In this address from our 2024 Davenant UK Convivium on "Renewing British Political Theology", Imogen Sinclair, Director of the New Conservatives and the New Social Covenant Unit, puts Philip Rieff and Sigmund Freud into conversation in an analysis of our current political decline.

In this address from our 2024 Davenant UK Convivium on "Renewing British Political Theology", Daniel Caballero (Ph.D candidate, Queen's University Belfast) delivers an overview of John Owen's understudied political theology and considers its relevance for today.

In this address from our 2024 Davenant UK Convivium on "Renewing British Political Theology", Dr. Graham Shearer, Lecturer in Theology at Union Theological College Belfast, draws on Augustine's famous distinction between things and signs to deliver as a diagnostic tool for the ills of modern British politics.

A lecture given at the 2024 UK Convivium by Oliver O'Donovan entitled "The Children of This Age and the Children of Light: A Biblical Apologia for Political Theology and a Critique of Its Traditional Defenders" In the keynote address of the 2024 Davenant UK Convivium on "Renewing British Political Theology", Prof. Oliver O'Donovan delivers an exposition of the Parable of the Dishonest Manager from Luke 16 in defense of the practice of political theology.

A lecture with Q&A given by Davenant Residential Teaching Fellow, Dr. Joseph Minich, entitled "C.S. Lewis as Historian of Religion." C.S. Lewis wore many hats: children’s author, Christian apologist, literary scholar. But can he be read as a theorist of the history of religion? And can reconstructing his theoretical history speak into contemporary controversies about the doctrine of God? By putting Lewis in conversation with some of his major influences (e.g. Owen Barfield) and by reading his fiction (Narnia, The Ransom Trilogy, Till We Have Faces) in conversation with several didactic works (especially Miracles), this lecture argues that we can in fact infer an implicit “history of religion” in Lewis that reconstructs religious knowing from the time of Adam, to the Ancient Near East, to the dawn of philosophical thought. Lewis’ implicit narrative reconstruction is likewise an attempt to situate his own modern moment within that same history. And while Lewis was not unaware of the risks of the modern project, he also took its goods for granted, and anticipated their preservation into the future. This lecture, then, likewise covers Lewis’ anticipation concerning the possible future of religion. Moreover, one might read Lewis’ own intellectual project is an attempt to enact a certain possible future, to publicly gesture man (through the renewal of an atrophied imagination) toward the telos of Christ, who is the human destiny. Joseph Minich (Ph.D, The University of Texas at Dallas) is a Residential Teaching Fellow at The Davenant Institute in Landrum, South Carolina. He is the author of Enduring Divine Absence (Davenant Press, 2017) and Bulwarks of Unbelief (Lexham Press, 2023), the editor of several works with The Davenant Press, as well as the founding editor of Ad Fontes. He is also a host of The Pilgrim Faith Podcast.

A Davenant Hall Fellows Lecture with Q&A offered by Prof. Ryan Hurd with a response by Dr. David Haines. In recent years, there has been a welcome resurgence of interest in Thomas Aquinas among Protestants. Many have recovered his masterwork, the Summa Theologiae, as a go-to resource for dogmatic questions. Even where they disagree with it, it has once more become an indispensable tool for doing theology. However, when reading the Summa, students can quickly max out the resources helpful for introductory learners. Careful reading on their own often hits a wall which can be difficult to climb. Students may feel they have a basic grasp of some of Aquinas’s big ideas and way of working, but sense that there is much more to be unlocked. In this lecture, Ryan Hurd gives some more advanced tips for reading the Summa and understanding the greater logic of Aquinas’s thought. Anyone desiring to go to “the next level” in understanding Aquinas will benefit. David Haines then offers a response to Ryan’s lecture, before an open discussion and Q&A time.

A lecture given at the 2023 National Convivium entitled “Non-violent Resistance for Just War Theorists” by Darren Yau. Darren is Ph.D. candidate at Princeton University. His research interests lie at the intersection of political theory and Christian political theology. Prior to joining the Religion department, Darren received a B.A. in Philosophy and a certificate in Early Christian Studies from Wheaton College.

A lecture given at the 2023 National Convivium “Rooted and Obliged: Simone Weil’s Vision for the Post-Liberal West” by Nathan Johnson. Nathan is Assistant Dean of Academics, Head of Program, and Teaching Fellow at New College Franklin in Tennessee. He is also Provost of Davenant Hall and author for The Davenant Institute’s magazine, Ad Fontes Journal.

A keynote seminar given at the 2023 National Convivium entitled “Supererogation and Statecraft ” led by Dr. Eric Gregory. Dr. Gregory is Professor of Religion at Princeton University. He serves on the editorial board of the Journal of Religious Ethics and sits with the executive committee of the University Center for Human Values. He is also author of a number of books and articles which includes Politics and the Order of Love: An Augustinian Ethic of Democratic Citizenship. His keynote address draws from his work in Augustian studies for advancing the theme of this convivium, “Christ and the Nations: A Protestant Theology of Statecraft.”

A lecture given at the 2023 National Convivium entitled “Theological Reflections on the Coronation of Charles III” by Dr. Alastair Roberts. Alastair is a teaching fellow with The Davenant Institute as well as with the Theopolis Institute. He has a Ph.D. from Durham University in the UK. He is coauthor of Echoes of Exodus: Tracing Themes of Redemption through Scripture. His talk is a captivating explication of Scriptural themes and events on coronation with rich theological implications. The culmination of this talk on the royal office of Christ brought a capstone to the convivium theme, “Christ and the Nations: A Protestant Theology of Statecraft.”

A lecture given at the 2023 National Convivium entitled “The New England Dilemma: John Cotton, Increase Mather, and the Perils of Puritan Political Theology” by Flynn Evans. This talk was a break-out session on the theme of this convivium, “Christ and the Nations: A Protestant Theology of Statecraft.” University of Mississippi). Flynn is a graduate student in history at the University of Mississippi.

A lecture given at the 2023 National Convivium entitled “Commerce and the Order of Love: A Case for Economic Nationalism” by Jonathan Tomes. This talk was a break-out session on the theme of this convivium, “Christ and the Nations: A Protestant Theology of Statecraft.” Jonathan, former Library Manager at Baylor is the Academic Library Director for the US Army.

A lecture given at the 2023 National Convivium entitled “Schleiermacher as Protestant Political Theologian” by Enoch Kuo. Enoch is a Ph.D. candidate at Princeton University. His research sits at the intersections of theology, political theory, and the history of science. This talk is a development of the theme of this convivium, “Christ and the Nations: A Protestant Theology of Statecraft.”

A keynote lecture given at the 2023 National Convivium entitled “Liberal Internationalism and the Protestant Augustinian Tradition” by Dr. Eric Gregory. Dr. Gregory is Professor of Religion at Princeton University. He serves on the editorial board of the Journal of Religious Ethics and sits with the executive committee of the University Center for Human Values. He is also author of a number of books and articles which includes Politics and the Order of Love: An Augustinian Ethic of Democratic Citizenship. His keynote address draws from his work in Augustian studies for advancing the theme of this convivium, “Christ and the Nations: A Protestant Theology of Statecraft.”

A lecture given at the 2023 National Convivium entitled “Between Capitulation and ‘Christian Nationalism’: Looking Backward to Move Forward” by Dr. Brad Littlejohn. In this talk, Brad, President of the Davenant Institute, gave introductory remarks and welcome to this annual event. The theme for the 2023 National Convivium Irenicum was “Christ and the Nations: A Protestant Theology of Statecraft.”

A lecture with Q&A given at the Fall 2022 Convivium at the Davenant House by Joshua Janniere entitled “‘An Ordinance of Reason for the Common Good’: Junius’s Reformed Thomist Theory of Law.” The theme for this convivium was “Law and Wisdom."

A lecture given at the Spring 2023 Regional Convivium by Dr. Katherine Wyma entitled "“Resisting the ‘Machine:’ CS Lewis and JRR Tolkien as Models for Embodied Friendship in an Increasingly Encroaching Digital Age.” Dr. Wyma is Senior Lecturer of English at Anderson University in South Carolina. This talk is preview of a book Dr. Wyma has been working on related to navigating both the positives and negatives of living in a 24/7 digital environment.

A lecture given at the Spring 2023 Regional Convivium by Paul Shakeshaft entitled "C.S. Lewis: Author of Literary Criticism, Children’s Fiction, and…Papal Encyclicals? Love and Friendship in Lewis, Pieper and Ratzinger" Paul Shakeshaft is a Research Fellow with the Davenant Institute and holds an M.A. from the University of Buckingham where he was trained in philosophy by Sir Roger Scruton. He holds a J.D. from Regent University Law School and a B.A. from Elmhurst College. His popular writing has been published in Mere Orthodoxy, The Federalist, and Providence Magazine, and he is a former scholar-in-residence of the Kilns, the home of C.S. Lewis. Paul is currently on the development staff of the Manhattan Institute.

A lecture given by Robin Harris at the Spring 2023 Regional Convivium entitled "Virtue and Friendship in Jane Austen’s Emma" Robin Harris is a Bible curriculum writer based in North Carolina. This talk develops the friendship aspect of the theme of this conference, “The Inklings and the Great Conversation: Friendship through Literature.”

A lecture given at the Spring 2023 Regional Convivium by Dr. Kathryn Wagner entitled “Intellectual Friendship and Academic Vocation in The Place of the Lion, Gaudy Night, and That Hideous Strength.” Dr. Wagner is a scholar of medieval English literature and current Director of Academic Programming at the Center for Christianity and Scholarship at Duke University. This talk develops a contrast and convergence of intellectual conviviality in the work of Dorothy Sayers and C. S. Lewis.

Nathan Johnson, Provost of Davenant Hall, interviews Joshua Shaw on his upcoming courses, the significance of the Hellenistic tradition in early Christianity, and the calling of the teacher to help students climb the ladder of knowledge up to God. To register for Joshua Shaw's course on "Alexandrian Theology from Philo to Origen" please visit https://davenanthall.com/product/alexandrian-theology-from-philo-to-origen/ To register for classes or begin a degree at Davenant Hall, please visit Davenanthall.com

A keynote address delivered at the Spring 2023 Regional Convivium by Dr. Harry Poe entitled "The Allegory of Love and the Launching of the Career of C. S. Lewis." Dr. Poe is the Charles Colson University Professor of Faith & Culture at Union University in Jackson, Tennessee. He has written and edited several books, however his book "The Inklings of Oxford: C. S. Lewis, J. R. R. Tolkien, and Their Friends," was of special interest to this Convivium.

A lecture given at the 2023 Spring Convivium by Dr. Donald Williams entitled "Jurassic Jubilee: Dinosaurs and the Revivification of our Literary Legacy." Dr. Williams is the retired Professor of English at Taccoa Falls College. In keeping with the conference theme, “The Inklings and the Great Conversation: Friendship through Literature,” Dr. Williams presents a defense of a traditional hermeneutic vs various iterations of deconstruction.

A lecture given at the 2023 Spring Convivium by Mr. Mark Olivero entitled "Something to Talk About: An Introduction to the Great Conversation & Its Affinity for Great Ideas." The theme for the 2023 Spring Convivium was “The Inklings and the Great Conversation: Friendship through Literature.” Mark is the organizer for this annual convivium on literature. In this talk, Mark presents a framework for returning "ad fontes" (to the sources) in the study of literature and the wisdom of doing so.

Nathan Johnson, Provost of Davenant Hall, interviews Charles Carman on his upcoming courses, the importance of knowing ancient languages, and the exciting research being done in Arabic and Syriac Christianity. To register for classes or begin a degree at Davenant Hall, please visit Davenanthall.com

Nathan Johnson, Provost of Davenant Hall, interviews Jordan Steffaniak on his upcoming courses, the relevance of philosophy for theology, and how studying the great texts of the Christian tradition is a historically Baptist endeavor. To register for Jordan Steffaniak's course on Baptist History, please visit https://davenanthall.com/product/baptist-history-i-europe/ To register for classes or begin a degree at Davenant Hall, please visit Davenanthall.com

Nathan Johnson, Provost of Davenant Hall, interviews Dr. Michael Lynch on his upcoming courses, the importance of reading early modern theology, and why it's important to wrestle with controversial ideas. To register for his upcoming course on Richard Baxter's Political Theology, please visit https://davenanthall.com/product/richard-baxters-political-theology/ To register for classes or begin a degree at Davenant Hall, please visit Davenanthall.com

Nathan Johnson, Provost of Davenant Hall, interviews Dr. Joseph Minich on his upcoming courses, the unique challenges of being a Christian in the late modern world, and how to approach theology as a whole person for the sake of all of human life. To register for classes or begin a degree at Davenant Hall, please visit Davenanthall.com To register for Dr. Minich's upcoming fall course Approaches to Defending the Faith, please visit https://davenanthall.com/product/approaches-to-defending-the-faith-2/ To purchase Dr. Minich's new book Bulwarks of Unbelief, please visit https://lexhampress.com/product/229474/bulwarks-of-unbelief-atheism-and-divine-absence-in-a-secular-...

Nathan Johnson, Provost of Davenant Hall, interviews Teaching Fellow Tim Jacobs on his upcoming courses, the relevance of philosophy for theology, and the importance of ethics and moral theology for the thoughtful Christian. To register for classes or begin a degree at Davenant Hall, please visit our website: Davenanthall.com

Nathan Johnson, Provost of Davenant Hall, interviews Dr. Alastair Roberts on his upcoming courses, Biblical typology, and the importance of listening and attending to the voice of Scripture. To register for classes or begin a degree at Davenant Hall, please visit Davenanthall.com To register for Dr. Robert's upcoming course on John and Revelation, please visit https://davenanthall.com/product/john-and-revelation/ To purchase Dr. Robert's 20-lecture course on an introduction to Biblical Wisdom, please visit https://davenantinstitute.org/biblical-wisdom-lectures

Nathan Johnson, Provost of Davenant Hall, interviews Professor Matthew Hoskin on his upcoming courses, ancient Christian theology, and the importance of knowing the philosophy, history, and literature of cultures of the great theologians of the past. To register for classes or begin a degree program at Davenant Hall, please visit Davenanthall.com To register for Professor Hoskin's upcoming course Augustine the Preacher, please visit https://davenanthall.com/product/augustine-preacher/

Nathan Johnson, Provost of Davenant Hall, interviews Professor Ryan Hurd about his upcoming courses at Davenant Hall, Reformed Scholasticism, Thomas Aquinas, and the love and mercy of God. To learn more about Professor Hurd's courses, and to register, please visit: Thomas Aquinas Seminar I: The Sentences https://davenanthall.com/product/thomas-aquinas-seminar-i-the-sentences/ Master of the Sacred Page: Senses of Holy Scripture https://davenanthall.com/product/senses-of-holy-scripture/

A lecture with Q&A entitled "Italy's Forgotten Reformation" by Dr. Chris Castaldo. To the surprise of many, Italy, the seat of Roman Catholicism, underwent a Protestant Reformation in the sixteenth century that reverberated throughout the country. From 1511 until 1542, home-grown movements of gospel renewal coalesced with the teaching of northern Protestant Reformers to produce a host of Italian preachers, commentators, theologians, and committed laypeople who believed that the authority of Scripture and the doctrine of justification were the leading edge of Christian identity and calling. This dynamic movement in Italy transformed segments of the Roman church, on both the lay level and in the upper echelons of the curia, until it was stamped out by the Roman Inquisition. In this lecture Dr. Chris Castaldo offers an introduction to the chief exponents, contributions, and enduring lessons of this now forgotten episode of church history. Chris Castaldo serves as lead pastor of NEW COVENANT CHURCH in Naperville, Illinois. He is the author of Talking with Catholics about the Gospel and co-author of The Unfinished Reformation: What Unites and Divides Catholics and Protestants After 500 Years. He recently contributed to Lost and Found: How Jesus Helped Us Discover Our True Selves, published by The Gospel Coalition. Chris blogs at www.Chriscastaldo.com For more information about Davenant Hall, please visit www.Davenanthall.com

A presentation given at the Fall 2022 Carolinas Regional Convivium entitled "The Place of the Human Body in Natural Law" by Dr. Eduardo Echeverria.

The keynote presentation given at the Fall 2022 Carolinas Regional Convivium entitled "Natural Law and Protestant Social Thought" by Dr. Jordan J. Ballor. Jordan J. Ballor directs the research agenda of the Center for Religion, Culture & Democracy (CRCD), which includes oversight of research publications as well as pursuit of his own scholarship, popular speaking, and writing. He has previously held research positions at the Acton Institute and Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, and has doctorates in Reformation history from the University of Zurich and in moral theology from Calvin Theological Seminary.

A presentation given at the Fall 2022 Carolinas Regional Convivium entitled "Law, Justice and International Order: Wisdom from Thucydides" by Dr. Nathan Johnson

A lecture with Q&A by Dr. Jason Lepojärvi entitled "C.S. Lewis and the Personal Opinion Fallacy." Perhaps now more than ever, authors can become targets of critics who mistake the views expressed by their characters, plot, or atmosphere for views held by the authors themselves. Authors then begin to censor themselves, fearing that the opinions expressed in their art will be equated with their own. The end result is a bland, homogenous world of fiction, lacking in both diversity of perspective and vigor of expression. In this lecture, Dr. Jason Lepojärvi reflects on this particular form of literary misreading and its contribution to other literary maladies. This form of misreading is closely related to what C. S. Lewis and E.M.W. Tillyard called “The Personal Heresy” and what W. K. Wimsatt and M. C. Beardsley called “The Intentional Fallacy,” but is distinct from both. Dr. Lepojärvi presents an argument based on Lewis’s writing which can serve as a possible solution to this pervasive literary fallacy. The handout for this lecture can be found here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1g1OLK5OQ790MIELl79nlKweKYfoSOGfL/view?usp=share_link You can find more information about Davenant Hall here: https://davenanthall.com/ You can find more resources from Dr. Lepojärvi from his Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@jasonlepojarvi/featured and his Academia.edu page: https://georgefox.academia.edu/JasonLepoj%C3%A4rvi

A lecture with Q&A by Dr. Andrew Messmer entitled "Spain's Forgotten Reformation." The Spanish Reformation has been almost completely forgotten, including by many 16th century specialists. Yet its roots preceded Luther, and it secretly attracted scores of top-level Spanish clergymen and academics across the country. It was insistent on equally stressing orthodoxy and orthopraxy. Had the Spanish Inquisition not snuffed it out, it may have been the most promising Reformation of all. In this lecture, Dr. Andrew Messmer introduces the major figures and questions of the Spanish Reformation’s first 100 years. What did the Spanish Reformers believe? Why was the Spanish Reformation unsuccessful? What would a Spanish Church look like today? These questions will be examined, along with key Reformers such as Juan de Valdés, Constantino de la Fuente, Casiodoro de Reina, and others. Andrew Messmer (Ph.D., Evangelische Theologische Faculteit) is Academic Dean of Seville Theological Seminary (Spain); Associated Professor at the International Faculty of Theology IBSTE (Spain); Affiliated Researcher at Evangelical Theological Faculty (Belgium); and editor of the World Evangelical Alliance’s Spanish journal Revista Evangélica de Teología. He has written and edited books and articles in Spanish and English. His Spanish page is WWW.CASAREINAYVALERA.COM, where he writes about all things related to Christianity. He is married and has five children.

A lecture with Q&A given by visiting Davenant Hall Teaching Fellow, Dr. Matt Hoskins. In the fifth century, the Church decisively rejected Nestorianism―the teaching that Jesus Christ is comprised of two persons hitched together, one human and one divine. This rejection was shared by Church Fathers writing across the Mediterranean in different languages, such as John Cassian in Latin, Shenoute of Atripe in Coptic, and Mark the Monk in Greek. Far from being a dry doctrinal dispute, the rejection of Nestorianism was vital for the preservation of the Gospel. In this lecture, Dr. Matthew Hoskin demonstrates how, despite their diverse tongues and contexts, Latin, Coptic, and Greek authors were united in their rejection of Nestorianism through a shared concern for its negative impact on spiritual life. All knew that only a true union of God and man in the person of Christ can bring good news and spiritual fruit to the personal lives of Christians. Dr Matthew Hoskin (PhD, University of Edinburgh) teaches ancient and medieval Christian history for Davenant Hall. His research focusses on manuscripts, monks, popes, canon law, and councils, which all feature in his book The Manuscripts of Leo the Great’s Letters (2022), and he blogs about the historic faith at Classically Christian. He lives on Superior’s northern shore in Thunder Bay, Ontario, with his wife and sons.

A debate between Jonathan Leeman and Brad Littlejohn on "Religious Liberty and the Common Good," hosted by Colorado Christian University (www.ccu.edu). Christianity in America faces dire threats from two directions. On the one hand, unfriendly government bureaucrats and downright hostile woke activists are tightening the screws on Christians’ freedom of worship, expression, and conscience. At the same time, churches themselves are not immune to the profound crisis of authority that has engulfed our public life, and the reflexive “me and my rights” individualism that has undermined the very concept of institutional norms and the common good. How can we stand up for authentic religious liberty in an age of license and moral chaos? And on what basis should we advocate in the public square for policies that protect the church? Different Protestant traditions have offered sharply different understandings of the relationship between individual conscience, the institutional church, and the responsibility of civil government. Jonathan Leeman is the editorial director for 9Marks. After doing undergraduate and graduate degrees in political science, Jonathan began his career in journalism where he worked as an editor for an international economics magazine in Washington, D.C. Since his call to ministry, Jonathan has earned a master of divinity and a Ph.D. in theology and worked as an interim pastor. Today he edits the 9Marks series of books as well as the 9Marks Journal and is the co-host of Pastors Talk. He has written for a number of publications and is the author or editor of a number of books. Jonathan lives with his wife and four daughters in a suburb of Washington, DC and serves as an elder at Cheverly Baptist Church. He teaches adjunctively at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, and the Reformed Theological Seminary. You can follow him on Twitter at @JonathanLeeman. Dr. Bradford Littlejohn (Ph.D., University of Edinburgh) is the Founder and President of the Davenant Institute. He also works as a Fellow of the Ethics and Public Policy Center and has taught for several institutions, including Moody Bible Institute-Spokane, Bethlehem College and Seminary, and Patrick Henry College. He is recognized as a leading scholar of the English theologian Richard Hooker and Has published and lectured extensively in the fields of Reformation history, Christian ethics, and political theology. He lives in Landrum, SC with his wife, Rachel, and four children. Follow him on Twitter at @WBLITTLEJOHN

A Q&A discussion featuring Protestant Social Teaching Contributors Brad Littlejohn, Mark LiVecche, and Jake Meador discussing their respective chapters at the Protestant Social Teaching launch event, hosted by the Institute on Religion and Democracy in Washington D.C. A full recording of the event featuring individual remarks from each speaker can be found here: https://youtu.be/Ea3PvhAJADw

Some remarks by Marc LiVecche on his chapter in Protestant Social Teaching, "Just War," at the book launch party hosted by the Institute on Religion and Democracy in Washington D.C. Marc LiVecche is the McDonald Distinguished Scholar of Ethics, War, and Public Life at Providence. He is also a non-resident research fellow at the US Naval War College, in the College of Leadership and Ethics. Marc completed doctoral studies, earning distinction, at the University of Chicago, where he worked under the supervision of the political theorist and public intellectual Jean Bethke Elshtain, until her death in August, 2013. His first book THE GOOD KILL: JUST WAR & MORAL INJURY, was published in 2021 by Oxford University Press. Another project, RESPONSIBILITY AND RESTRAINT: JAMES TURNER JOHNSON AND THE JUST WAR TRADITION, co-edited with Eric Patterson, was published by Stone Tower Press in the fall of 2020. Currently, he is finalizing Moral Horror: A Just War Defense of Hiroshima. Before all this academic stuff, Marc spent twelve years doing a variety of things in Central Europe—ranging from helping build sport and recreational leagues in post-communist communities, to working at a Christian study and research center, to leading seminars on history and ethics onsite at the former Auschwitz-Birkenau Nazi concentration camp in Poland. This latter experience allowed him to continue his undergraduate study of the Shoah; a process which rendered him entirely ill-suited for pacifism. Marc lives in Annapolis, Maryland with his wife and children–and a marmota monax whistlepigging under the shed. He can be followed, or stalked, on Twitter @MLIVECCHE. Additional publications can be found at his Amazon author page.

Some remarks by Jake Meador on his chapter in Protestant Social Teaching, "Environmental Care," at the book launch party hosted by the Institute on Religion and Democracy in Washington D.C. Jake Meador is the editor-in-chief of Mere Orthodoxy and is a writer and editor from Lincoln NE. His work has been published in First Things, National Review, Books & Culture, Commonweal, Plough Quarterly, Christianity Today, Front Porch Republic, and the University Bookman. He holds a BA from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Jake lives in Lincoln NE with his wife Joie, daughter Davy, and three sons, Wendell, Austin, and Ambrose. His first book, IN SEARCH OF THE COMMON GOOD: CHRISTIAN FIDELITY IN A FRACTURED WORLD, was published by InterVarsity Press. Find him on Twitter @JAKE_MEADOR.

Some remarks by Davenant President ,Dr. Brad Littlejohn, on his chapter in Protestant Social Teaching, "The Civil Magistrate," at the book launch party hosted by the Institute on Religion and Democracy in Washington D.C. Dr. Bradford Littlejohn (Ph.D., University of Edinburgh) is the Founder and President of the Davenant Institute. He also works as a Fellow of the Ethics and Public Policy Center and has taught for several institutions, including Moody Bible Institute-Spokane, Bethlehem College and Seminary, and Patrick Henry College. He is recognized as a leading scholar of the English theologian Richard Hooker and Has published and lectured extensively in the fields of Reformation history, Christian ethics, and political theology. He lives in Landrum, SC with his wife, Rachel, and four children. Follow him on Twitter at @WBLITTLEJOHN The full launch event with Q&A is available here:

A lecture with Q&A with Davenant Teaching Fellow Tim Jacobs entitled "Duty or Virtue: Which Does the Church Need More?" Many Christians assume morality starts with duty to commands. We search the Bible looking for commands to obey. Yet swiftly we invent new rules, and eventually accidental legalism is born. Even healthy churches struggle with this subtle moralism that breeds Pharisaism, with honesty sacrificed for appearances, or compassion for authoritarianism. How can we reform our view of duty? In this lecture, Tim Jacobs will show how biblical commands point us to the more fundamental source of ethics: the natural law based in human nature, which is itself founded on God’s nature. Attendees will learn the sources and dangers of duty-based ethics, the case for New Testament virtue ethics, and how the Reformed tradition has understood virtue. This talk will make use of Aristotle, Aquinas, John Calvin, Peter Martyr Vermigli, and Jonathan Edwards.

A synthetic session titled “The Task Ahead of Us” led by Brad Littlejohn, Colin Redemer and Joseph Minich. This talk was delivered at the 2022 National Convivium hosted at Davenant House in Landrum, SC. The synthetic talk at our convivia is traditionally a final discussion that brings together key ideas from the various talks presented. The value of this discussion is in how the presented papers relate to the overall theme of Philosophy and the Christian as well as ways we can put into practice the principles gleaned therein.

A Guided Discussion titled “C.S. Lewis and the History of Religion” led by Dr. Joseph Minich and Colin Redemer.This talk was delivered at the 2022 National Convivium hosted at Davenant House in Landrum, SC. Dr. Minich is a teaching fellow for Davenant Hall and co-host for the Pilgrim Faith podcast, a Davenant Institute podcast available on Apple podcasts, Spotify, and SoundCloud. Colin Redemer is Vice-President of The Davenant Institute and is a Ph.D candidate with a focus on friendship in the writings of Aristotle.

A presentation titled “Re-evaluating Mark Noll, Scottish Common Sense Realism, and Charles Hodge” by Mark Hallman (Dallas Theological Seminary). This talk was delivered at the 2022 National Convivium hosted at Davenant House in Landrum, SC.

A presentation titled “Theology’s ‘Gardner’: Yielding the Fruit of Bavinck’s Theological Encyclopedia” by Dr. Gregory Parker. This talk was delivered at the 2022 National Convivium hosted at Davenant House in Landrum, SC. Dr. Parker received his Ph.D. in systematic theology at the University of Edinburgh under the supervision of James Eglinton. He joined the Cairn University, School of Divinity faculty in 2022. His dissertation focuses on the relationship between the dogmatics and ethics of the 19th century Dutch Reformed theologian, Herman Bavinck. He also played lacrosse for the University of Edinburgh. He teaches courses in systematic theology at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, including Triune God, Narrative of Redemption, and Life and Calling.

A presentation titled “Intellectus Quaerens Fidem: John Locke’s Reading of Romans 1” by Dr. Clifford Humphrey. This talk was delivered at the 2022 National Convivium hosted at Davenant House in Landrum, SC. Dr. Clifford Humphrey is the director of Troy University’s Institute for Civic and Global Leadership. He was previously a postdoctoral fellow at the Institute for Human Ecology at the Catholic University of America and Assistant Professor of Humanities at Thales College.

A presentation titled “Theology as a Science: Aquinas on How Philosophy Transforms Theology” by Tim Jacobs. This talk was delivered at the 2022 National Convivium hosted at Davenant House in Landrum, SC. Tim Jacobs is a teaching fellow with Davenant Hall. He is a PhD candidate in philosophy at the University of St. Thomas.

This is a Keynote Seminar titled “Bavinck: Personality and Worldview” presented and led by Dr. James Eglinton. This talk was delivered at the 2022 National Convivium hosted at Davenant House in Landrum, SC. More information on Dr. Eglinton can be found in the description of the audio of the Keynote Address of the 2022 National Convivium. In this talk Dr. Eglinton discusses the little known contributions of another Bavinck, J. H. Bavinck and his influence on theology and philosophy of his time.

A presentation titled “Making the Great Tradition Great Again: A Classical Defense of Modern Metaphysics" by Dr. Jordan Steffaniak. This talk was delivered at the 2022 National Convivium hosted at Davenant House in Landrum, SC. Dr. Steffaniak is the President of the London Lyceum. He fulfills several roles, including host and producer of the podcast, editor of the website and journal Theologia Viatorum. He is a research fellow for the Center for Faith and Culture at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary and an academic tutor for Bible Mesh. He also works full-time in the finance industry as a business intelligence manager. He is currently a Ph.D. candidate in Philosophy at the University of Birmingham (UK).

This is a Guided Discussion titled “Speaking of God: Discerning the Limits of Philosophy” led by Onsi Kamel. Onsi is the former Editor-in-Chief of Davenant Press. This talk was delivered at the 2022 National Convivium hosted at Davenant House in Landrum, SC. Onsi holds MA degrees from The University of Chicago and Princeton Theological Seminary. Onsi is a first-year Ph.D. student in philosophy and religion. His primary research interests lie in metaphysics and epistemology, the history of philosophy, historical theology, and intellectual history. His prior research has encompassed themes including theological anthropology, Augustinian conceptions of the passions and the soul, early modern and Cartesian metaphysics and physics, Protestant theology and its relation to secularity, and Western missionary endeavors in Egypt.

A presentation titled “Confessions of a Christian Philosopher: St. Augustine’s Complicated Relationship with Greek Philosophy” by Nathan Johnson. This talk was delivered at the 2022 National Convivium hosted at Davenant House in Landrum, SC. Dr. Johnson is Assistant Dean of Academics, Head of Program, and Teaching Fellow at New College Franklin. Originally from Tennessee with family roots going back to the early 1800s, he joins us after 6 years teaching humanities and composition at Greyfriars Classical Academy in Matthews, North Carolina. He is a Ph.D. candidate in Humanities from Faulkner University.

A presentation titled “Wisdom Built a House: The Fear of the Lord as the Governing Principle of Philosophy and Life” by Dr. Shep Shepherd. This talk was delivered at the 2022 National Convivium hosted at Davenant House in Landrum, SC. Dr. Shepherd works as Chief Law Clerk at The Adoption Law Firm in Alabama. He received his Ph.D. from University of Aberdeen in Scotland. His doctoral thesis on the ecclesiology of the Scottish theologian Thomas F. Torrance was supervised by the late John Webster. Shep was a founding faculty member of City View Seminary in Augusta, GA, where he served as Professor of Systematic Theology from 2018-2020. Since 2016, he continues to serve as a part-time Lecturer for Samford University’s Office of Professional Studies, teaching ethics. In addition to teaching, Shep served for over two years as an Assistant Editor for Participatio, a peer-reviewed academic journal published by the Thomas F. Torrance Theological Fellowship.

A presentation titled “Christian Platonism in the History of Philosophy” by Dr. David Haines. This talk was delivered at the 2022 National Convivium hosted at Davenant House in Landrum, SC. Dr. Haines holds a Ph.D., Université Laval (Philosophy), an M.A., Southern Evangelical Seminary (Philosophy) and B.Th., Covington Theological Seminary. In this talk Dr. Haines wrestles with recent questions concerning the value of Plato to theology and how various Christian thinkers have benefited over the centuries from key principles set for in Plato's writings and those who have followed from his thought.

This keynote presentation, “Herman Bavinck: Learning to Love Philosophy,” by keynote speaker Dr. James Eglinton was given at the 2022 National Convivium hosted at Davenant House. Dr. Eglinton is the Meldrum Senior Lecturer in Reformed Theology at the University of Edinburgh. A specialist in the history and theology of Dutch Neo-Calvinism, Dr. Eglinton has published work as co-editor of Neo-Calvinism and the French Revolution (Bloomsbury, 2014), editor and translator of Herman Bavinck on Preaching and Preachers (Hendrickson, 2017), and co-editor and co-translator of Christian Worldview (Crossway, 2019). His book Bavinck: A Critical Biography was published by Baker Academic in 2020, and won that year’s History and Biography Book of the Year Prize in The Gospel Coalition 2020 Book Awards. It was also a finalist in the 2021 ECPA Book Awards. He also serves as Associate Editor of the Journal of Reformed Theology, published by Brill. Dr. Eglinton was joined by other scholars and educators from the Davenant network to wrestle with these important questions.

An address from Revd. Dr. Peter Sanlon entitled "Towards Secure Foundations for the Formative Power of Reason and Tradition," delivered at the UK 2022 Convivium Irenicum, "In Service of Scripture: Rediscovering Reason and Tradition in Evangelical Theology." Revd. Dr. Sanlon issues a plea for Confessional Experiential Calvinism as a secure foundation for integrating reason and tradition into evangelical theology.

An address from Dr. Robert Strivens entitled "Finding Theology in the Biblical Text: Hebrews 1:1-4 Through the Ages" delivered at the UK 2022 Convivium Irenicum, "In Service of Scripture: Rediscovering Reason and Tradition in Evangelical Theology." Dr. Strivens surveys commentaries on Hebrew from St. John Chrysostom to the 21st century, chronicling the decline of theological interpretation in evangelical exegesis since the 18th century.

An address from Graham Shearer, Ph.D student at Union Theological College, Belfast, entitled "'Who Can Declare His Generation?' Divine Incomprehensibility and Human Reason in 4th Century Trinitarianism," delivered at the UK 2022 Convivium Irenicum, "In Service of Scripture: Rediscovering Reason and Tradition in Evangelical Theology." Graham unpacks to counter-intuitive nature of divine incomprehensibility as giving license to the use of theological reasoning. "Who Can Declare His Generation?" Divine Incomprehensibility and Human Reason in 4th Century Trinitarianism

A keynote address from Dr. David Shaw of Oak Hill College entitled "Is Retrieval Leading to Renewal? The Place of Tradition and the Progress of Theological Retrieval: Some Thoughts and Next Steps", delivered at the UK 2022 Convivium Irenicum, "In Service of Scripture: Rediscovering Reason and Tradition in Evangelical Theology." Dr. Shaw provides a comprehensive overview of the theological retrieval movement, its current state, and where it might go from here.

A lecture with Q&A entitled "Acts 6 and the Myth of Apostolic Succession" by Rev. Dr. Matt Colvin. Acts 6 depicts the ordination of the seven to minister to the Greek-speaking widows of the Jerusalem church. It has often been thought to depict the first instance of apostolic succession and the first deacons. As such, it has become a key text over the centuries in heated discussions over church government. In this lecture, Matthew Colvin argues that it does not; that the apostles did not ordain anyone, and nor do they ever do so in the New Testament. The argument will be made on four fronts from Rabbinic Jewish sources: halakhah, typology, grammar, and textual criticism. Attendees will learn what the laying on of hands really does, who exactly laid hands on Timothy, and what polity and officers the New Testament actually depicts. Rev. Dr. Matthew Colvin is a presbyter in the Reformed Episcopal Church. From 2012-2017, he served as a missionary teaching ministerial students in the Philippines and Indonesia. He holds a PhD in ancient Greek literature from Cornell University (2004). His published works include articles on Heraclitus (Oxford Studies in Ancient Philosophy 2005 and The Classical Quarterly 2006), a translation from Latin of the 1550 Magdeburg Confession (2011), and The Lost Supper: A Study of the Passover and Eucharistic origins (Fortress Academic, 2019). He is currently working on a book on women’s ordination and the origins of ordained office in the early church. He lives on Vancouver Island.

Dr. Brad Littlejohn (President, The Davenant Institute) introduces the 2022 National Convivium Irenicum and its theme, "Philosophy and the Christian," with and address entitled “Recovering the Love of Wisdom.” In this talk, he provides an overview of the Davenant Institute's commitments to the recovery of the Protestant wisdom tradition and the training of new students in that endeavor. This theme accompanies the Davenant Press's publication of the same name, "Philosophy and the Christian."

A lecture with Q&A by Mr. Nathan Johnson at the 2022 Florida Regional Convivium entitled "Followers of the Way: How the Seven Liberal Arts Serve Theology and Ethics." Mr. Johnson argues that the historical purpose of the liberal arts was to be a handmaiden to theology and ethics, equipping students to know, love, and imitate God by educating them according to their nature as moral and intellectual beings in the image of God. Nathan Johnson is a PhD candidate in Humanities at Faulkner University. He also holds two M.A. degrees in Biblical Studies and Theological Studies from Reformed Theological Seminary and an M.A. in Liberal Arts from St. John’s College. Currently, he serves as Assistant Dean of Academics, Head of Program, and Teaching Fellow at New College Franklin in Franklin, TN.

The Q&A section following Dr. Ben Merkle's lecture.

A lecture by Dr. Ben Merkle at the 2022 Florida Regional Convivium entitled "Education and Vocation." Dr. Merkle contrasts the concepts of education versus vocational certification, arguing that vocational certification has displaced an older and superior understanding of what education was intended to accomplish. Dr. Ben Merkle is the president of New Saint Andrews College in Moscow Idaho. He holds a D.Phil. in Oriental Studies from Oxford University. He is a teaching elder at Christ Church, in Moscow, preaching regularly at their downtown service. He is the author of The White Horse King and Defending the Trinity in the Reformed Palatinate. He and wife Bekah have five children.

A lecture with Q&A given by Mr. Dale Stenberg at the 2022 Florida Regional Convivium entitled "Fear, Fulfillment, and Festivity." Mr. Stenberg argues that the main pillars in the design of classical education are wonder, leisure, and festivity. He contrasts this with the modern-day utilitarian approach to education and demonstrates how a return to these basic foundational ideas can help students think of education as a life lived in appreciation of the fact of existence, rather than academic drudgery that ends with graduating. Dale Stenberg is a Teaching Fellow for the Davenant Institute and co-hosts their Pilgrim Faith Podcast with Dr. Joe Minich. He is President and Headmaster of Pietas Classical Christian in Melbourne, FL, and studied for an MDiv at Whitfield Theological seminary.

A panel discussion with Q&A featuring Dr. Brad Littlejohn, Mr. Nathan Johnson, and Mr. Dale Stenberg, held at the 2022 Florida Regional Convivium

A lecture with Q&A by Dr. Brad Littlejohn at the 2022 Florida Regional Convivium entitled "On Naming the World: Education as Dominion-taking." In his talk, Dr, Littlejohn arg ues that education should be seen above all else as training in how to name the world, the first job that Adam was given after his creation. Such naming is not only a source of delight and wonder, but a reflecting back to God of his glory in the world, and is the prerequisite for any growth and wisdom. Dr. Bradford Littlejohn (Ph.D., University of Edinburgh) is the Founder and President of the Davenant Institute. He also works as a Fellow of the Ethics and Public Policy Center and has taught for several institutions, including Moody Bible Institute-Spokane, Bethlehem College and Seminary, and Patrick Henry College. He is recognized as a leading scholar of the English theologian Richard Hooker and Has published and lectured extensively in the fields of Reformation history, Christian ethics, and political theology. He lives in Landrum, SC with his wife, Rachel, and four children.

Dr. Brad Littlejohn introduces our 2022 Florida Regional Convivium. Our theme was "Classic Wonder for Contemporary Minds."

Some Christians are “doctrine people” who are deeply committed to orthodox theology and ethics shaped by Scripture and the best of the Christian tradition. Other Christians are “piety people” who are mostly concerned with walking closely with Christ and pursuing personal holiness and spiritual maturity. Still other Christians are “justice and mercy people” who are committed to challenging injustice and promoting the common good. Finally, some Christians are “Great Commission people” who are passionate about spreading the gospel to the spiritually lost and promoting mission work among the unreached. While this sort of division is overly simplistic, we are always tempted to overemphasize some elements of the Christian life at the expense of others. In William Wilberforce (1759-1833) and his close friends, the so-called Clapham Saints, we have a historical example of holistic Christian faithfulness that embraced the importance of both doctrine and piety, both justice and evangelism.

Some Christians are “doctrine people” who are deeply committed to orthodox theology and ethics shaped by Scripture and the best of the Christian tradition. Other Christians are “piety people” who are mostly concerned with walking closely with Christ and pursuing personal holiness and spiritual maturity. Still other Christians are “justice and mercy people” who are committed to challenging injustice and promoting the common good. Finally, some Christians are “Great Commission people” who are passionate about spreading the gospel to the spiritually lost and promoting mission work among the unreached. While this sort of division is overly simplistic, we are always tempted to overemphasize some elements of the Christian life at the expense of others. In William Wilberforce (1759-1833) and his close friends, the so-called Clapham Saints, we have a historical example of holistic Christian faithfulness that embraced the importance of both doctrine and piety, both justice and evangelism.

The world known to the sciences spans a vast range of phenomena that often seem strange and unfamiliar compared to the ordinary everyday world in which we live. Furthermore, many people think that science and Christian faith conflict with one another. The two talks of this series look at how we might think about these matters holistically using the resources within the Christian tradition. The first talk, “Word,” will examine some characteristics of contemporary science and look at the similar yet different ways we come to knowledge in the scientific and Christian communities. The second talk, “Fire,” will look at the classical philosophical/theological notion of creation ex nihilo, drawing especially upon the perspectives of Thomas Aquinas to articulate the relation between God and the world. The created order in which we participate is a gift where the different knowledge from the sciences and from revelation can cohere and all things hold together in Christ.

The world known to the sciences spans a vast range of phenomena that often seem strange and unfamiliar compared to the ordinary everyday world in which we live. Furthermore, many people think that science and Christian faith conflict with one another. The two talks of this series look at how we might think about these matters holistically using the resources within the Christian tradition. The first talk, “Word,” will examine some characteristics of contemporary science and look at the similar yet different ways we come to knowledge in the scientific and Christian communities. The second talk, “Fire,” will look at the classical philosophical/theological notion of creation ex nihilo, drawing especially upon the perspectives of Thomas Aquinas to articulate the relation between God and the world. The created order in which we participate is a gift where the different knowledge from the sciences and from revelation can cohere and all things hold together in Christ.

Confidence without Pride: Redeeming the Virtue of Magnanimity, Noah Parisi by Davenant Institute

The Victorian Crisis of Faith as Past and Prologue, Moses Bratrud by Davenant Institute

A mini-conference, sponsored by The Davenant Institute and Bethlehem College and Seminary, about how the trials and triumphs of our Protestant forebears can teach us how to walk faithfully today in an age of anxiety.

A mini-conference, sponsored by The Davenant Institute and Bethlehem College and Seminary, about how the trials and triumphs of our Protestant forebears can teach us how to walk faithfully today in an age of anxiety.

A lecture with Q&A by Davenant Hall teaching fellow, Rev. Danny Hyde, entitled "The Impact of Eschatology on John Owen’s Call to Parliament to Evangelize the Nation(s)." John Owen is remembered mainly for his works on the atonement and the Christian life. Yet the great Puritan also preached on eschatology and political theology during the tumult of the Civil War, Protectorate, and Restoration. What lessons can be learnt today from these neglected aspects of Owen's thought? In this lecture, Rev. Daniel Hyde examines Owen’s early political sermons, in which he issued a call to action for England’s Parliament to take responsibility for evangelizing England and other nations beyond. The sermons are situated within the wider social context of England, as well as Owen's particular eschatology, giving a clearer insight into the theopolitical vision of Owen himself, the Congregational movement, and the Republican party.

Our first annual Davenant Hall Apocalypse (“apocalypse,” of course, because we deemed it the closest Greek equivalent to “Reveal Party”)! The faculty of Davenant Hall gathers together to discuss exciting developments happening within our Davenant Hall programs, including a new M.Litt, Pastoral Ministry Track, with sub-tracks in Anglican Studies and Reformed and Presbyterian Studies, as well as to reveal our upcoming courses for the year.

A lecture with Q&A by Davenant Institute Vice-President, Colin Redemer, entitled "Old Aristotle, or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Aquinas." Everyone knows that Aristotle left us a completed ethical system. What this lecture presupposes is, maybe he didn't? A close reading of Aristotle shows that his theory is constantly friscalating near the edge of completion, but that the author is self-aware of his system as flawed. In this lecture, Colin Redemer demonstrates Aristotle's self-aware shortcomings, before pivoting to see how Thomas Aquinas, in the first part of the second part, question 4, of the Summa Theologiae, responds to Aristotle's system of thought. The ways in which Aquinas' theory fulfills the dream of eudaimonia from Aristotle's ethical system will be revealed by shining the light of divine revelation upon it.

A lecture with Q&A by Davenant Hall Teaching Fellow, Dr. Michael J. Lynch entitled "Calvinism and Thomism: Friends or Foes? An Early Modern Consensus on Predestination, Reprobation, and Free Choice." Roman Catholic and Reformed theologians alike have assumed and even argued that one of the differences demarcating these two traditions concerns the hotly debated doctrines of predestination and free choice. Predestination, with its focus on the inscrutable grace of God, is often associated with a stern and austere John Calvin. Free choice, on the other hand, is associated with his Roman Catholic opponents indebted to Thomas Aquinas, emphasizing whenever possible the necessity of man's exercise of his will. Yet, what if early modern Calvinists talked like Thomists and early modern Thomists talked like Calvinists? In this lecture, Dr. Lynch demonstrates that early modern Catholics and Protestants were not only asking all the same basic questions related to predestination and free choice but that the Reformed and a large swath of Roman Catholics fundamentally answered those questions in the same way. Among both groups, there is remarkable theological uniformity regarding predestination, reprobation, and divine concursus with human actions. Indeed the very problems and diversity that arose from some of the more complicated issues related to divine sovereignty and human responsibility permeate both traditions as well. Our speaker will sketch both this unity and diversity.

“Calvin on Divine Love and Human Litigation” with Eric G. Enlow (Dean, Handong University Law School)

“21 Disputed Theses on the Subject of Religious Liberty”, Bradford Littlejohn (President, the Davenant Institute)

“A Protestant Integralism? Lessons from Puritan New England” with Timon Cline Law Clerk (Office of New Jersey Attorney General)

“The Virtues and Vices of Private Property” with C. Scott Pryor (Professor of Law, Campbell University)

“Originalism and Judicial Restraint: Lessons from the Lutheran Reformation" with John Ehrett (Counsel, Office of US Senator Josh Hawley)

Modern politics has often sought to create coalitions through shared objects of fear and anger. Yet, we know that a political community can not survive with these emotions turned up to 11. How can the ancient concept of friendship, particularly expressed in Aristotle provide a better understanding of political relationships, and how can it bring about the goal of a limited power in the political order?

Modern politics has often sought to create coalitions through shared objects of fear and anger. Yet, we know that a political community cannot survive with these emotions turned up to 11. Having set the background beginning with concepts from Aristotle in Session 1, in this episode Dr. Higgins answers what role that forgiveness and repentance have in the political order when friendship seems so distant, and whether our Biblical understanding can serve as a model for our political relationship.

In the 500+ years since Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses to the church door in Wittenberg, few aspects of his subsequent theological reformation remain as contentious and debated as the distinction between law and Gospel. Indeed, to this day the discussion divides not only Roman Catholics from Protestants, but is hotly debated within Protestantism itself; there is an agreement on the importance of the distinction, but a decided lack of consensus about how it should be understood and implemented. Far from a merely academic dispute, how one understands this important theological concept will largely determine his or her reading of scripture, the purpose and nature of the church, and—according to Luther—the Gospel itself. In this episode, Dr. Jady Koch discusses the distinctions being debated today, and the various arguments concerning how this distinction can help combat (or perpetuate!) the errors of legalism, antinomianism, and gnosticism.

In this episode, Dr. Sam Negus uses the biblical accounts of the construction and dedication of the Tabernacle and the Temple, looking at the Scriptures themselves and at the religious “worldview” of Israel and Judah's ancient near-eastern neighbors, as a case study in how to read the Bible with the eyes and ears of its original hearers. Although God is transcendent, unchanging, and eternal, He reveals Himself to mankind in time through human institutions, human language, and human culture, and without this understanding, we may struggle to hear all the resonances of God’s self-revelation.

What does Proverbs teach us about what it means to be human? In this episode, Dr. Quinn shows that Proverbs (and Scripture on the whole) is more concerned with being human than with answering the many questions concerning what is a human being, important though these questions are.

Can we ever know that we are saved? If so, how? Find out why the doctrine of assurance was called the most dangerous doctrine of the Protestant Reformers, and why it still matters for Christians today.

Can we ever know that we are saved? If so, how? Find out why the doctrine of assurance was called the most dangerous doctrine of the Protestant Reformers, and why it still matters for Christians today.

A lecture with Q&A by Davenant Hall Teaching Fellow, Ryan Hurd. The sheer and utter delight of the theologian is knowing and speaking of God. As we consider the development of theology as a science or formalized discipline, we find that two things are especially important: the making of categories in theology, and of habits in the theologian. Analogous to Aristotle’s "Ten Categories", or even the Transcendentals, the development of categories was the production of adequate or reduced summaries which sweep in everything within both the natural and supernatural orders in a condensed fashion. After centuries of sweat and no small genius, the “divine names” and “trinitarian notions,” in the natural and supernatural order respectively, resulted. For example, we find the divine names “simplicity, infinity", and others of that sort; “wisdom, goodness, and others of that sort”; “incorporeality, impassibility", and others of that sort; “reasoning, laughing", and others of that sort: these adequately reduce everything to be said of God absolutely speaking. Similarly, we find the trinitarian notions, paternity, filiation, active and passive spiration, and even innascibility: these sufficiently catalog, in inchoate form, whatever God has made known of the holy Trinity. After such categories were developed, even further categories came to be e.g., the theological moves “eminently,” “formally,” and “analogically,” i.e., the mode in which reasoning, wisdom, and being respectively are said of God. All this was in attempt to fulfill the thrilling task of theology: saying “everything of being and goodness” with us and among creatures of God, as Thomas says. This includes, of course, not only every aspect of act and perfection, which are to be retained of God, but even every aspect of potency and imperfection, which are to be removed from God; and of course, it further includes every aspect in holy Scripture, which are to be retained and removed as appropriate. As such categories were made in theology, opportunity arose for these categories to inform the intellect of the theologian and exercise and mature him so that they became second-nature: such is the making of theological habits. And indeed, we find habits are made not only for the names (and notions) of God, but even for the correspondent theological moves. These habits made theologians to be, and at various points in history made great theologians to be. In this lecture, Mr. Ryan Hurd considers these things, with special focus on what categories and habits are as found in the development of theology especially among the medievals and neoscholastics, and why they are important for contemporary theology today.

A lecture with Q&A by Davenant Press Editor-in-chief (and Davenant Hall instructor) Onsi Kamel entitled "The Birth of Secularity: Henry More, Metaphysics, and the Battle for God's Spirit." In recent decades, intellectual historians have attempted to chart the development of “secular modernity,” generally locating its origins in medieval or Protestant metaphysics. Key claims of these genealogies crumble under scrutiny, not least of all blaming the Reformation for a metaphysical revolution. And yet the metaphysical gulf separating the medieval and modern periods is undeniable: the world of Kant and Schleiermacher is not the world of Albertus Magnus and Duns Scotus. If historians wish to better understand the development of secularity, a more helpful entry point is a seventeenth-century debate about the immateriality of the soul, the nature of space, and the spirit of God. Central to this debate was Henry More (1614 - 1687), a Cambridge Platonist philosopher now largely forgotten, but prominent in his lifetime. In this lecture, Mr. Onsi Kamel explores More's defense of traditional metaphysics against Cartesianism. This will both illuminate how intellectual change results as much from ideas failing as it does them succeeding, and explore the origin of a key shift within modernity: moving from an analogical understanding of God to a univocal one.

A lecture with Q&A by Davenant Teaching Fellow, Dr. Matthew Hoskins Today, Christians must defend the idea that Christ is God. Yet for much of church history, they had to defend the idea that he is human. How, and why, did they do it? In this lecture, Dr. Matthew Hoskin explores how the last four of the Seven Ecumenical Councils upheld the truth that God really became flesh. Beginning with the confession of "one person in two natures" from Chalcedon (451), the lecture will then explore its influence on the symphonic vision of Maximus the Confessor and Constantinople III (681), and how John of Damascus and Nicaea II (787) articulated the full impact of the incarnation and God's intrusion into our lives and our worship. Understanding these councils will cause us to bow in worship of the Triune God and his works as we celebrate Christmas.

A lecture with Q&A by Davenant Teaching Fellow, Rev. Dr. Matthew Colvin entitled "The Real Jesus Code: Subtlety and Indirection in Jesus' Communication. Given how familiar Christians are with the Gospels, it is remarkable how much of Jesus' communication - both spoken and unspoken - still puzzles us. How can we make sense of Christ's most puzzling moments of teaching? In this lecture, Dr. Matthew Colvin explores neglected nuances of Jesus’ communication - specifically, moments involving indirection, whether verbally or by the use of coded symbols. After discussing the motives for indirection, the lecture will consider these communications by using Second Temple and Rabbinic Jewish sources to illuminate their meaning with new nuance and vividness.

A lecture with Q&A by Davenant Teaching Fellow, Eric Hutchinson entitled "Maps of Misreading: The Hidden Influence of Horace in Augustine’s Confessions." Augustine's engagement with the poet Virgil in the "Confessions" has been much researched. On the other hand, his engagement with another great Roman poet, Horace, has been almost entirely neglected. Yet we know Augustine read Horace; at key points in the "Confessions", he refers to and alludes to his poetry. The time has come to reappraise Horace's influence on Augustine. In this lecture, Dr. E.J. Hutchinson will specifically explore how knowledge of Horace's influence illuminates Augustine's famed comparison of himself to Virgil's wandering hero Aeneas. A close reading of a unique Latin phrase lifted directly from Horace's "Odes" reveals that Augustine does not want his readers to think of the "Aeneid" alone in a simple or straightforward way. Instead, he uses Horace, and particularly one of Horace's poems about Virgil, to formulate his own nuanced response to the Aeneid. This fresh reading of the "Confessions" has implications for how we understand both Augustine's view of his pre-conversion state, and his complex view of the appropriation of pagan literature.

"A Confessional Education: Abraham Kuyper, J. Gresham Machen, and the Christian Academy" - Eli West by Davenant Institute

"Elitism or Egalitarianism? The Lessons of Early Modern Classical Education" - Dr. Michael Lynch by Davenant Institute

"The Liberal Arts and the Art of Service" - Dr. Gene Edward Veith by Davenant Institute

Guided Discussion with Joseph Minich on "The Classics, the Protestant, and the Proletariat" by Davenant Institute

"Teaching Books, Teaching Arts: A View of Classical Christian Literary Training" - Joshua Patch by Davenant Institute

"The Love that Moves the Sun and All Other Stars" - Gregory Wilbur and Nathan Johnson by Davenant Institute

"Subalternation and the Liberal Arts: Vocation and Friendship with God" - Brandon Spun by Davenant Institute

Keynote Seminar - "The Reformation of Paedagogy: Lessons from Johann Strum" - Dr. Gene Edward Veith by Davenant Institute

"Stewardship or Domination: Christianity and Classical Education" - Robert Snyder by Davenant Institute

Discussion on Plato's Theory of Education - Dr. Al Harmon & Colin Redemer by Davenant Institute

"Dante and the Servile Revolt of Modernity" - Dr. Patrick Downey by Davenant Institute

This exposition of Psalm 104 was presented by our Davenant House Director, Michael Hughes, to a group of undergraduate students at North Greenville University. Through an exploration of Psalm 104, the Psalmist brings to life the brushstrokes and beauty of divine providence as they shine forth to us through the canvas of God's creation. Far from being simply a heady doctrine worthy of mental assent, God's providence is an incredibly practical and potent doctrine for the day to day life of the Christian. Calvin says that without providence, the world is no longer a divine work of art, it is less lovely, and it 'lacks color'. In contrast, he says that providence allows one to recognize the world as it really is: 'an unfolding divine gift, an ongoing symphony in which nothing takes place by chance, not one drop of rain falls without God's sure command.' In the seemingly chaotic world we find ourselves in, God's providence provides a sure foundation that will help us to be still and hold fast as the winds and waves sweep over us.

A lecture with Q&A by Davenant Hall Teaching Fellow Patrick Stefan entitled "Resurrecting Romans: Pauling Resurrection, Baptism, and Kingdom Life." In the Book of Romans, the Apostle Paul says that we were baptized into the resurrection of Jesus. A powerful declaration - but what does it mean? How does it fit into his epistle to the Romans as a whole? How does it relate to the practice of baptism itself? And how does this message shape the self-understanding of baptized Christians? Such questions have vexed not only theologians and pastors, but countless Christians in the pew. Among Reformed and evangelical Christians, few books are more taught than Romans, yet few topics are more fraught than baptism. What are we to make of the Apostle's words here? In this lecture, Dr. Patrick Stefan will probe the relationship Paul develops between baptism, death, purity, and resurrection. In doing so, he will seek to demonstrate that Paul's baptismal message is ultimately a message of purity, acceptance, and the presence of God for the baptized.

In this talk, Pastor Brian Lund first gave a historical overview of how reformers learned to transition to a distinctly Prostestant manner of conducting funerals. At first there was a cold opposition to any formality related to honoring the dead in Christ or for following a worshipful liturgy. This would come later, but as it did new insights were formed as to how churches could give comfort to the grieving and wisdom to the community at the passing of their loved ones. Brian's experience and heart for pastoral care came through this talk even as he gave a well-researched presentation on a topic not often considered.

Dr. Brad Littlejohn's paper entitled, "The Story of the Reformation Through the Life of Peter Martyr Vermigli" shows how the life of one man in a community of like-minded pace setters can change the direction of a culture for good. Vermigli, though born in Italy, was to become one of the early reformers whose practical and academic abilities benefited Protestant groups across Europe. Brad's talk gives a clarifying overview of how Vermigli used his gifts and wisdom to bring direction to churches in England, Strasburg, Zurich and other areas. Peter Vermigli is a special individual in the Davenant Institute range of reformers since TDI owns the publication rights for the library of Vermigli's works. We invite you to check the Davenant Institute website for translated works of Vermigli available and for new works set to be released.

The full title of this talk is "You Become Whom You Admire: How Our Heroes Shape Our Desires or What Desires Should Influence a Christian’s Choice of Heroes" by Rev. Matt Miller. Matt Miller is the Greenville, SC regional director for the C. S. Lewis Institute based in Washington D.C. In this keynote address, Matt gave basic principles for choosing our heroes wisely and in accordance with the motto, "You are what you love." Drawing from the moral and philosophical insights of Linda Zagzebski, Matt spoke to the importance of knowing the value and life implications that come from a proper admiration of the hero, the sage and the saint.

The full title of this paper is “Biography as Theology Reconsidered: The Role of Biography in Cultivating Theological Wisdom.” Dr. Nathan Finn is Provost at North Greenville University in Tigerville, SC. His paper highlighted key principles for how we can learn from the lives of our leaders in both their noble commitments as well as their foibles. Given the theme of the conference was, "The Power of Biography: Learning From Wisemen and Fools," this opening session provided a clear set of foundational ideas for the rest of the papers and group discussions for the weekend.

his Davenant Discussion is part 2 of 2 talks on Daniel and the book's relevance for our times. Peter VanDoodeward is pastor of Covenant Presbyterian Church, OPC in Taylors, SC. Pastor VanDoodeward gives practical advice for how to live in a culture that is increasingly less friendly and even in opposition to the Christian way of life and wisdom, how to remain calm in times of uncertainty and resolutely committed to Christ and his Church.

This Davenant Discussion is part 1 of 2 talks on Daniel and the book's relevance for our times. Peter VanDoodeward is pastor of Covenant Presbyterian Church, OPC in Taylors, SC. Pastor VanDoodeward makes comparisons between our present time and that of the prophet Daniel to show how the issues confronting Christians today are of a difficulty similar to those faced by Daniel and his friends in order to clarify how we as Christians can understand our times in light of God's Word.

A lecture with Q&A by Davenant Institute Vice President, Colin Redemer entitled "Live Not by Dreher Alone: Soviet Dissidents, the Church, and Our Transhumanist Moment." Writers such as Jordan Peterson and Rod Dreher have popularized the comparison of our society to that which immediately preceded the the USSR. In place of "hard totalitarianism", we supposedly live under "soft totalitarianism". Many have therefore begun looking to believers who survived under this oppressive regime for guidance. Names such as Alexander Solzhenitsyn, Vaclav Havel, and Vaclav Benda are becoming common currency among some Western Protestants. These men and others left behind a great legacy, not least of all in their writings. Yet we are in danger of an engagement with these dissidents which is only skin deep. Their inspiring example is at risk of being little more than an aesthetic. If we are to truly learn from them, we must engage them not simply as exemplary saints, but as profound intellectuals in their own right. We must cry "ad fontes!" and return to the sources for ourselves - to the texts of penetrating insight, formed in the intellectual crucible of Soviet totalitarianism. In this lecture, Colin Redemer will seek to engage in depth with the thought of these Christian dissidents, providing a basis for attendees to go away and grapple with their work first-hand. In doing so, we can begin to truly think like them for ourselves. Colin's Soviet Dissidence Reading List: Live Not By Lies by Solzhenitsyn Harvard Address by Solzhenitsyn Power of the Powerless by Havel The Captive Mind by Milocz In The First Circle by Solzhenitsyn Live Not By Lies available here: https://www.solzhenitsyncenter.org/live-not-by-lies

The subtitle of this talk is "Fear of the Divine in Scripture and in H.P. Lovecraft." In this talk, Shepherd gives a fascinating look at how the curious writings of Lovecraft give a window on the fear of God. This provides a contrast for how the fear of the Lord is presented in Scripture and how that attitude of heart is essential for the calming effect of Christian wisdom. "Shep," as his friends call him, is a seminary professor and former student of Dr. John Webster.

The subtitle to this talk is "Wisdom From Middle Earth as a Shadow Grows." In this paper, Hughes examines how Tolkein's use of story unfolds wisdom for living in ways the prove helpful even when we may not be initially aware of our need for it. Michael Hughes is Director of Davenant House, the study center for the Davenant Institute located in Landrum, South Carolina.

The subtitle to this talk by Haley Schvaneveldt is "Simple Truth in the Midst of Complexity in John Donne's sonnets." John Donne's sonnets have perplexed some scholars for how his faith in God seems conflicted though not abandoned. Haley gives important analysis and perspectives on how to read Donne's sonnets carefully in light of both spiritual development and literary devices used by the author.

This keynote address for the 2020 Davenant Institute Carolinas focuses on how C.S. Lewis used his interest in literature and writings to point others toward growing in wisdom. Dr. Williams aims to show how using literature can mature Christians in wisdom to the end that they will be better disciples of Christ.

This talk, presented by Lynette Hughes, takes a journey through several practical ways that literature for children can cultivate in them an early appreciation for the transcendent. In particular, the sense of the transcendent is evidence of good literature for children as it commends Christian virtues to them through story. Hughes refers to the work of educator Charlotte Mason as a model for this kind of mentoring and teaching of literature.

This talk, presented by Mark Olivero, is an examination of how we can use the world's wisdom literature as a window into the transcendent by cultivating an eye for the Greatest Good. After some introductory notes, this lecture examines 3 main points on how to reading literature in light of the Greatest Good: 1) See the world's wisdom literature as our inheritance, 2) see the ways that Deconstruction methods devalue our literary inheritance and 3) learn how the Hero's Code values the world's wisdom literature by keeping an eye toward the Greatest Good.

A lecture and Q&A session by Davenant Teaching Fellow Ryan Hurd entitled "What are the Divine Attributes?" What are the divine attributes? Theologians have always had a rough idea: their names are taken from our creaturely spiritual or intellectual perfections (goodness, wisdom etc.) Yet this insight acquired significant nuance throughout the tradition of theology, nuance woven into the use of these terms in the church's praise and worship. Today, this very basic insight, common to both natural and supernatural theology and its especially significant development throughout the Latin tradition, has largely been obscured; things that were never really attributes, like the "negative names" (simplicity, infinity etc.) are now treated like they are, enervating the very life of the discipline; and other names once regulated to other areas of theology (e.g. reasoning, humility) have been placed among the divine attributes, to much error. A truly catholic theology must be anchored by both what creatures are and what God himself is. It must normed by exactly what creature is being used to speak of God and its actual relation to Him - whether as a name for something that God is, or is not, or both. Clarity is sorely needed on all these issues, in order to promote a clear and intentional recovery and expansion of the method and procedure for incorporating all of goodness and being among creatures into the intelligent exposition of the holy God. In this lecture, Ryan Hurd will seek to clarify the traditional, catholic Christian view on what the divine attributes are, with special reference to Thomas Aquinas, the high medievals, and the neoscholastics.

A lecture and Q&A session by Davenant Institute President Dr. Bradford Littlejohn entitled "Pride, Prejudice, and Precisianism: Richard Hooker on Why We Can't Get Along." American society today is polarized in the most intense ideological conflict for generations. The pandemic, anti-racism riots, and election of 2020 have all intensified the sense that that although we share a nation, many of us feel we live in a different country to our neighbours. The violence on Capitol Hill which began 2021 only proved this point further. In many quarters, the church has been swept up into these conflicts. Disagreements over recent events and "how we got here" have threatened to split congregations and denominations, especially for any who have long resided somewhere under the label of evangelicalism. Where does this conflict come from, and why does it seem to take on a life of its own? How can Christians diagnose and defuse the sources of conflict, while also standing up for principles that are worth fighting for? In this lecture, Dr. Bradford Littlejohn will use the striking insights of sixteenth-century theologian and political philosopher Richard Hooker to shed a spotlight on how we can get carried away by our convictions into ideological and political wars of mutually assured destruction - and how we can find our way out of them. Thanks to The Chapel of the Cross in Dallas, TX for inviting Dr. Littlejohn to lecture on these topics last September. Those interested in his fuller reflections on these topics can watch these lectures at the following links: https://www.facebook.com/TheChapeloftheCross/videos/4475608279146843/ https://www.facebook.com/watch/live/v=693824851223668&ref=watch_permalink https://www.facebook.com/watch/live/v=3452342438155987&ref=watch_permalink

A lecture and Q&A session by Davenant Teaching Fellow Joseph Minich entitled "C.S. Lewis as Sage of Modernity: The Rhetoric of Miracles." Navigating what we call "modernity" remains a challenge for Christians. Indeed, defining modernity remains contentious. Are we currently in modernity? Or late-modernity? Or postmodernity? What kind of human life is possible in any of them? If the world at large remains confused about these questions, it is little wonder that the church is also. Yet we are not without guides as we find ourselves in the dark woods of modernity. The great Protestant scholar and writer C.S. Lewis stands above as one of the faithul Christian's chief companions in understanding and navigating the modern world - perhaps nowhere more so than in his book "Miracles". In this lecture, Dr. Joseph Minich argues that Lewis’ rhetorical approach to his contemporaries in "Miracles" — whether they be Christians or non-Christians — is radically shaped by his reading of modernity. Yet rather than view modernity as an exterior problem to be addressed, Lewis' reading of, and engagement with it, happens largely through a reading of himself as a modern person. Lewis' self-reflective rhetoric is a model for us in how to honestly and non-ideologically hold and share an ancient faith in a modern age - a modern age of which Christians are, for better or worse, a part. To support Dr. Minich's ministry financially, you can select "Joe Minich from the drop down menu here: https://davenant.kindful.com/ To recieve updates about future Davenant Hall course, including ones taught by Dr. Minich, you can visit here: https://davenantinstitute.org/davenant-hall

A lecture and Q&A session by Visiting Davenant Hall Fellow, Dr. Matthew Hoskins, entitled "Christmas and the Cross in the Ancient Church: Exploring the Mystery of the Trinity on the Feast of the Nativity." What is so special about the baby born in Bethlehem that, to celebrate his birth, we should sing songs to Him, have feasts with our families, decorate our homes, and take days off work? For ancient Christians, the answer was that Jesus is Christ is God. The great theologians of the fourth-century theologians clarified this to mean that Jesus is of the same substance as God the Father. But for many of these ancient theologians, the starting point is not the virgin mother and child, not the little Lord Jesus asleep on the hay, not the angels from the realms of glory. Rather, for those in the tradition of St Athanasius (Bishop of Alexandria in Egypt from 328-373) it was Christ high and lifted up, naked and bleeding on a cross at Golgotha, that lead them to profess his divinity. In this lecture, Dr Matthew Hoskin explores the cross-focused Trinitarian theology of the fourth-century and how it can help us celebrate Christmas with a richer, deeper, theological joy. For more by Dr. Hoskins, check out his upcoming Davenant Hall course on the world of the Nicene Creed. Registration is open until 12/28/2020 https://davenantinstitute.org/product/Nicene-Controversy

This is lecture 2 of 2 by Dr. Benjamin Quinn of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. The titles of this lecture series is "The Story of Wisdom in Saint Augustine." From childhood to conversion to Bishop of Hippo, Wisdom (sapientia) features prominently in Augustine’s work, and tracing it’s development in his writings offers deep insight into his thought and life. This lecture series considers what wisdom is and how it affects the life and thought of St. Augustine. For more information about events at Davenant House or to attend future Davenant Discussions go to www.davenanthouse.org. The Davenant Institute is supported by grass-roots interest in its mission. To help us serve others and the Church please go to davenant.kindful.com to contribute or go to davenantinstitute.org and scroll to Get Involved.

This is lecture 1 of 2 by Dr. Benjamin Quinn of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. The titles of this lecture series is "The Story of Wisdom in Saint Augustine." From childhood to conversion to Bishop of Hippo, Wisdom (sapientia) features prominently in Augustine’s work, and tracing it’s development in his writings offers deep insight into his thought and life. This lecture series considers what wisdom is and how it affects the life and thought of St. Augustine. For more information about events at Davenant House or to attend future Davenant Discussions go to www.davenanthouse.org. The Davenant Institute is supported by grass-roots interest in its mission. To help us serve others and the Church please go to davenant.kindful.com to contribute or go to davenantinstitute.org and scroll to Get Involved.

Covid-19 has wreaked havoc this year not merely on public health or economic stability, but perhaps most lastingly, on our institutions of higher education. We can lament this crisis, but we must also learn from it. While many worthy institutions may be struggling now through no fault of their own, the coronavirus crisis has also revealed a deeper rot at the heart of much of American higher education, to which theological education has not been immune. How can we use this crisis to creatively rethink the relationship between the church and the academy? How can we mold institutions that can offer accessible, rigorous, and practical intellectual formation for Christian scholars, pastors, and teachers? Join Brad Littlejohn, Ephraim Radner, R. R. Reno, and O. Alan Noble as they discuss the future of theological education. This webinar was recorded on October 14th, 2020, via Zoom.

In this lesson, Dr. Minich looks at Lewis's thoughts on the question as to whether or not God is primitive. If you would like to support these efforts by the Davenant Academy teachers, you can visit Davenant.kindful.com/?campaign=1063108 If you'd like to learn more about the other projects from Davenant Institute visit DavenantInstitute.org. Don't forget to subscribe to the YouTube channel!

Lewis, in an interlude, grapples with an "aesthetic" argument for naturalism. If you would like to support these efforts by the Davenant Academy teachers, you can visit Davenant.kindful.com/?campaign=1063108 If you'd like to learn more about the other projects from Davenant Institute visit DavenantInstitute.org. Don't forget to subscribe to the YouTube channel!

In this lesson, Dr. Minich summarizes Lewis's response to a philosophical hesitancy about miracles arising from the concept of "laws of nature." If you would like to support these efforts by the Davenant Academy teachers, you can visit Davenant.kindful.com/?campaign=1063108 If you'd like to learn more about the other projects from Davenant Institute visit DavenantInstitute.org. Don't forget to subscribe to the YouTube channel!

In this lesson, Dr. Minich summarizes Lewis's response to weaker arguments against miracles, arguments based on a modern understanding of how nature works. If you would like to support these efforts by the Davenant Academy teachers, you can visit Davenant.kindful.com/?campaign=1063108 If you'd like to learn more about the other projects from Davenant Institute visit DavenantInstitute.org. Don't forget to subscribe to the YouTube channel!

In this lesson, Dr. Minich discusses Lewis's response to misgivings so far, all laid out in an especially crucial chapter. If you would like to support these efforts by the Davenant Academy teachers, you can visit Davenant.kindful.com/?campaign=1063108 If you'd like to learn more about the other projects from Davenant Institute visit DavenantInstitute.org. Don't forget to subscribe to the YouTube channel!

In this lesson, Dr. Minich talks the student through Lewis's discussion of the link between conscience and the supernatural. If you would like to support these efforts by the Davenant Academy teachers, you can visit Davenant.kindful.com/?campaign=1063108 If you'd like to learn more about the other projects from Davenant Institute visit DavenantInstitute.org. Don't forget to subscribe to the YouTube channel!

In this lesson, Dr. Minich works through Lewis's response to the chief objections to his argument thus far. If you would like to support these efforts by the Davenant Academy teachers, you can visit Davenant.kindful.com/?campaign=1063108 If you'd like to learn more about the other projects from Davenant Institute visit DavenantInstitute.org. Don't forget to subscribe to the YouTube channel!

In this lesson, Dr. Minich discusses Lewis's chief argument against Naturalism. If you would like to support these efforts by the Davenant Academy teachers, you can visit Davenant.kindful.com/?campaign=1063108 If you'd like to learn more about the other projects from Davenant Institute visit DavenantInstitute.org. Don't forget to subscribe to the YouTube channel!

In this lesson, Dr. Minich summarizes chapter 2 of "Miracles" by looking at Lewis's distinction between Naturalism and Supernaturalism. If you would like to support these efforts by the Davenant Academy teachers, you can visit Davenant.kindful.com/?campaign=1063108 If you'd like to learn more about the other projects from Davenant Institute visit DavenantInstitute.org. Don't forget to subscribe to the YouTube channel!

Dr. Minich begins his study through C.S. Lewis's book "Miracles" in this first episode for the Davenant Academy. The student will not only learn about the chapter-by-chapter content of Lewis's book, but how to access Lewis's writing more broadly. If you would like to support these efforts by the Davenant Academy teachers, you can visit Davenant.kindful.com/?campaign=1063108 If you'd like to learn more about the other projects from Davenant Institute visit DavenantInstitute.org. Don't forget to subscribe to the YouTube channel!

In this final discussion, Brad Littlejohn and Alastair Roberts discuss how pastors and churches can begin to model and restore the kinds of networks of trust, and healthy relationships to authority and expertise, that can enable us to navigate crises such as the one that currently faces us. They also suggest practical ways that churches can shine as lights in their communities, reminding people of the virtues of humility, self-sacrifice, and patience during a time of trial such as we have not known in several generations. Recorded 4/16

In this discussion, Brad Littlejohn and Alastair Roberts get to the most fundamental aspect of the crisis now facing us: the epistemic crisis that has made it difficult for many citizens to understand or agree about the nature of the threat that faces us. How are we to know when to defer to experts? How do we even know who the right experts are? How do we deal with problems of uncertainty and probability when the stakes are high, and why do we seem so bad at sorting through these things in an era when we have more access to information than ever before? Recorded 4/16

In this discussion, Brad Littlejohn and Alastair Roberts explore the question of tradeoffs in relation to Covid-19. Is it true that "the cure may be worse than the disease," that we need to balance the protection of the economy against the protection of lives? In fact, we need to understand how deeply intertwined the health and economic challenges are. They also explore the threats to freedom that could emerge in the form of new surveillance measures, and the need to grapple with these wisely. Recorded 4/16

In this discussion, Brad Littlejohn and Alastair Roberts address the concern that, even if government officials have the right *in principle* to impose emergency measures, they may be overreaching now. Many have started questioning whether the virus is so bad after all, or whether the restrictions in some communities are too strict. What biblical and prudential principles can guide us in what faithful submission to governing authorities looks like, when we have trouble understanding the rationale for controversial decisions? Recorded 4/16

In this discussion, Brad Littlejohn and Alastair Roberts address the question that some Christians have been asking: do government officials have the right to close businesses and churches? Is this a violation of the separation of church and state and of religious freedom? What is the extent of government emergency powers? Recorded 4/16

In this discussion, Brad Littlejohn and Alastair Roberts introduce the challenges that the church in America is currently facing in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, with many questioning official lockdown policies, churches threatening to defy closure orders, and many Christians unsure who or what to believe. Recorded on 4/16

This is lecture 3 of 3 by Michael Spangler on the work of Peter van Mastricht. In this set of talks, Michael Spangler presents an overview of the first 2 volumes of Peter van Mastricht’s Theoretical-Practical Theology. The title to lecture 3 is "Defending the Bible in Your Own Life." For more information about events at Davenant House or to attend future Davenant Discussions go to www.davenanthouse.org. The Davenant Institute is supported by grass-roots interest in its mission. To help us serve others and the Church please go to davenant.kindful.com to contribute or go to davenantinstitute.org and scroll to Get Involved.

This is lecture 2 of 3 by Michael Spangler on the work of Peter van Mastricht. In this set of talks Michael Spangler presents an overview of the first 2 volumes of Peter van Mastricht’s Theoretical-Practical Theology. The title to lecture 2 is "In the Arena with the Bible's Enemies." For more information about events at Davenant House or to attend future Davenant Discussions go to www.davenanthouse.org. The Davenant Institute is supported by grass-roots interest in its mission. To help us serve others and the Church please go to davenant.kindful.com to contribute or go to davenantinstitute.org and scroll to Get Involved.

This is lecture 1 of 3 by Michael Spangler on the work of Peter van Mastricht. In this set of talks, Michael Spangler presents an overview of the first 2 volumes of Peter van Mastricht’s Theoretical-Practical Theology. Peter van Mastricht is an important Dutch theologian from the 17th century. His work is a bold defense of Reformed Protestant teachings. Notable is Mastricht’s clear articulation of Theology Proper in the lines of classical theism. For more information about events at Davenant House or to attend future Davenant Discussions go to www.davenanthouse.org. The Davenant Institute is supported by grass-roots interest in its mission. To help us serve others and the Church please go to davenant.kindful.com to contribute or go to davenantinstitute.org and scroll to Get Involved.

A panel discussion on C.S. Lewis at the 2019 UK Convivium, "Liberal Education in a Libertine Age."

A lecture given by Dr. Eric Hutchinson at the first Davenant UK Convivium Irenicum, "Liberal Education in a Libertine Age." Full title: "The Other Lewis: Protestant Platonism and Liberal Learning in Nineteenth-Century America"

A lecture given by Dr. Alastair Roberts at the first Davenant UK Convivium Irenicum, "Liberal Education in a Libertine Age."

A lecture given by Dr. Mattias Gassman at the first Davenant UK Convivium Irenicum, "Liberal Education in a Libertine Age."

A lecture by Mrs. Lizzy Nesbitt at the 2019 UK Convivium Irenicum, "Liberal Education in a Libertine Age."

A lecture (including Q&A) given by Rev. Dr. Michael Ward at the first Davenant UK Convivium Irenicum, "Liberal Education in a Libertine Age."

Interview with Dr. Donald Williams, special guest and keynote speaker at the upcoming 2020 Carolinas Regional Convivium (Jan 3-4). Dr. Williams is the author of "Deeper Magic: The Theology Behind the Writings of C. S. Lewis" as well as other fascinating books on important authors and their works. For info about attending the upcoming Carolinas Convivium go to DavenantInstitute.org/2020-carolinas-regional.

A short interview with Michael Hughes, Director of Davenant House, about some forthcoming events at the Davenant House.

The third and final session of Dr. Benjamin Shaw's Davenant Discussion on the Book of Ecclesiastes

The second of three sessions from Dr. Benjamin Shaw's Davenant Discussion on Ecclesiastes titled "Impermanence and Permanence: Living in an Ever-changing/Never-changing World."

The first of three sessions from Benjamin Shaw's Davenant Discussion on Ecclesiastes

A guided discussion led by Ben Miller and Alistair Roberts at the 2019 National Convivium.

A lecture given by Jared Eckert at the 2019 National Convivium 2019

A lecture given at the 2019 National Convivium by Hugh Welchel of the Institute for Faith, Work, and Economics.

A Short History of Freedom, Brad Littlejohn, 2019 National Convivium 9:00 – Intro and illustration, a modern misconception of freedom 16:05 – Four key questions about freedom 22:00 – A historical overview of the concept of freedom 22:15 – Ancient Greece (quotes Hannah Arendt) 24:30 – Ancient Rome 26:25 – Medieval period 28:35 – Reformation period (quotes Dutch Stranger Churches) 30:00 – English Civil War period 31:30 – Immanuel Kant 33:10 – John Stuart Mill 36:15 – Friedrich Hayek, Isaiah Berlin 46:10 – Anthony Kennedy 46:50 – Freedom as a property of communities 47:00 – Freedom threatened by man’s inner bondage 48:30 – The distinction between power and freedom 51:40 – Oliver O’Donovan 58:10 – The need for a holistic view of liberty 59:35 – Littlejohn’s fourfold holistic view of freedom 1:10:15 – Conclusion: Christian wisdom is to balance the parts of freedom to the whole

What is a corporation? We take them for granted as fixtures of our economic life, and sometimes single them out for fervent praise or blame, but rarely pause to consider what these strange creatures are. How did they arise? What are their moral and legal rights and responsibilities? In this penetrating paper, economic historian Kyle Williams traces their early development, rival understandings of their purpose and legal status, and how they ought to contribute to our economic and social life.

A Lecture on “Liberalism, Early Modern Protestantism, and the War on Poverty” by Ian Mosley — Convivium 2019

A Discussion on “Private property, taxation, welfare—principles and prudence” guided by Brad Littlejohn and Brad Belschner — Convivium 2019

A Presentation on John Jewel's Apology against Usury by Andrew Gazal — Convivium 2019

A discussion on the Keynote address 'Sphere Sovereignty and Subsidiary' by Brian Dijkema — Convivium 2019

Money, Usury, and Debt - Convivium 2019

From March 12-15 Colin Redemer, Professor at Saint Mary's College and Teaching Fellow of the Davenant Institute, delivered the lecture "The History and Philosophy of The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien." This lecture covers a brief biography of Tolkien, and three major aspects of his masterpiece: what it is doing philosophically, etymologically, and as a myth for England. The lecture was delivered to several universities throughout western Ukraine. This particular recording was delivered at Ivan Franko National University of Lviv, Philology Department and is followed by a Q&A.

From March 12-15 Colin Redemer, Professor at Saint Mary's College and Teaching Fellow of the Davenant Institute, delivered the lecture "What is Justice." This lecture is an exploration of the theme of justice following the major arguments of Plato's Republic. The lecture was delivered to Ivan Franko National University of Lviv, Economics department and is followed by a Q&A

In this talk, Davenant Teaching Fellow Colin Redemer confronts head-on the prevalent evangelical idea that Scripture alone can tell us about the existence of God and our need for him. On the contrary, as the Apostle Paul and theologians throughout history have argued, nature itself points us toward the existence of a supreme Creator who is at the same time the final end of our existence and our highest happiness. Though we can only dimly discern God by reason, this is a real knowledge, that holds us accountable and provides us a crucial moral starting point.

As Christians have challenged the cultural ethos of the Sexual Revolution, in the popular consciousness Christianity has often become associated with a fixation upon and a negative attitude towards sex. Framed only by their opposition to our prevailing sexual culture, orthodox Christian sexual ethics can seem judgmental and even pathological. Why Christians should care so much about sex in the first place is quite unclear to many. However, as we frame the Christian challenge to the Sexual Revolution by the Christian faith’s own positive account of sex, the reasons for the opposition will become more apparent and our challenge to our culture will be more robust.

The Davenant Institute sponsored a discussion in April 2018 on the nature of church authority. The event was held in Washington DC. This is the audio of the discussion session featuring Dr. Jonathan Leeman of 9 Marks Ministries and Joseph Minich, Editor-in-Chief with the Davenant Institute.

Discussions of the Reformation are often dominated by trite cliches and boring truisms. In his recent lecture "The Reformation Beyond the Slogans" Aaron Denlinger offers his listeners a broader and more historically faithful picture of the revolution that shook 16th century Europe. This is part two of the lecture.

Discussions of the Reformation are often dominated by trite cliches and boring truisms. In his recent lecture "The Reformation Beyond the Slogans" Aaron Denlinger offers his listeners a broader and more historically faithful picture of the revolution that shook 16th century Europe. Here is part I of his lecture.

Professor Colin Redemer on Friendship, Lewis & Aristotle

Josh Malone - The Doctrine Of The Trinity In Action by Davenant Institute

On October 16th, Davenant Institute President Brad Littlejohn was invited to give a lecture at Hillsdale College on the doctrine of the Eucharistic real presence in the Protestant Reformation. In the lecture, he argued that contrary to many popular narratives and misrepresentations, the Reformed did hold to a kind of real presence of the body and blood of Christ—only not in the elements outwardly considered, rather in the act of faithful reception. Moreover, he argued, they did this precisely to preserve the integrity of the bread and wine as creaturely means of God's gracious action. It was, they held, the Catholic doctrine of transubstantiation, not the Reformed doctrine of the sacraments, that denied that created natures could become sites of God's presence.

Dr. Roberts argues for an understanding of male and female vocation within creation that mirrored the structure of God's own creative work of first "forming" and then "filling" his world. In the Q&A, he particularly draws attention to the changed social and economic conditions of modernity which have rendered formerly intelligible distinctions of gender roles increasingly difficult to understand and apply.

Dr. Aaron Denlinger joins the podcast and discusses some of the dangers surrounding a simplistic understanding of history and how his calling as a Christian historian compels him to be honest about heroes of history and the context of their lives.

Dr. Fred Sanders of Biola University and author of The Triune God discusses his journey into academia, advice for prospective grad students and his passion for a Biblical and theologically accurate understanding of the Eternal and Almighty God-Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Phd Candidate Gregory Soderberg describes the pre-Reformation world of communion practices and the changes that were both desired and implemented by various Reformers of the 16th century. Soderberg also shows how the Reformers' views of Church discipline impacted the frequency and participants at the Eucharist.

PhD candidate and author Andrew Fulford discusses his new book Jesus and Pacifism: An Exegetical and Historical Investigation. Highlights include: (1:30) Andrew's church background, (4:00) the six key arguments for pacifism, (10:00) what is natural law and how does it answer the pacifist arguments, (19:00) what is the moral character of the conquest and its application for today, (23:00) how are we to obey Jesus' commands to love our enemies, (25:00) how popular is pacifism for evangelicals, (34:00) what is the positive case for God's vengeance, (36:00) why is pacifism persuasive for many young evangelicals.

PhD Candidate Simon Kennedy discusses the protection of religious expression in the post-Christian west and how different periods of history have viewed liberty of worship. He also explains how different understandings of the doctrine of the fall have influenced Christian views of political theology.

Pastor and author Daniel R. Hyde discusses the context of John Owen's life and ministry and explains his lasting impact on Reformed theology and the broader church.

Dr. Michael Lynch discusses the context of John Davenant's life and his impact at the Synod of Dort and contributions to our understanding of election and atonement.

In this special episode I sit down with Pastors Joe Rigney and Kevin Giles and get their reflections on the discussions about the doctrine of the Trinity that took place at the Evangelical Theological Society meeting in San Antonio, TX in mid November.

In this episode Pastor Ben Miller of Trinity Church Long Island (OPC) describes his call to the ministry and the ways he uses historical and systematic theology to build up the body of Christ.

Five Points Of Calvinism (ed.) by Davenant Institute

In this special episode Dr. Brad Littlejohn examines the lives of Peter Martyr Vermigli and Thomas Cranmer.

From Oct. 22 2016: Davenant President Dr. Bradford Littlejohn speaking at St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church in Richmond, VA on “What Does it Mean to be a Christian Citizen?” This lecture focuses on questions such as “Should I be focused on building the church or reforming the state, or both? How should and shouldn’t the Bible guide/govern/regulate/inform my political discipleship?”

Pastor Steven Wedgeworth discusses the legacy of the Reformation through a number of different lenses including ways to celebrate the Reformation faithfully, his appreciation of Protestant history and ways to grow Reformational churches today.

Dr. Eric Hutchinson of Hillsdale College describes his journey into the field of classics and discusses the thought of 16th Century Danish Reformer Niels Hemmingsen.

Dr. Brad Littlejohn discusses the mission and initiatives of the Davenant Trust along with the work of translating historical theology for the church today.