Apologetics Conference 2025
– SACRED BEAUTY: CHRISTIANITY AND THE ARTS –
Saturday, November 1, 2025
9:00 am – 3:00 pm
“Within the church in the West it is almost universally acknowledged that we live in a post-Christian culture,” writes Mark Sayers in his book, Disappearing Church. For that reason, the exhortation from Peter (1 Peter 3:15) to be prepared to make a defense for the hope of the Gospel is all the more relevant and crucial. This November, New Life Presbyterian Church in Yorktown will offer its fourth annual FREE apologetics conference to assist the church with this challenge. Join us November 1 as Rev. Russ Ramsey and Dr. Jim Spiegel help us navigate the relationship between faith and the arts. Lunch and childcare will be provided!
Speakers
Dr. JIM SPIEGEL
James S. Spiegel (Ph.D., Michigan State University) is Executive Director of the Kalos Center for Christian Education and Spiritual Formation in Columbus, Ohio. He has taught at Taylor University, Hillsdale College, and Indianapolis Theological Seminary and has published eleven books and over 100 articles and book chapters. His publications, which primarily explore issues in ethics, philosophy of religion, and virtue epistemology, have appeared in scholarly journals as well as popular periodicals such as Christianity Today, First Things, The Federalist, and Touchstone. Spiegel’s books include The Benefits of Providence (Crossway), Faith, Film, and Philosophy (InterVarsity), The Making of an Atheist (Moody), and the two-volume Idealism and Christianity series (Bloomsbury).
REV. RUSS RAMSEY
Russ Ramsey is an author and pastor with a passion for uniting art and faith. He has been in vocational ministry for more than twenty years and currently serves as the lead pastor of Christ Presbyterian Church’s Cool Springs location. He holds an MDiv and ThM from Covenant Theological Seminary, and is the author of six books, including Rembrandt is in the Wind: Learning to Love Art through the Eyes of Faith (Zondervan 2022), and Behold the King of Glory, recipient of the 2016 Christian Book Award for New Author. Russ was also a founding contributor and member of The Rabbit Room and is a featured speaker each year at The Rabbit Room’s annual conference, Hutchmoot. Russ lives with his wife and children in Nashville, Tennessee.
Agenda
9:00 am
Welcome
Rev. Bob O’Bannon
9:15 am
"A Thing of Beauty: How Everything is Art and Art is Everything"
Dr. Jim Spiegel
10:00 am
Testimony
David Slonim
BREAK
10:30 am
"Creating in Community: How a Painter You’ve Probably Never Heard of Used Friendship to Give Us Paintings Everyone has Seen."
Rev. Russ Ramsey
11:15 am
Alcuin Study Center
Dan Daugherty
11:30 am
Book Recommendations
Rev. Bob O’Bannon
11:45 am
Lunch
12:45 pm
"Kill the Dragon, Get the Girl: Why the Gospel is the Most Beautiful of All Stories"
Dr. Jim Spiegel
1:30 pm
"Van Gogh has a Broken Heart: What Art Teaches Us about the Wonder and Struggle of Being Alive"
Rev. Russ Ramsey
2:15 pm
Q&A Panel Discussion
Dr. Jim Spiegel & Rev. Russ Ramsey
3:00 pm
Adjourn
Presentation Descriptions
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Without Jean Frédéric Bazille, impressionism as we know it might not have happened. This presentation tells the story of how the creative life doesn’t just rely on technological innovations, creative epiphanies, or disciplined practice, but on other people in our communities.
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One of the most heart-breaking parts of Van Gogh’s story is how he often remembered his outbursts and breakdowns. This presentation outlines the details of the fateful night Van Gogh cut off his ear, and examines the sacred work of what it looks like to steward one another’s pain.
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This talk will show how a biblical view of the nature of God implies that literally all aspects of the cosmos and human experience are quite literally art objects.
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This talk aims to show not only that the Christian Gospel is the most beautiful story but that this is a sign of its ultimate truth, because beauty tracks on truth.
Join Us
New Life Presbyterian Church
8000 W River Road
Yorktown, IN 47396
