Affinity Study Conference

Some 80 people gathered at High Leigh Conference Centre, Hoddesdon, Herts, just north of London this week for a three day conference on The forgotten Christ. The conference is organised by Affinity (formerly BEC, see website here). I travelled up with retired Baptist minister Joseph Hewitt and Philip Eveson, Principal of London Theological Seminary and one of the speakers. Mr E was on his first drive out since radical surgery for prostate cancer. I'd have driven myself but didn't have access to the car. My assistant travelled from elsewhere. We arrived in good time and over lunch I began to get to know some from the half of the conference I didn’t recognise. I chatted to two fellows involved in the Crowded House project in Sheffield and Loughborough – two men I guess I probably wouldn’t have got chatting to anywhere else I go.
Jonathan Stephen (now ETCW Principal - a day for principals clearly) kicked off with a welcome and intro. Stephen Clark, Bridgend, planned the conference but was unable to be there. The six papers had been distributed beforehand so the speakers were required only to spend half an hour introducing them. The pattern was for them to make their presentation when 10 minutes for questions of clarification followed. We then split into groups of 10 to answer written questions arising from the papers. The groups then reported back with a short time to discuss the question from the floor. Reports to follow.