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 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.

Dr. Bradford Littlejohn, founder of the Davenant Institute and scholar of Richard Hooker, gives a lecture and Q&A on why conflict grips church and society. He explores pride, tribal signaling, false certainty, and Hooker’s call for hermeneutic humility. Short takes probe identity, prejudice, precisionism, and paths toward reconsideration.

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

Dr. Benjamin Quinn, a theology professor who lectures on Augustine, guides a deep dive into Augustine's theme of sapientia. He traces wisdom from Augustine's bishopric to De Trinitate. Short, focused talks explore wisdom as Christ, virtue, ontology, and the soul’s road toward divine vision.