Catalyst Live, the two-day theology conference organised by BMS World Mission later this month, is a virtual sell out. On Tuesday an extra 13 tickets were made available for the Reading leg of the double header (28 November), but hese have almost all been snapped up. Fewer than 50 remain for Manchester on 27 November.

Catalyst Live features leading commentators from the worlds of theology, apologetics, science and culture, including Jurgen Moltmann, Sharon Dirckx, John Lennox and Stephen Holmes.

It’s the first time BMS has organised such an event directly linked to Mission Catalyst, its quarterly magazine for Christian leaders.

‘The way that Catalyst Live has come together has been so encouraging,’ said BMS director of communications Mark Craig. ‘From the earliest moment, when Professor Moltmann said he would come, through all kinds of wonderful people saying they'd join him, to us announcing a sell-out audience in Reading.

‘We're thankful that our vision for a BMS-led theology conference has been blessed by God, and we're looking forward to the two Catalyst Live dates when leaders from across the Baptist family, and well beyond it, can come together to be inspired by the amazing speakers we have with us.

‘The fact that there's a real appetite for this kind of unashamedly deep-thinking event is inspiring, and we're all looking forward to Catalyst Live.'

One of the speakers is Sharon Dirckx, a scientist who studies and works as an academic tutor at the Oxford Centre for Christian Apologetics. In an exclusive podcast with BMS, shared by The Baptist Times, she talks about her faith journey and unpacks Christian apologetics.

Becoming a Christian in her early 20s ‘in the middle of a biochemistry degree’, Sharon kept her faith and incorporated it into her career. In expanding her knowledge of science to a PhD in brain imaging, she has held positions in Switzerland, the US and in Oxford. In the podcast she sheds light on what it is like to be a Christian and a scientist in today’s world.

'Apologetics is a way of removing road blocks, so that people can see Jesus more clearly,' she said. 

The podcast follows one with Professor Moltmann, one the world’s greatest living theologians, where he spoke about Christian economics, blasphemies about creation and what the rise of the Nazis taught him about Christians in politics.

‘One thing we learnt from the Nazi state in Germany is that we must be involved as soon as possible if a dictatorship arises,’ he stated.

‘The separation of politics and faith was an obstacle for many Christians becoming involved in resistance against Hitler. Since that time, I would rather be involved in politics, even if I’m wrong. Not being involved is much worse.’

Listen to the Sharon Dirckx podcast