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 26-27
The Life and Calling Lecture Series
Monday, October 12: Grace Hamman
Dr. Grace Hamman is a writer, speaker, and literary scholar. She is the author of Ask of Old Paths: Medieval Virtues & Vices for a Whole & Holy Life (Zondervan Reflective, 2025), the 2025 Christianity Today Book of the Year in Spiritual Formation, and a finalist for the Dallas Willard Book of the Year. She also wrote Jesus through Medieval Eyes: Beholding Christ with the Artists, Mystics, and Theologians of the Middle Ages (Zondervan Reflective, 2023). Grace received her doctorate in English, specializing in Middle English contemplative writing and poetry, from Duke University in 2019. She now lives in Colorado with her husband and their three delightful children.
The Life and Calling Lecture Series
Monday, November 9: Zachary Wagner
Zachary Wagner (DPhil, Oxford) is an author, ordained minister and New Testament scholar. He grew up in the northwest suburbs of Chicago in a homeschooling family as the fourth of six siblings, an environment that sparked his lifelong love of languages, ideas and reading. After completing degrees from the Moody Bible Institute and Wheaton College, Zachary and his family moved to Oxford, England, in 2020 for him to pursue a DPhil (PhD) in New Testament studies. His research focused on the theme of reward in the letters of Paul and the Gospel of Matthew, and he successfully defended his thesis in 2025. He published his first book, Non-Toxic Masculinity: Recovering Healthy Male Sexuality, in 2023 with InterVarsity Press. His second book, Men of Virtue: How the Fruit of the Spirit Forms Male Character in the Modern World, was released by Brazos Press in May 2026. He is currently pursuing publication for his DPhil thesis, as well as further writing and research projects on Christianity and Stoicism. Zachary was ordained for gospel ministry in 2022 and has over a decade of nonprofit leadership experience. He lives just outside Chicago in an intentional community with his wife, three kids and two additional housemates.