Westminster/Batten Lifelong Learning Institute

Fall 2026 Schedule

Please see below for the Fall 2026 Catalog of courses taught at Westminster-Canterbury as part of the Westminster/Batten Lifelong Learning Institute. Copies of the catalog are also available at the Westminster-Canterbury Resident Hub at www.communityapps.com or in Resident Services. If you have questions about the course offerings, please contact Dr. Ben Fraser at benson.fraser@wcbay.com.

Fall 2026 Courses at a Glance

  1. Hollywood: Teach Us to Pray — Mondays in Aug.–Sept.
  2. The Pledge, the Torch, and the Song — Tuesdays in Sept.
  3. From Playgrounds to Screens: The Changing Face of Childhood — Fridays in Sept.
  4. The Supreme Court's Transformative 2025-26 Term — Thursdays in Oct.
  5. Hearing the Parables Again: For the First Time — Fridays in Oct.
  6. Architectural History of Europe — Fridays in Oct.–Nov.
  7. Three Composers from the Classical Era: Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven — Tuesdays in Nov.
  8. Artificial Intelligence in Popular Cinema — Wednesdays in Dec.
  9. The Age of the Reformation — Fridays in Dec.
  10. The Story of Babar — Tuesday, Dec. 22

Course 1 – Hollywood: Teach Us to Pray

Dr. Terry Lindvall
C.S. Lewis Endowed Chair in Communication and Christian Thought and Professor of Communication at Batten University

When: Mondays, Aug. 24 – Sept. 14 at 4:30 p.m.

Where: Penthouse Lounge

Sessions: 4 lectures

Course Description:
Professor Lindvall will guide us through a history of prayers and hymns in the cinema. Based on his book God on the Big Screen, this series opens up the piety, the suffering, the praise, and the comedy of Hollywood's depiction of Jewish and Christian worship.

Dates and Weekly Topics:

Lecture 1: Monday, Aug. 24 at 4:30 p.m. | Penthouse Lounge

Movies Talk to God: Prayers of Sinners and Athletes. This introduction to cinematic prayers looks at how movies try to teach spectators how to pray and how to approach God. From Cool Hand Luke to Rudy and Hoosiers, we travel through doubt, hypocrisy, and prayers in sports.

Lecture 2: Monday, Aug. 31 at 4:30 p.m. | Penthouse Lounge

"Speak to Me God": Hymns, Psalms and Laments. Movies, from The Color Purple through Dead Man Walking, show how music and suffering provide channels to express our joyous praise and deepest longings.

Lecture 3: Monday, Sept. 7 at 4:30 p.m. | Penthouse Lounge

Saying "Amen" in the Movies. After saying mealtime prayers (Talladega Nights), giving thanks and receiving grace (Places in the Heart), or desperately seeking guidance, deliverance, or help (Hacksaw Ridge), we end with a chorus of "Amens."

Lecture 4: Monday, Sept. 14 at 4:30 p.m. | Penthouse Lounge

Hymns as Movie Moments. Classic hymns such as "Onward Christian Soldiers," "Shall We Gather at the River," and "O Holy Night" invite moviegoers to remember their own spiritual journey.


Course 2 – The Pledge, the Torch, and the Song: America's Struggle for Identity in Liberty

Dr. Craig Wansink
Joan P. and Macon F. Brock, Jr. Director of the Robert Nusbaum Center, Batten Professor of Religious Studies and Leadership, and Chair of the Department of Religious Studies at Batten University;
Senior Pastor of Second Presbyterian Church, Norfolk

When: Tuesdays, Sept. 1 – Sept. 15 at 11:00 a.m.

Where: Anderson Bay View Room

Sessions: 3 lectures

Course Description:
During the last decades of the 19th century, a variety of forces put American identity in flux. The Pledge of Allegiance, the Statue of Liberty, and "The Battle Hymn of the Republic" each began as quirky and divisive creations, shaped by battles over democracy, identity, and who gets to define "freedom." As we reflect on the 250-year anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, these three programs explore what freedom has meant in America and why symbolizing that freedom can be controversial.

Dates and Weekly Topics:

Lecture 1: Tuesday, Sept. 1 at 11:00 a.m. | Anderson Bay View Room

America's Quirkiest Civic Liturgy: The Very Odd Pledge of Allegiance. It was written as a marketing campaign to sell flags, for the 400-year Columbus Day Anniversary, for a children's magazine, by a Christian Socialist, rewritten four times, and originally said with a hand gesture that looked identical to a Nazi salute. And then, even though a pledge to a flag rather than to a constitution is extremely unusual, children made the pledge normal, wars made it urgent, Congress made it official, and America made it sacred. Join us for a look at the most unusual text and practice.

Lecture 2: Tuesday, Sept. 8 at 11:00 a.m. | Anderson Bay View Room

Liberty, Lies, and Lazarus: The Statue We Think We Know. Joseph Pulitzer used the statue to support everyday Americans, embarrass the wealthy elite, and watch newspaper sales soar. Congressmen saw it as a French publicity stunt. Boats saw her as a terrible lighthouse. Black Americans saw her as a powerful symbol of American hypocrisy. Suffragists protested. And Emma Lazarus used words that shaped the meaning of the statue in ways perhaps more powerful than the sculptor himself. Join us for new insights and discussion about one of America's favorite and greenest women.

Lecture 3: Tuesday, Sept. 15 at 11:00 a.m. | Anderson Bay View Room

Glory, Glory, Ambiguity: The Strange Journey of "The Battle Hymn of the Republic." Julia Ward Howe wrote "The Battle Hymn of the Republic" after hearing Union soldiers sing a crude song about John Brown's hanging body. Her rewrite, packed with violent apocalyptic imagery from the book of Revelation, became the Union Army's anthem, the rallying cry of abolitionists, and the song that moved Lincoln to tears. Then the hymn took on a strange second life: a tool of militarism and expansion, a wartime anthem, and eventually the soundtrack of the civil rights movement, quoted by Dr. King the night before he was killed. Join us to explore how one song became sacred scripture, political propaganda, and a prayer for justice.


Course 3 – From Playgrounds to Screens: The Changing Face of Childhood

Dr. Benson P. Fraser
Westminster-Canterbury Fellow for Religious Studies and Lifelong Learning at Batten University

When: Fridays, Sept. 11 & Sept. 18 at 11:00 a.m.

Where: Penthouse Lounge

Sessions: 2 lectures

Course Description:
Why are so many young people today struggling with anxiety, depression, and loneliness? The answer may lie in the rapid shift from a play-based childhood to a phone-based childhood. As smartphones and social media became a constant presence in children's lives, face-to-face friendships, imaginative play, and real-world adventures gave way to hours spent online in environments designed to capture and keep their attention. At the same time, increasingly protective parenting left many children with fewer opportunities to develop confidence, resilience, and independence through everyday challenges. While researchers continue to debate the strength of this explanation, many make a compelling case for reclaiming childhood by delaying smartphones and social media, creating phone-free schools, and giving children the freedom to play, explore, and grow in the real world. This class will look at both sides of this issue and provide current information on the topic.

Dates and Weekly Topics:

Lecture 1: Friday, Sept. 11 at 11:00 a.m. | Penthouse Lounge

Whatever Happened to Childhood? The kind of childhood that involved scraped knees, neighborhood adventures, and occasionally being bored? In The Anxious Generation, Jonathan Haidt argues that smartphones and social media have helped replace a play-based childhood with a phone-based childhood, leaving many young people more anxious, lonely, distracted, and disconnected from the real world. Children may be more connected than ever, but connected to what, and at what cost? This class will explore what smartphones and social media are doing to childhood, where Haidt gets it right (and where critics push back), and what parents, grandparents, schools, and communities can do to help young people put down the phone and rediscover the world beyond the screen.

Lecture 2: Friday, Sept. 18 at 11:00 a.m. | Penthouse Lounge

How Screens Steal Our Attention and What We Can Do About It. Our attention has become valuable property and everyone seems to want a piece of it. Drawing on Jonathan Haidt's The Anxious Generation, this class will explore how smartphones, social media, notifications, endless scrolling, and carefully designed algorithms compete to keep our eyes on the screen and our minds coming back for more. For young people especially, constant digital stimulation can crowd out sleep, face-to-face conversation, focused thought, play, and even the simple experience of being bored. But this is not just a problem for teenagers; adults are caught in the attention economy too. We will examine how screens capture our attention, why it can be so difficult to put them down, and what individuals, families, schools, and communities can do to reclaim one of our most precious resources: the freedom to decide what deserves our attention.


Course 4 – The Supreme Court's Transformative 2025-26 Term: Are the Justices Repairing or Rewriting the Constitution?

Dr. Timothy G. O'Rourke
Ph.D., Duke, Political Science. Now retired, Dr. O'Rourke served as Vice President and Provost at Batten University from 2007 to 2019

When: Thursdays, Oct. 1 – Oct. 22 at 11:00 a.m.

Where: Anderson Bay View Room

Sessions: 4 lectures

Course Description:
The Supreme Court's 2025-2026 term produced landmark rulings on racial gerrymandering, birthright citizenship, tariffs, presidential removal authority, transgender athletes in women's sports, and campaign finance. Many of the key decisions split the Court 6-3 along conservative-liberal lines, with the citizenship and tariffs rulings being notable exceptions. This four-part series examines the just-completed term and looks ahead to the 2026-27 term. Critics view the current Court as partisan and reactionary, while defenders see a temperate Court that is faithful to the Constitution's original meaning. Which side has the better of this argument?

Dates and Weekly Topics:

Lecture 1: Thursday, Oct. 1 at 11:00 a.m. | Anderson Bay View Room

Voting Rights: A Retreat or Advance on Fair Elections? The Court overturned a long-settled interpretation of the Voting Rights Act, thereby making it harder for states to draw majority Black congressional districts. The Court also struck down a federal statute limiting how much political parties can contribute to candidates, even as it rejected an attack on states' ability to receive mail-in ballots after election day. Pending at the Court is a case centered on the Trump administration's plan to limit mail-in ballots to "state citizenship lists." How will these decisions, along with the ongoing gerrymandering wars, affect federal elections in 2026, 2028, and beyond?

Lecture 2: Thursday, Oct. 8 at 11:00 a.m. | Anderson Bay View Room

Separation of Powers: A Revolution or Restoration? The Supreme Court issued a series of historic rulings addressing the separation of powers. It rejected President Trump's expansive use of tariffs, holding that they were unauthorized by Congress. But the Court decided in favor of the President's authority to fire members of independent regulatory commissions, overturning a nine-decade-old precedent. At the same time the Court blocked President Trump's attempt to sack a Federal Reserve Board Governor. How far can (and will) a President go in shaping and controlling the Executive Branch?

Lecture 3: Thursday, Oct. 15 at 11:00 a.m. | Anderson Bay View Room

We the People: An Opening or Closing Door on Immigration? In perhaps the most publicized decision of the term, the Court reaffirmed a 128-year-old precedent that the 14th Amendment ensures that persons born in the United States, even to parents who are here illegally, are U.S. citizens. On the other hand, the Court upheld the Trump Administration's efforts to restrict the flow of immigrants into the country and to terminate the right to remain here for persons given Temporary Protected Status. Will the divisive quarrels over citizenship and immigration remain in the hands of the Court and President, or will Congress re-engage with new legislation?

Lecture 4: Thursday, Oct. 22 at 11:00 a.m. | Anderson Bay View Room

Culture Wars: A Win or Loss for Gender Equality? The Court ruled in favor of two states' laws banning transgender girls and women from participation in women's athletics. It also struck down another state's law prohibiting counselors from practicing conversion therapy to help minors become comfortable in their birth sex. In the 2026-27 term the Court will decide whether a state can "displace" parents' role regarding their children's gender transition and whether a state's "universal preschool program" can exclude Catholic preschools that require support for Catholic beliefs on sex. Is the legal debate on gender issues being settled or just heating up?


Course 5 – Hearing the Parables Again: For the First Time

Dr. Benson P. Fraser
Westminster-Canterbury Fellow for Religious Studies and Lifelong Learning at Batten University

When: Fridays, Oct. 2 – Oct. 23 at 11:00 a.m.

Where: Penthouse Lounge

Sessions: 4 lectures

Course Description:
The parables of Jesus are some of the best-known stories in the world, which may be precisely the problem. We have heard about the Good Samaritan, the Prodigal Son, and the Lost Sheep so often that we may assume we already know what Jesus was saying. But Jesus did not tell comfortable little stories to help people relax. His parables were clever, surprising, sometimes funny, and occasionally irritating, especially if you happened to recognize yourself in one of them.

In this course, we will try to recover some of that original surprise. The first session will explore what parables are and how they work. The remaining lectures will group them by theme, examining two or three stories in each session. Drawing on both Jewish and Christian scholarship, we will look beyond the familiar interpretations and rediscover Jesus as a master storyteller who used wit, exaggeration, irony, and unexpected twists to challenge our assumptions. Come prepared to hear some old stories in new ways and perhaps discover that the person Jesus is talking about is you.

Dates and Weekly Topics:

Lecture 1: Friday, Oct. 2 at 11:00 a.m. | Penthouse Lounge

So, What Exactly Is a Parable? Before we tackle lost sheep, wayward sons, suspicious Samaritans, and farmers who scatter seed everywhere, we need to ask: What is a parable, and why did Jesus tell so many of them? This first class will explore the roots of parables in Israel's Scriptures, their place in Jesus' teaching, and how the Gospel writers used them to tell his story. Along the way, we'll discover that Jesus' parables weren't cozy little bedtime stories; they were designed to surprise, provoke, and occasionally make people squirm.

Lecture 2: Friday, Oct. 9 at 11:00 a.m. | Penthouse Lounge

Seeds, Soil, Weeds, and Other Kingdom Surprises. Jesus loved to teach with his feet firmly planted on the ground. Seeds, soil, weeds, trees, birds, sheep, and harvests all became characters in his stories about God and the Kingdom. In this class, we'll explore parables drawn from the land and the creatures that live on it, and discover how ordinary things Jesus' listeners saw every day became surprising lessons about faith, growth, judgment, and grace. Who knew a mustard seed could cause so much trouble?

Lecture 3: Friday, Oct. 16 at 11:00 a.m. | Penthouse Lounge

There's No Place Like Home: Parables from the House. Jesus knew that plenty of drama happens without ever leaving the house. His parables take us into homes filled with families, servants, guests, celebrations, arguments, lost possessions, and the occasional unexpected visitor. In this class, we'll explore parables centered on houses and the people who occupy them, discovering how Jesus used the everyday life of the household to talk about hospitality, relationships, forgiveness, responsibility, and the Kingdom of God. Apparently, what happens at home doesn't always stay at home.

Lecture 4: Friday, Oct. 23 at 11:00 a.m. | Penthouse Lounge

Family, Servants, and Weddings: Let the Drama Begin! Families, servants, weddings; what could possibly go wrong? In the parables of Jesus, quite a lot! Fathers and sons disagree, servants behave badly (or surprisingly well), wedding guests arrive late, and banquets don't always go according to plan. In this class, we'll explore how Jesus used the familiar world of family relationships, household servants, weddings, and celebrations to tell surprising stories about forgiveness, responsibility, grace, judgment, and the Kingdom of God. Come prepared: these are not always happy families or perfect weddings!


Course 6 – Architectural History of Europe from Antiquity through Mid-Century Modern

Dr. Sara Sewell
Professor of History at Batten University

When: Fridays, Oct. 30 – Nov. 20 at 11:00 a.m.

Where: Penthouse Lounge (except Nov. 6: Anderson Bay View Room)

Sessions: 4 lectures

Course Description:
This lecture series explores Europe's architectural history from the Classical Era through the middle of the 20th century. Its primary focus is on Europeans' evolving aesthetic sensibilities and how these sensibilities influenced both building and interior design. Equally important were the engineering advances and new building materials that shaped the kinds of structures that could be erected. The history of European architecture, however, is not only a story about design and engineering, for the buildings are telling artifacts that embodied social, political, cultural, and gender relations. Indeed, embedded in every structure were the ideologies and values that shaped various epochs. Looming large in this regard were political regimes, the Catholic Church, the Industrial Revolution, and family life.

Dates and Weekly Topics:

Lecture 1: Friday, Oct. 30 at 11:00 a.m. | Penthouse Lounge

Classical Antiquity & Medieval Romanesque Architecture. This lecture series begins by examining architecture in Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome. These two societies developed revolutionary styles in regard to both aesthetics and engineering. Indeed, Classical Antiquity pioneered an array of architectural styles and techniques, many of which were subsequently replicated and are even in use today. We will also discuss the first medieval architectural style, Romanesque, which represented a radical break with Classical aesthetics.

Lecture 2: Friday, Nov. 6 at 11:00 a.m. | Anderson Bay View Room

Medieval Gothic & Renaissance Architecture. The development of medieval Gothic architecture marked a cataclysmic rupture in architectural history from not only aesthetic and engineering perspectives, but also from a religious one. Advocated by the Catholic Church, Gothic architecture was promoted to induce a new kind of spirituality. The Renaissance picked up that mantle, as evidenced in the building of the monumental Saint Peter's Basilica in Rome. However, Renaissance thinkers and designers were also concerned with the human condition (Humanism), and this new human-centered ideology was reflected in the architecture, particularly the civic buildings constructed during the Renaissance.

Lecture 3: Friday, Nov. 13 at 11:00 a.m. | Penthouse Lounge

Early Modern Baroque & Nineteenth-Century Historicism. The rise of powerful monarchies in the late 17th century saw the cultivation of a new aesthetic sensibility that showcased European monarchs' expansive authority and wealth, known as the Baroque. With its abundant flourishes, the Baroque became the preferred style of kings and the Catholic Church. However, by the end of the 18th century, Europeans grew weary of both the Baroque and its patrons. In particular, as they established democracies, Europeans sought an architecture that would represent their beliefs in equality, civic virtue, and rationality. In doing so, they turned to Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome as aesthetic models. Thus was born Neo-Classicism, commonly called the Federalist style in the United States. Neo-Classicism ushered in a cultural phase in which Europeans looked more to the past for aesthetic inspiration rather than the present. Not coincidentally, Europeans also began to restore older structures at this time, as a sense of historic preservation emerged.

Lecture 4: Friday, Nov. 20 at 11:00 a.m. | Penthouse Lounge

Modern Architecture. At the beginning of the 20th century, European architects and designers grew tired of historicist styles and aimed to create a novel architecture for a new epoch. Reasoning that architectural styles should embody the present rather than the past, designers experimented with the new engineering techniques and materials developed during the Industrial Age. They also increasingly rejected ornamentation in favor of a more organic aesthetic, especially after World War One. Hence was born the Bauhaus, the forerunner of mid-century modern design, which exploded in popularity after World War Two in both Western and Eastern Europe.


Course 7 – Three Composers from the Classical Era (1750-1820): Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven

Lee Jordan-Anders
Professor of Music and Artist-in-Residence Emeritus at Batten University where she served on the faculty for twenty-nine years. She continues to perform occasionally while enjoying a quieter life on Virginia's Eastern Shore

When: Tuesdays, Nov. 3 – Nov. 24 at 3:00 p.m.

Where: Penthouse Lounge (except Nov. 24: Anderson Bay View Room)

Sessions: 3 lectures + 1 live concert

Course Description:
Painters and sculptors in the Neoclassical era returned to the ideals of ancient Greece and Rome, creating works in keeping with the Classical ideals of emotional restraint and formal balance. Classical composers pursued a similar rejection of Baroque opulence and excess by embracing a style in their music that focused on clearly defined formal structures and lyric melody, qualities that would entertain and appeal to the widest audience. Three composers, F. J. Haydn, W. A. Mozart, and L. v. Beethoven, all living in or near Vienna, stand at the forefront of this movement. Each class will begin with a brief piano prelude followed by an overview of each composer's work.

Dates and Weekly Topics:

Lecture 1: Tuesday, Nov. 3 at 3:00 p.m. | Penthouse Lounge

Franz Joseph Haydn (1732-1809). Often called "Papa Haydn," he was the composer of the period: the most respected, the most honored, and the one closest to the tastes of the public. He lived in a period of patronage and served for nearly 30 years as Kapellmeister for the wealthy Hungarian Esterhazy family in their estate just outside Vienna. He is responsible for refining the formal structures that became the hallmarks of the period and composed over 50 piano sonatas, nearly 70 string quartets, and 104 symphonies.

Lecture 2: Tuesday, Nov. 10 at 3:00 p.m. | Penthouse Lounge

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791). One of the most exploited child prodigies in the history of music, Mozart became the finest pianist, organist, and conductor in Europe. He composed masterpieces in all forms of music: opera, symphony, concerto, chamber, vocal, piano, and choral. He lived only thirty-six years, but his music remains a mainstay of classical music programs.

Lecture 3: Tuesday, Nov. 17 at 3:00 p.m. | Penthouse Lounge

Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827). Beethoven's music bridges the divide between the Classical and Romantic periods in music. He began as a student of Haydn and followed the rules of musical composition set out by that master. It did not take long, however, for him to develop a unique, revolutionary approach to composition, one that embraced passionate expressions of personal emotion. Unlike Haydn and Mozart, he saw himself as an artist and stood up for his rights as a creator superior to kings and nobility. He wrote for eternity, and with his powerful personality he was able to dictate a life on his own terms.

Concert 4: Tuesday, Nov. 24 at 3:00 p.m. | Anderson Bay View Room

Three in C: Piano Sonatas by Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven. This recital will first address the question of tonality. What does "in C" mean? That discussion will be followed by a presentation and performance of three Classical piano sonatas: Haydn Sonata in C Major, H. 50; Mozart Sonata in C Minor, K. 457; and Beethoven Sonata in C Minor, Opus 13 "Pathetique." Written within 14 years of each other, these sonatas provide listeners with a summary of developments in musical composition during the Classical era. They reflect not only the character of each composer but illustrate the development of the formal structure called "sonata form" and the expressive possibilities within that structure. The performance of each sonata in its entirety will be preceded by brief explanatory remarks.


Course 8 – They Are Here to Help Us: Artificial Intelligence in Popular Cinema

Dr. Dennis Bounds
Writer, Author, and Adjunct Professor at Batten University

When: Wednesdays, Dec. 2 – Dec. 23 at 11:00 a.m.

Where: Penthouse Lounge

Sessions: 4 lectures

Course Description:
For better or worse, A.I. (Artificial Intelligence) is spreading everywhere. A.I., under various names, has been a part of film history as well, celebrated and feared in equal measure. In this series of 4 lectures, we will explore the different ways in which cinema has presented A.I. (robots, androids, computer brains, etc.) as helpers, threats, and even religious figures in human affairs. Each lecture is about 60 minutes with time for Q&A at the end.

Dates and Weekly Topics:

Lecture 1: Wednesday, Dec. 2 at 11:00 a.m. | Penthouse Lounge

Helpers to Humans. The helper, the assistant, the recreation: A.I. is featured in several films from Metropolis, The Day the Earth Stood Still, and Forbidden Planet to Wall-E and Westworld as the next best thing where nothing can go wrong. But can it? In this lecture we will examine these films with film clips and plenty of time for discussion at the end.

Lecture 2: Wednesday, Dec. 9 at 11:00 a.m. | Penthouse Lounge

Better than Human. The artificial mind is sometimes seen as an improvement on humanity; they may even be better suited to running things in films like 2001: A Space Odyssey, 2010: Odyssey Two, Colossus: A Forbin Project, and Wargames. But what happens if we don't want to be replaced? In this lecture we will examine these films with film clips and plenty of time for discussion at the end.

Lecture 3: Wednesday, Dec. 16 at 11:00 a.m. | Penthouse Lounge

The Religion of A.I.: Creator of Humans. Sometimes, A.I. will act as an idol or even a god. In films such as Blade Runner, Blade Runner 2049, Ex Machina, and Demon Seed, the god-impulse takes several interesting forms. In this lecture we will examine these films with film clips and plenty of time for discussion at the end.

Lecture 4: Wednesday, Dec. 23 at 11:00 a.m. | Penthouse Lounge

The Religion of A.I.: Wrath of the Gods. The god-impulse in A.I. is in full force when it is trying to destroy or repurpose mankind. Such films as G.O.G., Terminator, Terminator 2: Judgment Day, I, Robot, and The Matrix explore the taking of control and ultimate overthrow of mankind. In this lecture we will examine these films with film clips and plenty of time for discussion at the end.


Course 9 – The Age of the Reformation: When Christianity Got Complicated (1517-1648)

Dr. Benson P. Fraser
Westminster-Canterbury Fellow for Religious Studies and Lifelong Learning at Batten University

When: Fridays, Dec. 4 & Dec. 11 at 11:00 a.m.

Where: Penthouse Lounge

Sessions: 2 lectures

Course Description:
It began with a monk, a hammer, and 95 complaints, or at least that's how the story is usually told. The Protestant Reformation shattered the religious unity of Western Europe and transformed Christianity, politics, education, and everyday life. In this class, we'll meet Martin Luther, John Calvin, Henry VIII, and the Catholic reformers as we explore why Christians suddenly found themselves arguing about popes, priests, Bibles, salvation, and occasionally going to war over them. By 1648, Christianity would never look quite the same again.

Dates and Weekly Topics:

Lecture 1: Friday, Dec. 4 at 11:00 a.m. | Penthouse Lounge

The Protestant Reformation: When the Church Changed Forever. The spirit of reform erupted with surprising intensity in the sixteenth century, giving birth to Protestantism and shattering centuries of papal authority over Western Christianity. What began as calls to reform the Church soon became a religious revolution, as Christians debated who had authority, how people were saved, and what the Church should be. From this upheaval emerged four major Protestant traditions: Lutheran, Reformed, Anabaptist, and Anglican, each offering a different vision of Christian faith and practice. This class will explore how these movements began, what they believed, and why their arguments from 500 years ago continue to shape Christianity today.

Lecture 2: Friday, Dec. 11 at 11:00 a.m. | Penthouse Lounge

The Catholic Reformation: Rome Responds. The Protestant Reformers were not the only Christians interested in reform. Within a generation, the Catholic Church launched a powerful renewal of its own, confronting corruption, clarifying doctrine, improving the education of clergy, and recovering much of its spiritual and moral energy. Leading the charge were the Jesuits, founded by Ignatius of Loyola, whose members became missionaries, teachers, scholars, and defenders of the Catholic faith around the world. Together with the reforms of the Council of Trent, they helped transform a Church under siege into a revitalized global force. Rome had gotten the message and it was ready to respond.


Course 10 – The Story of Babar

Lee Jordan-Anders, pianist, and Dr. Benson P. Fraser, narrator.
Lee Jordan-Anders is Professor of Music and Artist-in-Residence Emeritus at Batten University. Dr. Fraser is Westminster-Canterbury Fellow for Religious Studies and Lifelong Learning at Batten University

When: Tuesday, Dec. 22 at 11:00 a.m.

Where: Anderson Bay View Room

Sessions: 1 live concert — bring the grandchildren!

The Story of Babar, the Little Elephant. Text by Jean de Brunhoff. Music by Francis Poulenc. Illustrations by Laurent de Brunhoff.

Bring the grandchildren and come share a little musical magic! This joyful live concert brings the beloved story of Babar the Elephant to life through music and words. Follow Babar from the forest to the excitement of the city and back home again, where an unexpected crown awaits!

Especially planned for grandparents and grandchildren to enjoy together, this delightful program celebrates imagination, adventure, family, and the joy of being together. Wonderful music, a timeless story, and an elephant: what more could you ask for?