Protestantism and the Commonwealth
Protestant Wisdom Foundations II
A RESIDENTIAL summer program With Dr. Joseph Minich
June 16-20, 2025
Charlotte, NC
“I think every Christian would come away from this course with skills to help them think wisely about their faith and God’s creation.”
Coleman Rafferty
About the Program
This residential course will introduce you to the long debate over the relationship of spiritual and political authority, the Reformation’s decisive contributions to this debate, and the rich heritage of Protestant social and political thought. You will be encouraged to attend seriously to the political insights of an older era of Christendom, while also seeking to creatively apply this heritage to the very different context and fresh challenges of our own day.
Each day will begin with Scripture study on a passage relevant to the theme of the course, with afternoons spent in lectures and Socratic discussion seminars. In addition to accessible contemporary introductions, students will grapple with key texts in the Christian tradition that shed light on the relationship of Word and world.
All Are Invited to Apply
Cost
Early Bird Rate (before May 5): $650
Regular Rate (after May 5): $750
This includes all of your meals, room and board.
For Davenant Hall Students: If you are pursuing the M.Litt degree, participation in this residential program is required. It is worth 2 credits.
More Information
Readings
Protestantism was once credited with the emergence of individual liberty, constitutional government and the separation of church; today it is often maligned for fostering libertine individualism, revolutionary movements, and the secularization of society. What is the right balance of liberty and authority, and how has Protestantism contributed to this balance over the centuries? How can political power be anchored in the consent of the governed without denying the divine source of all authority? And is there a way to reap the good fruits of Protestantism’s promotion of religious liberty without abandoning public religion altogether?
Readings will include selections from:
- Brad Littlejohn, Called to Freedom
- Selections from Richard Hooker’s Laws of Ecclesiastical Polity
- Selections from Oliver O’Donovan’s Ways of Judgment
- Selections from Johannes Althusius’ Politica
- Selections from James Wilson’s Lectures on Law
Together, readings and discussions will provide an intense but rewarding time of intellectual stimulation, laying a foundation for faithful Christian discipleship in the modern world, rooted in the wisdom of the past.
Travel & hotel
Please fly into Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) the day before the Residential takes place. To learn about our group housing, please contact Julia Thiele at j.thiele@davenanttrust.org
Instructor
Dr. Joseph Minich (PhD, The University of Texas at Dallas) is Faculty Chair and Professor of Philosophy at Davenant Hall. As part of his work, he also co-hosts the Pilgrim Faith podcast. The founding editor of Ad Fontes and former Editor-in-Chief of the Davenant Press, he is the author of Enduring Divine Absence (Davenant Press, 2018) and Bulwarks of Unbelief: Atheism and Divine Absence in a Secular Age (Lexham Press, 2023). His public writing can be found at The Calvinist International, Mere Orthodoxy, Modern Reformation, and Ad Fontes.
Please Join Us!
Questions about curriculum?
Contact Joe Minich at j.minich@davenantinstitute.org
Questions about program logistics?
Contact: Tim Jacobs at T.jacobs@davenantinstitute.org