

Begbie's visit is co-sponsored by the UI student government, the School of Music, and the department of religious studies at the University of Iowa, as well as nearly 20 churches and religious student organizations in the Iowa City/Coralville area.

The Geneva Lecture Series is committed to the proposition that good scholarship and Christian faith go hand in hand. The purpose of the series is to present the university community with a challenge to consider the continuing relevance of the Christian message to contemporary life. In the past 25 years, more than 50 renowned scholars, scientists and artists have been invited to speak on the general topic of how Christian faith relates to their particular intellectual discipline.

For more information, contact Jason Chen, at (319) 341-0007, or by e-mail at geneva@blue.weeg.uiowa.edu.