Bluffton religion professor to talk about freedom and peace on Feb. 2

Lecture: C. Henry Smith Peace Lecture by Bluffton University Assistant Professor of Religion Laura Brenneman – “What does freedom have to do with peace?”
Date, time, location: Monday, Feb. 2 at 7:30 p.m. in Administration Building, Room 28
Cost: Free and open to the public

GOSHEN, Ind. – Drawing heavily on the biblical book of Galatians, Bluffton (Ohio) University Assistant Professor of Religion Laura Brenneman will be asking the question, “What does freedom have to do with peace?” in her Monday, Feb. 2 C. Henry Smith Peace Lecture at Goshen College in the Administration Building, Room 28 at 7:30 p.m. The event is free and open to the public.

Brenneman, who is also the director of peace and conflict studies at Bluffton, will explore how New Testament understandings of freedom, especially Paul’s understanding, compare to the modern rhetoric of freedom. She will be considering contemporary contexts for living out the freedom of the Gospel that Paul declares and testing implications for a Christian position of nonviolence. It is recommended that attendees bring their Bibles for this lecture, which will be in a Bible study format.

Brenneman received a bachelor’s degree in biology from Eastern Mennonite University in Harrisonburg, Va., a master’s of theological studies from Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary in Elkhart, Ind., and a doctorate in theology from the University of Durham in England.

The C. Henry Smith Lecture, named for a former history professor at both Bluffton University and Goshen College, includes a research grant for the lecturer. The grant is awarded each year to a professor at a Mennonite college, who then presents the lecture at the participating schools.

Editors: For more information about this release, to arrange an interview or request a photo, contact Goshen College News Bureau Director Jodi H. Beyeler at (574) 535-7572 or jodihb@goshen.edu.

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Goshen College, established in 1894, is a residential Christian liberal arts college rooted in the Anabaptist-Mennonite tradition. The college’s Christ-centered core values – passionate learning, global citizenship, compassionate peacemaking and servant-leadership – prepare students as leaders for the church and world. Recognized for its unique Study-Service Term program, Goshen has earned citations of excellence in Barron’s Best Buys in Education, “Colleges of Distinction,” “Making a Difference College Guide” and U.S.News & World Report‘s “America’s Best Colleges” edition, which named Goshen a “least debt college.” Visit www.goshen.edu.