WHY DO ALL THE COOL THINGS HAPPEN IN JULY...

...when I can not attend because of Act One? Here's one such very cool going-on that I have been tracking for a few years now, but which I can never attend because of our summer program.

Oxbridge is a consortium held annually at Oxford for Christian thinkers, writers and artists. All of the presentations are "in the spirit of C.S. Lewis" if not directly about Lewis or his works.

This year's event [sigh] is on beauty and truth in culture. My friend and mentor Frederica Matthews-Greene is speaking, as is another acquaintance, Nigel Goodwin, and a slew of other smart people from all over everywhere. Here's more info from their web-site:

Making All Things New: The Good, the True, and the Beautiful in the 21st Century
C.S. Lewis Summer Institute, July 24 – August 6, 2005

In the spirit of Lewis, Oxbridge 2005 will explore the possibilities of “making all things new” by examining both the meaning and contemporary relevance of the Good, the True, and the Beautiful across the wide spectrum of human experience. Complementing the insights offered by gifted speakers from the arts, humanities, sciences, and social sciences, this most significant theme will be further engaged through enriching encounters with music, dance, theatre, and worship.

In The Abolition of Man, C.S. Lewis warned that our culture was in imminent danger of abandoning the essential foundation of its core values, without which it could not long endure. The social and intellectual trends that followed his prophetic warning offer ample cause for the deepest foreboding. And yet Lewis was far from a pessimist with regards to the future.

Stan MattsonCome join us for a truly memorable, once-in-a-lifetime experience! You’ll enjoy stimulating lectures, challenging workshops, meaningful worship services and a rich variety of cultural programs, all in the good company of friends and colleagues – old and new.

See you in England!

I can't go, but some of you definitely should. (I just got an email from the organizers saying that they have grant money for scholarships. Don't think. Check it out.)