Calvin Thielman Lecture Series
The Calvin Thielman Lecture Series seeks to honor Calvin Thielman’s legacy by providing challenging lectures that enrich the intellectual and spiritual life of the community.
Thielman Lectures 2025
Tuesday, March 4, 2025
Lecture: Evangelicals, the Imagination, and the Social Imaginary | 7:00 PM
Graham Chapel | 310 Gaither Circle| Montreat, NC 28757
Wednesday, March 5, 2025
Lecture: Dying to Live | 10:00 AM
Anderson Auditorium | 303 Lookout Road | Montreat, NC 28757
Keynote Speaker
Karen Swallow Prior
Karen Swallow Prior, Ph. D., is a reader, writer, speaker, and professor. She is the author of The Evangelical Imagination: How Stories, Images, and Metaphors Created a Culture in Crisis (Brazos, 2023); On Reading Well: Finding the Good Life through Great Books (Brazos 2018); Fierce Convictions: The Extraordinary Life of Hannah More—Poet, Reformer, Abolitionist (Thomas Nelson, 2014); and Booked: Literature in the Soul of Me (T. S. Poetry Press, 2012).
She is co-editor of Cultural Engagement: A Crash Course in Contemporary Issues (Zondervan 2019) and has contributed to numerous other books. She has a monthly column for Religion News Service. Her writing has appeared at Christianity Today, New York Times, The Atlantic, The Washington Post, First Things, Vox, Think Christian, The Gospel Coalition, and various other places. Karen hosted the podcast Jane and Jesus. She is a Contributing Editor for Comment, a founding member of The Pelican Project, and a Senior Fellow at the Trinity Forum. She and her husband live on a 100-year-old homestead in central Virginia with dogs, chickens, and lots of books.
Dr. Calvin Thielman
Dr. Calvin Thielman (1930-2002) was born in Paris, Texas, in 1930. Thielman was on a fast track to a career in politics when he experienced a call to the ministry. He held many roles and responsibilities in his life, including serving as an assistant to Billy Graham. He was the pastor of Montreat Presbyterian Church (now Christ Community Church) from 1962 to 1995, as well as the chaplain of Montreat College from 1962 to 1992. He was known by many as a skilled teacher, preacher, counselor, and ambassador for Christ.
Past Speakers
Kaitlyn Schiess
Kaitlyn Schiess is a writer, author, and doctoral student at Duke Divinity School studying political theology, ethics, and biblical interpretation. She graduated from Dallas Theological Seminary in 2021 with a ThM in systematic theology.
Dr. Preston Sprinkle
Dr. Preston Sprinkle is a biblical scholar, speaker, podcaster, a New York Times bestselling author, and is the co-founder and president of The Center for Faith, Sexuality & Gender. He loves talking and writing about hot-button cultural and theological issues with thoughtfulness, honesty and grace and works hard to challenge himself and others to read the Bible with conviction and humility.
Rev. Dr. James Choung
Rev. Dr. James Choung serves as Vice President of Strategy & Innovation—overseeing evangelism, discipleship, planting, growth, missions, multi-ethnic initiatives, and the Creative Labs—at InterVarsity Christian Fellowship USA.
Jackie Hill Perry
Jackie Hill Perry is a writer, speaker and spoken word artist whose work has been featured in The Washington Times, The 700 Club, Desiring God, The Gospel Coalition, and other publications. Since coming to know Christ at the age of 19, Hill Perry has been compelled to share the light of Gospel truth through teaching, writing, poetry, and music as authentically as she can. She is signed to Humble Beast Records and released her debut album, The Art of Joy, in 2014. Her latest album, Crescendo, was released in 2018. At home, she is known as wife to Preston and mommy to Eden and Autumn.
Skye Jethani
Skye Jethani is an author, speaker, consultant and ordained pastor. He also serves as the co-host of the popular Phil Vischer Podcast, a weekly show that blends astute cultural and theological insights with comical conversation. Between 2004 and 2015, Jethani occupied numerous roles at Christianity Today, including managing and senior editor of Leadership Journal and as the director of mission advancement. He was also the senior producer of “This Is Our City,” a multi-year, multi-city project telling the stories of Christians working for the common good of their communities. In addition to Christianity Today‘s magazines and websites, Jethani has also written for The Washington Post‘s “On Faith” column, Relevant magazine, ChurchLeaders.com, and he is a regular contributor to The Huffington Post. He has also authored numerous books, including The Divine Commodity: Discovering a Faith Beyond Consumer Christianity (2009), WITH: Reimagining the Way You Relate to God (2011), Futureville (2014), What’s Wrong with Religion? 9 Things No one Told You About Your Faith (2017) and Immeasurable: Reflections on the Soul of Ministry in the Age of Church, Inc. (2017). He also curates the “WITH GOD” daily devotional, a subscription-based daily email designed to help a smartphone generation begin the day with God.
Rufus Smith
Rev. Rufus Smith, IV is the senior pastor of Hope Evangelical Presbyterian Church (EPC) in Memphis, Tennessee, one of the largest 100 congregations in America. He joined Hope’s staff in September 2010, and in 2013 was elected to succeed the founding pastor of 25 years, Dr. Richard Craig Strickland. For nearly 12 years, Rev. Smith was the senior pastor of The City of Refuge (COR) Church in Houston, Texas, an inter-racial, inter-generational, biblically-centered and socially active fellowship. Prior to being called to Memphis, Rev. Smith was the founder and CEO of the FORGE for Families (FFF). The FORGE employed athletics, after-school enrichment, adult life-skills, and entrepreneurial programs as a means to empower at risk families. For three years he was the lead chaplain for the NBA’s Houston Rockets, and he continues to advise other local/national boards. He studied at Houston Baptist University, majoring in theology and psychology, and maintains an active traveling and speaking schedule.
Phil Vischer
Phil Vischer made his first animated film when he was nine years old; by the age of fourteen, he was convinced he would be a filmmaker when he grew up. After a brief stint at a Bible college, Vischer struck out on his own, looking for a way to integrate his faith with his filmmaking. This quest led him to a tomato and a cucumber. The year was 1991, and Phil Vischer was a newly married 25-year-old with no financial backing and no idea how his vegetables would ever see the light of day. Today, almost 50 million VeggieTales videos have been purchased and Vischer’s faith-filled stories can be found in one-third of all American homes with young children. Although his original company, Big Idea Productions, collapsed in bankruptcy in 2003, Vischer continues his creative involvement with VeggieTales through its current owner. He actively develops new ways to integrate faith and storytelling through Jellyfish Labs. Vischer lives in Wheaton, Illinois, with his wife, Lisa (aka Junior Asparagus), and their three kids.
Sean McDowell
Dr. Sean McDowell is a gifted communicator with a passion for equipping the church, and in particular young people, to make the case for the Christian faith. He earned a Ph.D. in apologetics and worldview studies from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in 2014. McDowell is the author, co-author, or editor of over fifteen books including Same-Sex Marriage: A Thoughtful Approach to God’s Design for Marriage, with John Stonestreet, Is God Just a Human Invention? with Jonathan Morrow, and Understanding Intelligent Design along with William A. Dembski. He has also written multiple books with his father, Josh McDowell, including The Unshakable Truth and More Than A Carpenter. McDowell is the general editor for Apologetics for a New Generation and The Apologetics Study Bible for Students. He has also written for YouthWorker Journal, Decision Magazine, and the Christian Research Journal.
Jim Wood
A Montreat native and Montreat College alum, Rev. Wood is the founder and executive director of Wears Valley Ranch and the former director of mobilization of My Hope America with Billy Graham, the largest evangelistic effort in U.S. history. Wears Valley Ranch is a home and school for children from families in crisis that includes two homes for boys, two homes for girls, a counseling center, a fully accredited K-12 school, a summer camp, a radio ministry, and conference facilities serving hundreds of visitors and volunteers each year. In addition to his work with Wears Valley, Rev. Wood maintains an itinerant preaching ministry. Wood and his wife have authored fourteen books.
Dr. Tony Campolo
Dr. Campolo, professor emeritus of sociology at Eastern University, is also the founder of of the Evangelical Association for the Promotion of Education. He is known for his forward thinking approach to Christianity.
Os Guinness
Os Guinness is a renowned author and social critic. He has vast expertise in the areas of public policy, international relations, and faith. He has worked as a freelance journalist for the BBC, written over 25 books, and served at the Brookings Institute and the Woodrow Wilson Center for International Affairs.
Warden Burl Cain
Warden Cain is the warden of the Louisiana State Penitentiary. He has been featured on ABC’s “20/20” with Barbara Walters, “Stephen Fry Goes to America,” and “Louisiana Lockdown” on Animal Planet.
Newt Gingrich
Newt Gingrich is known as a politician, political consultant, and author. He was the 58th Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives from the years of 1995 to 1999, and was also a candidate for the Republican Party’s presidential nomination in 2012.
Dr. Teri McCarthy
Dr. McCarthy is a writer, and currently holds the role of English Department Chair at Lithuania University. She has taught at universities in China, Holland, Russia, Afghanistan, and Nigeria.
Andrew J. Young
Andrew Young is a pastor, politician, and activist. He is widely known for his work with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. He was a close friend and supporter of King during the Civil Rights Movement. In addition he has held roles as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, Congressman, Mayor of Atlanta, and more.
General Mastin Robeson (Ret.)
General Mastin Robeson served for 34 years in the Marine Corps and has boundless experience in the areas of intelligence and counterterrorism. He has also served on the board of trustees at Montreat College.
William P. Young
William Paul Young is an author, and most notably known for his novel, The Shack.