Is the Bible an authoritative moral guide that is based on the immutable teaching of God, or is it a set of guidelines that can be adapted to new and developing understandings of moral issues? Does a
universal morality even exist or should we assume that all moral codes (including our own) are culturally determined and limited by time and place. Our speakers will explore these issues and offer
divergent views. Marcus Borg is Hundere Distinguished Professor of Religion and Culture Emeritus at Oregon State University. He is a widely recognized scholar and a member of the Jesus Seminar who
lectures often in the U.S. and abroad. He is the author of several books, including Living the Heart of Christianity: A Guide to Putting your Faith into Action and Reading the Bible Again for the
First Time. He has been national chair of the Historical Jesus Section of the Society of Biblical Literature, co-chair of its International New Testament Program Committee, and president of the
Anglican Association of Biblical Scholars. Gary Ferngren is Professor of History at Oregon State University, where he has taught since 1970. He is the author or editor of several scholarly books,
including Science and Religion: A Historical Introduction, The History of Science and Religion in the Western Tradition: An Encyclopedia, and (forthcoming) Medicine and Health Care in Early
Christianity. Active in several national and international organizations, he has been a Vice President of the International Society of the History of Medicine, of which he currently serves as
Associate General Secretary.
