NLA University College Post Ending

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Greetings from Southampton. I’m writing this news update having heard that my part-time post with NLA University College in Norway is to be axed as of this July, due to the Norwegian government changing their funding formula for research publications. My 20% position was split 50/50 between teaching and research, with the research half designed to allow me to publish enough each year to earn NLA the money to employ me via the Norwegian government’s university funding formula for research publications. Unfortunately, that formula has now changed, and this funding model no longer works…

Since my first book (The Case for God) was published way back in 1999 (!), I have sought to serve God, his Church and his world through a ministry of writing and speaking on behalf of the truth, goodness and beauty of following Jesus. I’ve tried to model a Christian approach to philosophy as “the wise pursuit of true answers to significant questions,” and have developed a rounded vision of Christian apologetics as a spiritual discipline of loving, humble service, using responsible rhetoric to help people be persuaded that a God-centered way of life that integrates our assumptions, attitudes and actions through faithfulness to Jesus as Lord, is a rational, good and beautiful choice to embrace.

Over the past quarter century, I’ve been privileged to debated the existence of God with philosophers like Einar Duenger Bøhn, Peter Cave, A.C. Grayling and Christopher Norris; and to give talks at churches, conferences and other events, for professional and lay audiences, in many countries around Europe. I have discussed and defended Christian faith on radio programs (e.g. Evangelical Voice of Romania Radio, Premier Christian Radio) and podcasts (e.g. Apologetics315, ID the Future, Pints with Jack, Snakk Om Tro, When Belief Dies). I’ve published 15 books, whilst co-authoring, co-editing or contributing to another dozen. I’ve also published peer reviewed papers (in journals including Philosophia Christi, Linguaculture, Theofilos and Think), and have contributed articles to numerous journals, magazines and websites.

Here’s some audio recordings from my recent teaching activity:

And here’s a recent video of a lecture:

Financially, all of this was supported by a combination a handful of faithful donors, and the income earned first by working for Damaris Trust UK (before the charity went insolvent in 2015), and latterly as a part-time “Assistant Professor in Communication and Worldviews” with NLA University College. Unfortunately, I recently received notification that my job with NLA will be axed this coming June, due to changes in how the Norwegian government calculates University funding.

Losing my job means losing just over a third of my monthly income. I believe I should try to continue ministering in the arena of Christian philosophy and apologetics, but doing so sustainably means replacing some of this lost income, especially as this is a ministry, like so many, that features a fair amount of volunteering and loss-making activities, like being a speaker and apologetics mentor for the European Leadership Forum (see https://euroleadership.org/), and publishing books (which means paying the publisher to edit and/or type-set the manuscript).

NLA are talking about trying to give me by-the-hour “piece-work” for some specific tasks from August onwards, but note this will be sporadic work at a lower wage. I’m actively seeking opportunities with a variety of organisations to write or give lectures (either in-person or online – even if only for travel expenses and an honorarium) and/or to prove tutoring sessions online (online tutoring is something I’m used to doing, both for students of course modules in apologetics at NLA, and as an apologetics mentor for the European Leadership Forum). The purpose of this news posting, however, is to ask if you’d consider supporting my ministry through the following options:

In 2025, I aim to publish a peer reviewed journal paper on “Christian Leadership in 3D,” and to bring out a book that brings together the new chapters that were written for my last three “Essays on…” books under one cover, as Stepping Stones to Christ: Reflections on Intelligent Design, Natural Theology and the Historical Jesus (Resource, 2025). I’m due to a series of lectures on evidence for the historical narratives in the Bible at the European Leadership Forum in Poland this May. I’m also working on apologetic material aimed at Muslim viewers of The Legacy of Adam video series (www.thelegacyofadam.com/). Finally, I hope to direct the recording of a twelve-episode podcast based on my book Outgrowing God? An Introduction tot Richard Dawkins and the God Debate (Cascade, 2020), which is being co-produced by Damaris Norge and Norwegian apologetics ministry BioCosmos.

If you’d like to receive a quarterly newsletter, keeping you in-the-loop on my life and ministry, please mention your interest via my email contact form.

In any case, I’d value your prayers as I try to navigate the path ahead, and any contacts you can pass my way.

With thanks,

Peter S. Williams (MA, MPhil, PGCert), Southampton, England