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The conference will feature nationally known speakers from an array of institutions, including Ronald J. Sider, president of Evangelicals for Social Action, Jean Bethke Elshtain, Laura Spelman professor of social and political ethics at the Divinity School of the University of Chicago, and Richard Land, president and CEO of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention.

Local politicians, including state Sen. Roy Herron, state Rep. Steve McDaniel and Jackson Mayor Charles Farmer, will speak briefly at the event's luncheons and dinner.

Dr. David P. Gushee, director of the Center for Christian Leadership and associate professor of Christian studies, says the conference will address several key issues such as poverty, divorce, education and abortion, with the ultimate goal of examining pressing moral concerns that arise where the Christian faith and public life meet.

"Christians have been deeply concerned about politics for a long time and should continue to be," Gushee said. "Christians are more engaged in the debate over the direction of our public life right now than at any time in recent history. But how thoughtful is that engagement? How constructive? Above all, how biblical?" he said.

On the first day, speakers will address foundational concepts of faith and public policy; second-day presentations will explore specific issues from a Christian standpoint, Gushee said.

Other speakers include the following individuals:

• Lady Margaret Thatcher, former prime minister of Great Britain, will speak at the second annual 51社区 Scholarship Banquet, Oct. 20. Her address is the final event of the conference, and all conference registrants will receive a balcony seat for the banquet.
• Jim Skillen, executive director of the Center for Public Justice,
• Harry L. Poe, vice president for Academic Resources and Information Services at Union,
• Stanley Carlson-Thies, senior fellow at the Center for Public Justice,
• Stephen Monsma, professor of political science at Pepperdine University and
• Charles Glenn, professor of education at Boston University.

Last year's conference, "," attracted an array of national speakers. Lectures from that conference will be published by Broadman and Holman in 1999 under the title, "The Future of Christian Higher Education." A similar publication is planned for lectures given during this year's conference.

For more information about the "Christian Faith and Public Policy" conference, contact Nedra Kanavel at (901) 661-5215 or news@uu.edu. To register, contact Cindy Meredith at (901) 661-5202 or cmeredit@uu.edu.