Summer School 2027

Next summer in Oxford, 13–17 July 2027

If you are a Christian who wants to grapple with the difficult questions of today’s culture, this event is for you!

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Cost & Accommodations

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Summer School 2027 Ticket (Early-bird)

Early booking helps us to plan ahead and keep costs down. Book today!

£ 640.00 £ 540.00

75 available

What We’ll Explore

Each year, we focus the Summer School around a theme and every year covers different ground. We may explore similar topics, but often with perspectives from different members of the team and guests.

Over the course of the year, we’ll be gathering and praying, looking to discern where God may want us to concentrate, so check back here for updates as this year’s theme comes together.

In previous years, we’ve covered:

2026: Costly Conversations: Speaking of Jesus in a Divided Age
2025: Stories & Ideas that Shape Us
- Watch Sara Stevenson’s talk Who Defines You?
2024: Clarity in the Chaos
- Watch Alanzo Paul’s talk How Can you Know What’s True?
- John Lennox’s talk What Happened to Truth?

Oxford Tour & Formal Dinner

Tuesday 13th July

3:30pm Meet at Weston Library, Tour of Oxford ‘The History of Faith in Oxford’ (Weston Library, Broad Street, Oxford OX1 3BG)
6:30pm Formal Welcome Event (normally a dinner)

Day 1 of Main Programme

Wednesday 14th July

8:30am Refreshments
9:00am Welcome
9:20am Bible Teaching
10:00am Lecture 1 and Q&A
11:00am Roundtable Conversation and Q&A
12:00pm Interactive Session
12:30pm Lecture 2 and Q&A
1:10pm Lunch
2:00pm Seminar 1
3:00pm Seminar 2
4:00pm Prayer, worship and announcements
4:45pm Evening break

6:00pm Socials:
Evensong at Christ Church or
Punting at Magdalen Bridge Boathouse

Day 2

Thursday 15th July

7:00pm Socials:
Pub Quiz Night

Day 3

Friday 16th July

Day 4

Saturday 17th July

8:30am Refreshments
9:00am Welcome
9:20am Bible Teaching
10:00am Lecture 1 and Q&A
11:00am Open Q&A
12:30pm Lecture 2 and Q&A
1:10pm Lunch
2:00pm Seminar 1
3:00pm Seminar 2
4:00pm Worship, commissioning prayer
4:45pm Official end to Summer School

Tickets and Accommodations

The ticket price this year is: £640 (price freeze from last year).

We’re aware that it can be expensive to spend a week in Oxford and so we work hard to keep the cost down. The OCCA Dinner, lunches and refreshments are included, but delegates will need to find their own accommodation and evening meals.

Bursary Application

We want this conference to be available to anyone. If the cost is a barrier for you, you can apply for a bursary. Want to help others be able to attend the week? Support OCCA and raising up the next generation of apologist-evangelists.

Tickets & Accommodation Options

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Accommodation List

Bursary Application

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Summer School Speakers

Along with our team at the OCCA, we will be joined by a few guests who offer expertise on various topics.

Alanzo Paul

Alanzo is passionate about literature, philosophy and theology. His work primarily focuses on questions such as, ‘Why does God allow suffering and injustice?’ and ‘What is the meaning of life?’. Additionally, he enjoys exploring topics such as the Occult, identity, Gen Z, difficult passages in the Old Testament, and the case for the historical Jesus.

Ben Thomas

Ben qualified as a doctor in 2003, and worked full-time in the medical field outside of the one year he took to pursue training in Theology and Apologetics at the University of Oxford and OCCA. In 2016, he became a consultant in Neurosciences Intensive Care Medicine and Anaesthesia unit, but now works as a consultant part-time alongside his role as a speaker at the OCCA.

Ben has interests in the intersection of faith and sexuality, gender, medical ethics, and psychology. He has spoken numerous times to the younger generations and adults in churches, conferences, and mission events across the UK and Australia. In his attempts to work out what it looks like to follow Jesus well, he is also a keen runner (Forrest Gump style!), musician, chef, and loves spending time with his family, friends, and Godchildren.

Clare Williams-Sarpong

Clare's work focuses upon questions of race, justice and culture, and what the Christian message has to offer these contested issues. She studied English Language and Literature at Oxford University, and has Masters degrees in Leadership, Culture, Diaspora and Ethnicity.

Cristo Rodriguez

Cristo has a background in Modern Foreign Languages and Religious Education in secondary schools. He has been involved in education for over 20 years in one form or another. Having worked in schools abroad with the British Council he worked in Alternative Provision, Youth Work and the voluntary sector as well being Managing Director of a Christian Education Charity and recently a Chaplain. He currently works as a subject leader in Religious Education and is a speaker and tutor responsible for schools work here at the Oxford Centre for Christian Apologetics. Cristo will be a Farmington Scholar at Harris Manchester College University of Oxford 2024/25 researching RE exam questions. Cristo is also a trustee of the Association of Christian Teachers (ACT) and a member of the Christian Coalition for Education (CCFE) and a Committee Member of the Religious Education Network (REN).

Esther Chidlow

"For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations." - Psalm 100:5 Esther holds a BSc in Mathematics and Philosophy from the University of Bristol, with a particular interest in logic and moral philosophy. After university, Esther completed the one year programme in Apologetics at the OCCA before qualifying as a Chartered Accountant in England and Wales. Esther is passionate about helping people share their faith with confidence in the places God has called them - whether in schools, universities, or the workplace. Through her work, she seeks to equip people to think deeply about life’s big questions. She loves spending time with people and engaging in real, honest conversations about faith, meaning, and the stories that shape our lives. She finds great joy in music and the outdoors, particularly exploring how beauty and creativity point us towards a good Creator. She currently lives in Oxford with her husband Isaac.

John Lennox

John is the President of OCCA The Oxford Centre for Christian Apologetics. He is an Emeritus Professor of Mathematics at Oxford University and speaks on the interface of science, and religion, and is a well-known biblical teacher. He has debated the likes of Richard Dawkins, Christopher Hitchens, and Peter Singer, and has lectured extensively in North America, Eastern and Western Europe, and Australasia on mathematics, the philosophy of science and the intellectual defence of Christianity.

John is also an Emeritus Fellow of Green Templeton College, Oxford University. In addition, he is a Senior Fellow with the Trinity Forum, and has written a number of books exploring the relationship between science and Christianity, among them: Where is God in a Coronavirus World? (2020), 2084: Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Humanity (2021), and Cosmic Chemistry: Do God and Science Mix? (2021). Most recently, Lennox has produced a biblical exposition, Friend of God: The Inspiration of Abraham in an Age of Doubt.

He gained his MA, MMath, and PhD at Emmanuel College, Cambridge University. He also holds an MA and DPhil from Oxford University (by incorporation), an MA in Bioethics from the University of Surrey, and a DSc from the University of Wales.

John lives near Oxford and is married to Sally. They have three grown up children and ten grandchildren.

Max Baker-Hytch

Academic Advisor

Rahil Patel

Rahil's work revolves around Hinduism and searches how to offer the beauty of the Christian Gospels to that eastern worldview in order to build bridges across demographics and faiths.

Sara Stevenson

Sara is passionate about exploring questions raised by Philosophy of Religion and Ethics. She has an MSc in Philosophy of Science and Religion from the University of Edinburgh, and an Education Degree in Religious Studies.

Tom Price

Tom Price studied Philosophy at university and later completed an MA in Christian Apologetics, and is currently undertaking doctoral research in theology, philosophy and film.