Common Places

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 Trust

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

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 an

“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)

Davenant Discussions, Friendship, Forgiveness, and Repentance - Nick Higgins (Session 1) by Davenant Trust

Davenant Discussions, Finding Unity - Nick Higgins (Session 2) by Davenant Trust

Davenant Discussions, Between Legalism and Antinomianism - Rev. Dr. Jady Koch by Davenant Trust

Davenant Discussions, Ancient Temple Theologies in Light of the Old Testament - Dr. Sam Negus by Davenant Trust

Davenant Discussions, Where Shall Anthropology Be Found in Wisdom? - Dr. Benjamin Quinn by Davenant Trust