On the evening of May 23 Dr. Catherine Meeks and David Brooks, together at the National Cathedral in Washington D.C., will address the topic “Love Thy Neighbor: Building Stronger Communities.” The dialogue will be live streamed around the world. I am alerting you to this event for two reasons. The first is Brooks and Meeks’…

The CSC is a “family of scholars” that honors the highest level of academic achievement and enjoys collegial company. Scholars from Dartmouth, Yale and Harvard to Pepperdine, Harding and Lipscomb Universities gather for serious academic engagement and honest critique in a spirit of genuine kindness. More than 80 peer review, generative, round table and performance…

Legal scholars explain that the First Amendment has never been static, that it is open to interpretation, and that interpretations have changed over time. Nevertheless, we are currently in the midst of a particularly acute stage of interpretational contestation. The 14th annual Robert and Bonnie Cone Hooper Plenary at the CSC will explore what it…

I often hear CSC alum reflect on their favorite plenary speakers over the last 17 years. We have scores of outstanding candidates to draw from. For example, Francis Collins is often mentioned for his brilliant insights, research in science and his strong Christian faith. It helps lasting impressions that Collins involved himself in multiple sessions,…

The Christian Scholars’ Conference is excited to announce the infusion of the arts in this year’s Fred Gray Plenary Session. In her closing plenary, Catherine Meeks will reflect upon quilting as a major image to help illuminate the processes necessary to create a sustainable world. Her address, “Rags of Love in the Quilting Circle: A…

Registration is now open. We have a stellar line up of plenary and endowed lectures ~ all of which makes the Thomas H. Olbricht Christian Scholars’ Conference unique in quality and kind. In addition to these featured speakers, the 85-100 peer-reviewed, generative, roundtable or workshop sessions that fill the 52-hour conference provide ample evidence that…

We are sad to hear of the passing of Gary Yamasaki, participant in the 2019 CSC. Jesse Long, from LCU, writes, Gary Yamasaki was an accomplished, creative biblical scholar whose presentation of Perspective Criticism reflected an understanding of the sophistication of biblical narrative not often appreciated. A 2019 presenter in the Christian Scholars’ Conference, Gary…

We are pleased to announce that Kirsteen Kim will give the inaugural Gailyn Van Rheenen lecture in Mission and World Christianity, titled “The Spirit of Mission and the Mission of the Spirit.” Kim is the Paul E. Pierson Chair in World Christianity and Associate Dean for the Center for Missiological Research at Fuller Theological Seminary.…

We are deeply gratified to host as this year’s J. J. M. Roberts lecturer, Distinguished Professor Ellen F. Davis of Duke Divinity School. Professor Davis is at the forefront of efforts to help the church recover the voice of its own Scriptures in finding a life-giving and sustainable place for humankind in an interconnected world. Her work…

The annual Landon Saunders’ Lecture at the 2022 Christian Scholars’ Conference will feature Kristin Kobes Du Mez, author of Jesus and John Wayne. Du Mez is a writer and scholar who explores the intersection of religion, gender, and politics. With a style described as “equal parts winsome and hardhitting,” her unflinching examination of the American…