Dr. Jim Beverley

Dr. James Beverley is the Professor of Christian Thought and Ethics at Tyndale Theological Seminary in Toronto, Ontario. He has taught at Tyndale since 1988. From 1978 until his move to Tyndale, he was a professor at Atlantic Baptist University in Moncton, NB. He is the author and editor of twelve books, including Nelson’’s Illustrated Guide to Religions, Religions A to Z and Counterfeit Code, a reply to Dan Brown’’s famous novel. He is also the Associate Director of the Institute for the Study of American Religion in Santa Barbara.

Dr. Beverley was born here in the Maritimes, received a BA (Honours) from Acadia University (1975), an MDiv from Acadia Divinity College (1977), an MTh from the University of Toronto (1983), and a PhD from the University of St. Michael's, 1994 College(Toronto). His areas of specialization are apologetics, world and new religions, charismatic Christianity, Roman Catholic theology, and Christian ethics. He did his Ph.D. thesis on the inner teachings of Sun Myung Moon.

Dr. Beverley has been interviewed frequently by the media including BBC radio, Finnish television, CBC Radio, The Los Angeles Times, CBC television, Syrian television, CTV News, The Globe & Mail, etc. He is a contributing editor for Christianity Today magazine and a columnist for Faith Today magazine. In 2000 he had a personal interview with the Dalai Lama.

Dr. Beverley is an expert on the relationship of Christianity to Islam. He is the author of Christ and Islam (College Press, 1997), Understanding Islam (Thomas Nelson, 2001), Islamic Faith in America (Facts on File, 2002). He also wrote the entry on Muhammad in The Quran: An Encyclopedia (Routledge, 2005) and the entry on Islam in the six-volume Religions of the World (ABC Clio, 2009). He has done research on Islam in Africa, India, Europe, North America, and the Middle East. He is a member of the American Academy of Religion, Evangelical Theological Society, Canadian Society for the Study of Religion, Evangelical Philosophical Society, and the Society for the Scientific Study of Religion. His expert opinion has been sought in both criminal and civil trials, including the case of Holocaust denier Malcolm Ross. His testimony in a Toronto criminal case was included in a television documentary.

His wife Gloria is a kindergarten teacher in the Ontario Public School system. Jim and Gloria have two adult children. Andrea is doing a Ph.D. in English literature and Derek has a Bachelor’’s degree in Fine Arts from the Ontario College of Art and Design.

CONFERENCE SITE: Conference will be hosted by the historic Algonquin Hotel and Resort, 184 Adolphus Street, St. Andrews, NB. (Please note: You will not need to make hotel reservations as this will be done for you as registration forms are processed.)

CONFERENCE REGISTRATION FEES: Conference fees are subsidized by different agencies of the Convention of Atlantic Baptist Churches (CABC) to keep costs to registrants as low as possible. For registrants who are members of CABC churches the following structure applies:

• Basic Conference Fee: $300 per person*
• Bursary: A $100.00 bursary will be awarded to the first 50 pastoral couples** to register.
  Single occupancy requests add $75 to basic fee.
  A non-refundable Registration fee of $50 per registrant must accompany the registration form and will be applied to total fees.
  (*based on double occupancy of hotel rooms; includes accommodations and all meals)
  (**Ordained or Recognized Convention Lay Pastors presently serving a CABC church)

• Registrants not from CABC churches will be charged a flat fee of $400.00 per person

REGISTRATION: Attendees must pre-register prior to September 15, 2011. (Download Registration Form or Register Online) A letter of confirmation will be sent once the registration form and respective fees have been received. Registration will be completed in the main foyer of the Algonquin Hotel beginning at 2:00 p.m. on Monday, October 3.

OFFICIAL OPENING: The Conference will begin with the opening session at 7:00 p.m. on registration day.

THEME ADDRESSES: Dr. Jim Beverley will address the Conference six times on the theme of “Sharing Christ in a Pluralistic World” After each address there will be opportunity for questions and feedback.

BREAKOUT GROUPS: On two of the Conference mornings, breakout groups will be formed to discuss the practical implications of what Dr. Beverley has shared. Questions will be provided and each group will be lead by a facilitator.

LEISURE TIME: Once again we want this Conference to be a time of retreat and rest as well as inspiration and reflection. Two full afternoons have been left free of scheduled events for that purpose.

CHILD CARE: No provision has been made for child care during the Conference.