MacDonald Lectures in Bible & Theology

MacDonald Lecture Series

Every winter, Central Seminary conducts the MacDonald Lecture Series in Bible and Theology. This academic lecture series was created in memory of Charles MacDonald, Th.D. (1903–1971), beloved professor of pastoral theology at Central Seminary.

Our next installment of the MacDonald Lecture Series is scheduled for Tuesday, February 10, 2026.

Resource Library from our 2025 MacDonald Lectures

On Tuesday, February 11, Dr. Kyle Dunham delivered three lectures on
“Finding Wonder in a Fallen World: Deploying Ecclesiastes in a Post-Secular Context.”

About Dr. MacDonald

Academically, Dr. Charles MacDonald received a B.S. degree from Northwestern University, the Th.B., B.D. and Th.D. degrees from Northern Seminary, and a D.D. degree from Central Baptist Theological Seminary of Minneapolis, where he taught the last four years of his life. From 1936 to 1939 he taught on the faculty of Northern Seminary.

Dr. MacDonald served three pastorates, at Elgin, Illinois, then eight years at Mount Morris, Michigan, and eighteen years at Lincoln Park, Michigan.

Past Lecture Series

2024 Manfred Kober

LECTURES (VIMEO)

Session I: The Good Hand of God (Video | Notes)
Session II: The Untold Story of an Uncommon Saint (Video | Notes)
Session III: Suffering Saints in Communist Countries (Video | Notes)
Session IV: God’s Providence in the Collapse of Communism (Video | Notes)

LECTURE NOTEBOOK (PDF)

This is a large file (60mb) containing all of Dr. Kober’s Session Notes and Historical Scans (Newspapers, Pictures, Articles).

2023 Matt Shrader

For our 2023 MacDonald Lectures, Dr. Matt Shrader gave a historical presentation of the beginnings and development of Northern Baptist seminary education in the nineteenth century. The lectures focused on both major events and the major theology (method and content) taught during this time, what these bestowed on the Baptist tradition in America, and what we might be able to learn from them.

Videos | Conference Booklet