Berry has a long history of distinguished guest speakers who have discussed important topics related to Christian faith and learning.
It is the pleasure of the Chaplain’s Office to host guest speakers each semester who provide stimulating lectures and discussions on matters of faith and higher learning. These speakers come from a variety of backgrounds and speak on a variety of topics. Each guest brings together the student body, faculty, and the Rome community for an enriching learning experience. Below is a list of speakers for this academic year. Coming soon, visitors will be able to hear recordings of these excellent lectures. Be sure to visit frequently to get updates on the latest guests and topics.
GUEST SPEAKERS 24-25
Monday, September 30th at 7pm in Spruill Ballroom
Michael Wear – "How Christians Should Engage Politics"
Michael Wear is a strategist, speaker and practitioner at the intersection of faith, politics and public life. Michael directed faith outreach for President Obama’s historic 2012 re-election campaign. Michael was also one of the youngest White House staffers in modern American history. He served in the White House's faith-based initiative during President Obama’s first term, where he led evangelical outreach and helped manage the White House’s engagement of religious and values issues, including adoption and anti-human trafficking efforts.
Monday, October 28th at 7pm in Spruill Ballroom
Elesha Coffman – "When is a Good Time: What the ups and downs of the past can teach us about the roller coaster ride we’re living now?”
Elesha Coffman is a professor of history at Baylor University. A graduate of Wheaton College and Duke University, she is author of three books, most recently Turning Points in American Church History (Baker, 2024).
Monday, January 27th at 7pm in Spruill Ballroom
Frederick Bauerschmidt – "The Love That is God"
Frederick Bauerschmidt is Professor of Theology at Loyola University Maryland and a deacon of the Archdiocese of Baltimore. He is a former editor of Modern Theology and the author of several books, including Why the Mystics Matter Now (2003) and Thomas Aquinas: Faith, Reason, and Following Christ (2013). Recently, Bauerschmidt’s book The Love That is God (2020) received the Michael Ramsey Prize in 2023.
Monday, March 24th at 7pm in Spruill Ballroom
Mary Berry – Wendell Berry’s Literary Legacy
Mary currently serves on the Boards of Directors of United Citizens Bank in New Castle, Kentucky, the Schumacher Center for a New Economics in Great Barrington, Massachusetts, and Sterling College in Vermont. Her writings have appeared in various publications and collections, including “Letters to a Young Farmer: On Food, Farming, and Our Future” (Princeton Agricultural Press, 2016) and the introduction for a new edition of essays, “Our Sustainable Table”, Robert Clark, ed. (Counterpoint, 2017).