Lansing Lee Conference

The Stories of Jesus' Birth:
Then and Now
Nov. 15 - 17, 2008

HOUSING UPDATE: Rooms are available in the Historic Cottages and in the Guest Houses for this event. There is a waiting list for rooms in the Kanuga Lake Inn, as well as for all single occupancy accommodations. For the latest availability, please .

The First Christmas: What the Gospels Really Teach About Jesus’s Birth by Marcus Borg and John Dominic Crossan

Marcus Borg and John Dominic Crossan, best-selling authors and widely acclaimed speakers, will keynote the second annual Lansing Lee Conference.

Their talks will explore the ancient and contemporary meaning of the Christmas stories in Matthew and Luke and their relevance for then and now. The two Biblical scholars will draw on research from their latest book, The First Christmas: What the Gospels Really Teach About Jesus’s Birth, released October 2007.

'Phos Hilaron' premiere

Their first address on Saturday evening, "Phos Hilaron: O Resplendent Light," references one of the earliest surviving Christian hymns and offers a message of Christ's emerging light in the darkness. The presentation will include the premiere of a multimedia performance arts piece featuring the Georgia Tech Chamber Choir.

The performance, also titled "Phos Hilaron," is the original work of producer/director Randall Robertson, who has created other spiritual multimedia performances with Newbery award-winning writer Madeleine L'Engle. ASCAP award-winning choral director Jerry Ulrich will conduct the 32-voice choir, accompanied by video, still photography and narration.

Sunday’s schedule includes two keynote addresses and a fireside conversation with Borg and Crossan.

About the keynoters

Borg and Crossan also co-authored The Last Week: A Day by Day Account of Jesus’s Final Week in Jerusalem, published in 2006. They have lectured in locations around the world, and their individual works have been translated into about 10 languages.

Marcus Borg

Marcus Borg

Borg’s 16 books include Meeting Jesus Again for the First Time, the single best-selling book by a contemporary Jesus scholar, and The Heart of Christianity, a popular study book in churches. With N.T. Wright, he co-authored The Meaning of Jesus: Two Visions.

John Dominic Crossan

John Dominic Crossan

Borg earned a doctorate in philosophy from Oxford University. He holds an endowed chair in religion and culture at Oregon State University.

Crossan is a professor emeritus of religious studies at DePaul University in Chicago. He has authored 23 books, five of which have been national religious best-sellers, including The Historical Jesus and Jesus: A Revolutionary Biography.

Educated in his native Ireland and the United States, he holds a doctorate in divinity from Maynooth College in Ireland and has completed post-doctoral research in Rome and Jerusalem.

Additional conference staff

CHAPLAIN: The Very Rev. Harry Pritchett is the pastoral associate to the dean of the Cathedral of St. Philip in Atlanta. Before retiring in 2001, he was dean of the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York. Previously, he served 16 years as the rector of All Saints’ Episcopal Church in Atlanta.

MUSICIAN: Kristen Lensch is the associate for children’s music ministries at Church of the Holy Communion in Memphis, Tenn. A church musician for more than 13 years, she frequently performs solo recitals and has won several national organ competitions.

The Lansing Lee Conference

The Lansing Lee Conference has been made possible by an endowment established in his memory by his wife, Natalie, of Augusta, Ga. Lansing Lee, who practiced law until his death in 2005, was active in many aspects of Kanuga’s program and governance for more than 50 years.

Cost

Double Occupancy

$360 per person
Includes program, lodging, meals and use of recreational facilities

Double Occupancy — Prefers Single

$360 per person
Includes program, lodging, meals and use of recreational facilities.
(Because housing for this conference is limited, single rooms are being waitlisted. If a single room comes available, you will be charged a total of $420.)

Participating spouse

$280 per person
Includes program, lodging, meals and use of recreational facilities.

Nonparticipating spouse

$180 per person
Includes lodging, meals and use of recreational facilities.

Commuter

$240 per person
Includes program, lunches and suppers. (For residents of Henderson, Transylvania, Polk, Rutherford, Buncombe, Haywood or Greenville counties only)

Payment

Deposit

$50 per person
Nonrefundable. Nontransferable. Deposit deducted from total fee.

Balance Due

October 15
(To register after this date, please send a check or use a credit card for the full amount.)

Start/End Times

Check-In

4-6 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 15

Check-Out

After breakfast Monday, Nov. 17

Conference Registration

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Financial Aid

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