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 most recent installment of the MacDonald Lecture Series was held on Tuesday, February 10, 2026. Dr. Brett Williams delivered four lectures on “What in the World is a Worldview? The Importance of Metaphysics for Theology.”
Access the videos and lecture notes below. Thanks for visiting!
From school curricula to conferences to popular podcasts, “worldview” is the topic of the day. While the concept of worldview has permeated modern evangelicalism, most people have little understanding of its meaning and significance.
What is a worldview, and why is it essential for Christianity? Our 2026 MacDonald Lectures challenged current definitions of worldview and charted a new path for understanding and application, suggesting that your worldview matters not in the ways you think.
Preview of the 2026 MacDonald Lectures
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, for eight years at Mount Morris, Michigan, and for eighteen years at Lincoln Park, Michigan.
Resource Library from our 2026 MacDonald Lectures
On Tuesday, February 10, Dr. Brett Williams delivered four lectures on
“What in the World is a Worldview? The Importance of Metaphysics for Theology.”
Past Lecture Series
2025 Kyle Dunham
Session I: Post-Secularism and the Use of Ecclesiastes
Session II: Finding Wonder in a Fallen World: The Main Theme of Ecclesiastes
Session III: Where Do We Go from Here? Strategies for Deploying Ecclesiastes
2024 Manfred Kober
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)
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.
2022 – Ryan Martin
Lecture Manuscripts
2021 – Preston Mayes
Lecture Manuscripts
2020 – David Saxon
2019 – Jon Pratt
2018 – Paul Hartog
2017 – Emmanuel Malone
2015 – Jeff Straub
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