Common Places

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

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? I

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 moderni

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 Hos

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!