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Welcome, Democracy Scholars! We are delighted to invite you to American Independence and Identity at 250: Examining Democracy in the United States and Globally. This conference will be hosted at Gordon College on Thursday, June 11-Saturday, June 13, with events in Ken Olsen Science Center, Chase Hall, and Lane Student Center. Join for an optional tour of revolutionary sites in Boston, MA on Sunday, June 14.

Check out the schedule below and get excited for a phenomenal lineup of panel discussions, keynote addresses, and more!
Thursday, June 11
 

1:30pm EDT

Check-In
Thursday June 11, 2026 1:30pm - 3:30pm EDT
Loggia (Ken Olsen Science Center)
For Registered Guests (no Housing)Please park your car or have your ride drop you off in the A.J. Gordon Chapel Parking Lot. You can find this lot on the attached Visitor Parking Map.Then, please walk to the Ken Olsen Science Center (located about a 2-minute walk away, visible from the Chapel Parking Lot). You can view the location on the attached Campus Map. In the entryway "Loggia," you'll...
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Thursday June 11, 2026 1:30pm - 3:30pm EDT
Loggia (Ken Olsen Science Center)

3:45pm EDT

Afternoon Panel 1 | Undergraduate Panel
Thursday June 11, 2026 3:45pm - 5:15pm EDT
KOS 109 (Ken Olsen Science Center)
Miriam Belli (Gordon College)"Childlike Faith? The Past, Present, and Future of Youth Religious and Partisan Identity in America"Americans today are demonstrating increased affinity to a political party but decreased religious alignment, with their partisan identities often trumping any religious beliefs or practices. At the same time, recent decades have shown a blurring of the lines between...
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Speakers
avatar for Miriam Belli

Miriam Belli

Political Science Student, Gordon College
Miriam is a junior at Gordon, studying Political Science with minors in Musical Theatre, Business Management, and Innovation and Social Enterprise. She is passionate about local church ministry, education, and equipping the next generation of Christian leaders."
avatar for Ella Forest

Ella Forest

Political Science Student, Gordon College
Ella is a rising senior at Gordon College studying Political Science with a Psychology Human Development Minor.
avatar for Isaac Picariello

Isaac Picariello

Philosophy and Political Science Student, Gordon College
Isaac Picariello is a rising senior political science and philosophy major at Gordon College. Isaac has served as a TA, class representative, and is entering his second term as student body president. 
avatar for Steve Alter

Steve Alter

Professor of History, Gordon College
MA in history, Rice University. PhD in history, U. of Michigan at Ann Arbor. Teaches U.S. and modern British history, with a focus on foreign affairs. Research on the history of the social sciences, particularly linguistics, and on Charles Darwin and the beginnings of Darwinian evolution... Read More →
avatar for Jennifer Hevelone-Harper

Jennifer Hevelone-Harper

Professor of History, Gordon College
Jennifer Hevelone-Harper teaches History at Gordon College's School of Humanities and Social Sciences. Her teaching fields include Late Antiquity, Byzantium, Early Islam, Medieval and Early Modern Europe. Her research specializes in Christian Spirituality in Late Antiquity and the... Read More →
Thursday June 11, 2026 3:45pm - 5:15pm EDT
KOS 109 (Ken Olsen Science Center) 255 Grapevine Road, Wenham, MA 01984
  Panel Discussions

5:30pm EDT

Dinner
Thursday June 11, 2026 5:30pm - 6:30pm EDT
Chester's Place (Lane Student Center)

Thursday June 11, 2026 5:30pm - 6:30pm EDT
Chester's Place (Lane Student Center)
  Conference Meals

7:00pm EDT

Plenary Panel | "Possibilities for Covenantal Pluralism in the West"
Thursday June 11, 2026 7:00pm - 8:15pm EDT
Chairs' Room (Ken Olsen Science Center)
This panel is a launch event for a special issue of The Review of Faith & International Affairs titled “Possibilities for Covenantal Pluralism in the West.” Panelists will examine the contemporary legal, political, and cultural challenges of deep diversity in three country cases: the U.S., England, and Canada. Complimentary copies of the special issue will be available to conference...
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Speakers
avatar for Dennis Hoover

Dennis Hoover

Editor in Chief, The Review of Faith and International Affairs
Editor in Chief, The Review of Faith & International Affairs (RFIA). Senior Fellow, Institute for Global Engagement (IGE). Senior Fellow, Love Your Neighbor Community (LYNC). Co-editor of The Routledge Handbook of Religious Literacy, Pluralism, and Global Engagement.... Read More →
avatar for Judd Birdsall

Judd Birdsall

Asst Professor of the Practice, Dept of Theology and Religious Studies, Georgetown University
Asst Professor of the Practice, Dept of Theology and Religious Studies, Georgetown University. Senior Fellow, Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs. Senior Editor, RFIA. Formerly at US State Dept and U.S. Institute of Peace.
avatar for Robert Joustra

Robert Joustra

Professor of Politics and Spoelhof Chair, Calvin University
Professor of Politics and Spoelhof Chair at Calvin University. Author, Christ and Covenant in Global Politics: A Christian Introduction to International Relations, Co-Editor, Power Politics and Moral Order: Three Generations of Christian Realism. Senior Editor, RFIA.
avatar for Laura Olson

Laura Olson

Herman Brown Chair of Political Science, Texas Christian University
Herman Brown Chair of Political Science at Texas Christian University. Two-time U.S. Fulbright Scholar to Italy. Former editor-in-chief, Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion. Author, Religion and Politics in America: Faith, Culture, and Strategic Choices.
_______________... Read More →
Thursday June 11, 2026 7:00pm - 8:15pm EDT
Chairs' Room (Ken Olsen Science Center)
  Plenary Events

8:15pm EDT

Plenary Reception
Thursday June 11, 2026 8:15pm - 8:45pm EDT
Loggia (Ken Olsen Science Center)

Thursday June 11, 2026 8:15pm - 8:45pm EDT
Loggia (Ken Olsen Science Center)
  Plenary Events
 
Friday, June 12
 

7:30am EDT

Breakfast
Friday June 12, 2026 7:30am - 8:30am EDT
Chester's Place (Lane Student Center)

Friday June 12, 2026 7:30am - 8:30am EDT
Chester's Place (Lane Student Center)
  Conference Meals

7:30am EDT

Check-In
Friday June 12, 2026 7:30am - 9:00am EDT
Loggia (Ken Olsen Science Center)
For Registered Guests (no Housing)Please park your car or have your ride drop you off in the A.J. Gordon Chapel Parking Lot. You can find this lot on the attached Visitor Parking Map. Then, please walk to the Ken Olsen Science Center (located about a 2-minute walk away, visible from the Chapel Parking Lot). You can view the location on the attached Campus Map. In the entryway "Loggia," you'll...
See More →
Friday June 12, 2026 7:30am - 9:00am EDT
Loggia (Ken Olsen Science Center)

8:30am EDT

Welcome & Devotion
Friday June 12, 2026 8:30am - 9:00am EDT
Chairs' Room (Ken Olsen Science Center)
Join Agnes Howard for a brief welcome and devotion to begin the day.
Speakers
avatar for Agnes Howard

Agnes Howard

Adjunct Assistant Professor of Humanities, Valparaiso University
Dr. Agnes R. Howard is Adjunct Assistant Professor of Humanities at Christ College, the Honors College at Valparaiso University. She is author of Showing: What Pregnancy Tells Us about Being Human (2020) and Disoriented: Embodied Life in Strange Times (2026). 
Friday June 12, 2026 8:30am - 9:00am EDT
Chairs' Room (Ken Olsen Science Center)
  All-Conference Events

9:00am EDT

Morning Panel 2 | Theology
Friday June 12, 2026 9:00am - 10:30am EDT
KOS 109 (Ken Olsen Science Center)
Mitchell Bahnsen (Westmont College)“Social Imaginaries at 250: Charles Taylor and the Tensions of Modernity”This paper argues that America’s democratic crisis is fundamentally moral and cultural, not merely institutional. Drawing on Charles Taylor, it traces how atomism, instrumental reason, and struggles for recognition have fragmented the democratic social imaginary. Situating these...
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Speakers
avatar for Mitchell Bahnsen

Mitchell Bahnsen

Politics, Philosophy, and Economics Student, Westmont College
Mitchell G. Bahnsen is a Politics, Philosophy, and Economics student at Westmont College. He is a research assistant at the California Policy Center, and his work has been seen in Public Discourse, National Review, and other outlets.
avatar for Amen Gashaw

Amen Gashaw

MPhil Candidate in Christian Theology, University of Cambridge
Amen Gashaw is an MPhil candidate in Christian Theology at the University of Cambridge, where her work focuses on immigration ethics and political theology. Her research spans political economy of religion, humanitarian ethics, and law
avatar for Esther Kim

Esther Kim

Recent Graduate, Master of Arts in Religion, Yale Divinity School
Esther Kim is a recent graduate from Yale Divinity School, where she earned her Master of Arts in Religion. Previously she earned her B.A. in Government & East Asian Studies from Harvard University. She is interested in how political theologies and Christian imagination can urge... Read More →
avatar for Micah Watson

Micah Watson

Professor of Politics, Calvin University
Micah Watson is Professor of Politics in the Politics & Economics department and director of the Henry Institute at Calvin University.
Friday June 12, 2026 9:00am - 10:30am EDT
KOS 109 (Ken Olsen Science Center) 255 Grapevine Road, Wenham, MA 01984
  Panel Discussions

10:30am EDT

Coffee Break
Friday June 12, 2026 10:30am - 11:00am EDT
Loggia (Ken Olsen Science Center)

Friday June 12, 2026 10:30am - 11:00am EDT
Loggia (Ken Olsen Science Center)
  Coffee Breaks

11:00am EDT

Plenary Address (Open to Public) | "Why Religious Freedom Matters: Human Rights and Human Flourishing"
Friday June 12, 2026 11:00am - 12:15pm EDT
Chairs' Room (Ken Olsen Science Center)
Allen Hertzke (University of Oklahoma)“Why Religious Freedom Matters: Human Rights and Human Flourishing”New global research powerfully links religious freedom to democracy, human rights, economic flourishing, empowerment of women, uplift for the poor, and peace.  A key finding of this research suggests that these healthy outcomes are undermined when religion is privileged by state power,...
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Speakers
avatar for Allen Hertzke

Allen Hertzke

Professor emeritus, Political Science, University of Oklahoma
Author, Why Religious Freedom Matters: Human Rights and Human Flourishing, Freeing God’s Children, and The Future of Religious Freedom; and ten-year member, Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences at the Vatican.
avatar for Judd Birdsall

Judd Birdsall

Asst Professor of the Practice, Dept of Theology and Religious Studies, Georgetown University
Asst Professor of the Practice, Dept of Theology and Religious Studies, Georgetown University. Senior Fellow, Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs. Senior Editor, RFIA. Formerly at US State Dept and U.S. Institute of Peace.
Friday June 12, 2026 11:00am - 12:15pm EDT
Chairs' Room (Ken Olsen Science Center)
  Plenary Events

12:30pm EDT

Lunch
Friday June 12, 2026 12:30pm - 1:30pm EDT
Chester's Place (Lane Student Center)

Friday June 12, 2026 12:30pm - 1:30pm EDT
Chester's Place (Lane Student Center)
  Conference Meals

1:45pm EDT

Early Afternoon Panel 3 | Pedagogy Workshop "A Comparativist, International Relations Specialist, and Political Theorist Walk into a Classroom: Thoughts on Teaching on Democracy"
Friday June 12, 2026 1:45pm - 3:15pm EDT
KOS 109 (Ken Olsen Science Center)
This workshop consists of three members of Calvin’s Department of Politics and Economics. We will address how teaching about democracy in our subfields has changed over the last decade. We will then segue into explaining a few classroom exercises that we have adopted to engage students and end with Biblical or Reformed perspectives on faith-learning integration when discussing this topic. We...
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Speakers
avatar for Tracy Kuperus

Tracy Kuperus

Professor of Politics and Economics, Calvin University
Professor Tracy Kuperus has taught political science at Westmont College, Gordon College, and Calvin University. Her research interests include citizen mobilization with a focus on African youth, democratization, and religion and politics. 
avatar for Joel Westra

Joel Westra

Professor of Politics; Chair of the Department of Politics and Economics, Calvin University
Joel Westra is Professor of Politics and Chair of the Department of Politics and Economics at Calvin University. His scholarly interests include international organizations and law, international security, international relations theory, and US foreign policy.
avatar for Micah Watson

Micah Watson

Professor of Politics, Calvin University
Micah Watson is Professor of Politics in the Politics & Economics department and director of the Henry Institute at Calvin University.
Friday June 12, 2026 1:45pm - 3:15pm EDT
KOS 109 (Ken Olsen Science Center) 255 Grapevine Road, Wenham, MA 01984
  Panel Discussions

3:15pm EDT

Coffee Break
Friday June 12, 2026 3:15pm - 3:45pm EDT
Loggia (Ken Olsen Science Center)

Friday June 12, 2026 3:15pm - 3:45pm EDT
Loggia (Ken Olsen Science Center)
  Coffee Breaks

3:45pm EDT

Late Afternoon Panel 4A | Comparative Politics
Friday June 12, 2026 3:45pm - 5:15pm EDT
KOS 124 (Ken Olsen Science Center)
Meidan Koresh (Bar-Ilan University)“Democratic Stability Without Consensus: Religion, Power, and Modus Vivendi in Israel”This study asks how democracies accommodate religious fundamentalism under conditions of ideological rigidity. It hypothesizes that consociationalism fails where mutual recognition collapses, while Modus Vivendi better explains stability. Using Israel’s conscription,...
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Speakers
avatar for Meidan Koresh

Meidan Koresh

Ph.D. Candidate in Political Studies, Bar-Ilan University
Ph.D. candidate in Political Studies at Bar-Ilan University. M.A. (with honors) in comparative politics; B.A. in Political Science and Strategy. His dissertation examines Modus Vivendi and consociational democracy through the politics of Israel’s ultra-Orthodox parties. His research... Read More →
avatar for Tracy Kuperus

Tracy Kuperus

Professor of Politics and Economics, Calvin University
Professor Tracy Kuperus has taught political science at Westmont College, Gordon College, and Calvin University. Her research interests include citizen mobilization with a focus on African youth, democratization, and religion and politics. 
avatar for Virginia Beard

Virginia Beard

Professor of Political Science, Hope College
Dr. Virginia Beard is a Professor of Political Science at Hope College. She specializes in African democracy, identity politics, water politics and the role of civil society. She also specializes in public policy with a 2026 book release Housing: The Evolution of Beliefs, Politic... Read More →
avatar for Diane Ziegler

Diane Ziegler

Public Theology PhD Student, Fuller Theological Seminary
Diane is interested in the relationship between the Reformed Tradition and Democracy in South Africa and the United States. Her research focuses on the work of John W. de Gruchy.
avatar for Daniel Young

Daniel Young

Professor of Political Science, Northwestern College-IA
Dan Young is Professor of Political Science at Northwestern College in Orange City, IA. His research interests include contemporary political thought, the political theory of international relations, and the intersection of theology and political theory.
Friday June 12, 2026 3:45pm - 5:15pm EDT
KOS 124 (Ken Olsen Science Center)
  Panel Discussions

3:45pm EDT

Late Afternoon Panel 4B | American Politics
Friday June 12, 2026 3:45pm - 5:15pm EDT
KOS 127 (Ken Olsen Science Center)
Lamont Colucci (Concordia University Wisconsin)“American Independence, Moral Order, and Democracy Promotion at 250: U.S. Foreign Policy under Moral Responsibility”Marking the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution, this presentation examines American foreign policy and democracy promotion as a civilizational and strategic outgrowth of American independence, rooted in Christian theology...
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Speakers
avatar for Lamont Colucci

Lamont Colucci

Professor of Political Science, Concordia University, Wisconsin
Dr. Lamont Colucci was the inaugural director of doctrine development for the U.S. Space Force and is a professor of political science at Concordia University Wisconsin. A former U.S. State Department diplomat, he specializes in national security, foreign policy, and space strategy... Read More →
avatar for Corwin Smidt

Corwin Smidt

Senior Research Fellow of the Henry Institute, Calvin University
Corwin Smidt is a Senior Research Fellow of the Henry Institute at Calvin University. In 2014, he was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Religion and Politics section of the American Political Science Association for his service and contributions to its field of study... Read More →
avatar for Rachel Jong-in Chang Yoo

Rachel Jong-in Chang Yoo

Assistant Professor of Communication, Gordon College
Rachel Jong-in Chang Yoo is an Assistant Professor of Communication Arts at Gordon College. Her research focuses on digital media culture and its intersections with political and religious spheres.
avatar for Laura Olson

Laura Olson

Herman Brown Chair of Political Science, Texas Christian University
Herman Brown Chair of Political Science at Texas Christian University. Two-time U.S. Fulbright Scholar to Italy. Former editor-in-chief, Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion. Author, Religion and Politics in America: Faith, Culture, and Strategic Choices.
_______________... Read More →
Friday June 12, 2026 3:45pm - 5:15pm EDT
KOS 127 (Ken Olsen Science Center) 255 Grapevine Road, Wenham, MA, USA
  Panel Discussions

5:15pm EDT

Check Out (Guests Leaving Friday)
Friday June 12, 2026 5:15pm - 6:45pm EDT
Loggia (Ken Olsen Science Center)
Please visit the Welcome Table in the entryway of the Ken Olsen Science Center to return your name tag and check out with our Conference Team. (If you would like to stay for the evening's Dinner, Plenary Address, and Reception, you are welcome to wait to drop off your name tag until the evening's events conclude at 8:45 p.m.)For Guests with On-Campus Housing:During this 5:15–6:45 p.m. window,...
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Friday June 12, 2026 5:15pm - 6:45pm EDT
Loggia (Ken Olsen Science Center)

5:30pm EDT

Dinner
Friday June 12, 2026 5:30pm - 6:30pm EDT
Chairs' Room (Ken Olsen Science Center)
Delight in a catered dinner alongside fellow conference guests.
Friday June 12, 2026 5:30pm - 6:30pm EDT
Chairs' Room (Ken Olsen Science Center)
  Conference Meals

7:00pm EDT

Plenary Address (Open to Public) | "Freedom in a Changing Global Landscape"
Friday June 12, 2026 7:00pm - 8:15pm EDT
Chairs' Room (Ken Olsen Science Center)
Tal Howard (Lilly Foundation)Conference Sponsor WelcomeNicole Bibbins Sedaca (Bush Institute)“Freedom in a Changing Global Landscape”Global freedom has been in recession for two decades.  Scholars and policymakers are asking whether this recession matters, and if so, what reverses this trend.  Concurrently, the liberal world order, which was built on democratic norms, is...
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Speakers
avatar for Nicole Bibbins Sedaca

Nicole Bibbins Sedaca

Kelly and David Pfeil Fellow, George W. Bush Presidential Center
Kelly and David Pfeil Fellow, George W. Bush Presidential Center. Formerly Interim President, Freedom House; Professor of Int’l Affairs, Georgetown U; and Senior Director, Democracy Bureau, US State Dept
avatar for Ruth Melkonian-Hoover
avatar for Tal Howard

Tal Howard

Duesenberg Chair in Ethics; Professor of Humanities and History, Valparaiso University
Thomas Albert (Tal) Howard is the Duesenberg chair in ethics and professor of humanities and history at Valparaiso University.
Friday June 12, 2026 7:00pm - 8:15pm EDT
Chairs' Room (Ken Olsen Science Center)
  Plenary Events

8:15pm EDT

Plenary Reception
Friday June 12, 2026 8:15pm - 8:45pm EDT
Loggia (Ken Olsen Science Center)

Friday June 12, 2026 8:15pm - 8:45pm EDT
Loggia (Ken Olsen Science Center)
  Plenary Events
 
Saturday, June 13
 

7:30am EDT

Breakfast
Saturday June 13, 2026 7:30am - 8:00am EDT
Chester's Place (Lane Student Center)

Saturday June 13, 2026 7:30am - 8:00am EDT
Chester's Place (Lane Student Center)
  Conference Meals

7:30am EDT

Check-In
Saturday June 13, 2026 7:30am - 9:00am EDT
Loggia (Ken Olsen Science Center)
For Registered Guests (no Housing)Please park your car or have your ride drop you off in the A.J. Gordon Chapel Parking Lot. You can find this lot on the attached Visitor Parking Map.Then, please walk to the Ken Olsen Science Center (located about a 2-minute walk away, visible from the Chapel Parking Lot). You can view the location on the attached Campus Map. In the entryway "Loggia," you'll...
See More →
Saturday June 13, 2026 7:30am - 9:00am EDT
Loggia (Ken Olsen Science Center)

8:30am EDT

Welcome & Devotion
Saturday June 13, 2026 8:30am - 9:00am EDT
Chairs' Room (Ken Olsen Science Center)
Join us for a brief welcome and devotion to begin the day!
Speakers
avatar for Dan Challapalli

Dan Challapalli

Pastor, First Congregational Church of Essex
Pastor of the First Congregational Church of Essex, on the North Shore of Boston. Husband to Kristen, and father to three girls, Dan loves all things culture, food, and the outdoors. He’s also a graduate of Gordon-Conwell Seminary.
Saturday June 13, 2026 8:30am - 9:00am EDT
Chairs' Room (Ken Olsen Science Center)
  All-Conference Events

9:00am EDT

Morning Panel 5A | Political Theory
Saturday June 13, 2026 9:00am - 10:30am EDT
KOS 124 (Ken Olsen Science Center)
Tyler Syck (University of Pikeville)“A Tragic Liberalism: Daniel Patrick Moynihan and the Future of American Democracy”Daniel Patrick Moynihan is routinely dismissed as an inconsistent opportunist. This paper recovers him as a philosophically serious alternative to both interest group liberalism and its post-liberal critics. Grounding his thought in epistemic humility, Catholic subsidiarity,...
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Speakers
avatar for Tyler Syck

Tyler Syck

Assistant Professor of Political Science; Director of the Center for Public Service, University of Pikeville
Jeffery Tyler Syck is Assistant Professor of Political Science and Director of the Center for Public Service at the University of Pikeville. He holds a PhD from the University of Virginia and writes on American political development and civic renewal.
avatar for Lynn Uzzell

Lynn Uzzell

Associate Professor of Political Science, Bethel University
Lynn Uzzell is Associate Professor of Political Science at Bethel University in St. Paul, MN. She has previously taught at Baylor University, the University of Richmond, the University of Virginia, and Washington and Lee University.
avatar for Daniel Young

Daniel Young

Professor of Political Science, Northwestern College-IA
Dan Young is Professor of Political Science at Northwestern College in Orange City, IA. His research interests include contemporary political thought, the political theory of international relations, and the intersection of theology and political theory.
avatar for Paul Brink

Paul Brink

Professor of Political Science, Gordon College
Paul Brink has been teaching at Gordon since 2006. His teaching and research interests lie in political philosophy, particularly theories of justice, and faith and politics. Dr. Brink serves on the board of Christians in Political Science, the national Christian learned society in... Read More →
Saturday June 13, 2026 9:00am - 10:30am EDT
KOS 124 (Ken Olsen Science Center)
  Panel Discussions

9:00am EDT

Morning Panel 5B | Multidisciplinary Perspectives
Saturday June 13, 2026 9:00am - 10:30am EDT
Phillips Recital Hall
Karl-Dieter Crisman (Gordon College, Mathematics)“Ranking Controversy: Summarizing Current Research on “Ranked Choice”/Instant Runoff Voting in America”Instant Runoff (IRV, "Ranked Choice") voting is increasingly used in the USA - from many cities, to Maine and Alaska. Conversely, Ohio just became the 19th state to ban it.  Confusingly, IRV has been characterized both as an attack on,...
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Speakers
avatar for Karl-Dieter Crisman

Karl-Dieter Crisman

Professor of Mathematics and Computer Science, Gordon College
Karl-Dieter Crisman is Professor of Mathematics and Computer Science at Gordon College, with degrees from Northwestern and Chicago. His primary research is in the math of voting systems, but also has spoken on mathematics history as the 2025-26 Brabenec Lecturer of the Association... Read More →
avatar for Kelly Foster

Kelly Foster

Associate Professor of Art, Gordon College
An architect and multi-disciplinary designer, Kelly teaches art and design courses in the Art Program at Gordon College. His research connects design thought and practice with Christian theology.
avatar for Ya Lin Huang

Ya Lin Huang

Assistant Teaching Professor of Music , Gordon College
Ya Lin Huang is a collaborative pianist, soprano, and choral conductor. Having joined Gordon College in 2019, Ya Lin is currently an Assistant Teaching Professor of Music, teaching vocal diction, Music in Worship, and chamber music.    
avatar for Ian DeWeese-Boyd

Ian DeWeese-Boyd

Professor of Philosophy, Gordon College
Ian is a philosopher whose work focuses on self-deception, philosophy of religion—the problems of evil, hiddenness and divine responsibility —and the way literature, poetry and film work to address these philosophical questions. He is currently working on a project that argues... Read More →
Saturday June 13, 2026 9:00am - 10:30am EDT
Phillips Recital Hall Gordon College - 255 Grapevine Road, Wenham, MA 01984
  Panel Discussions

10:30am EDT

Coffee Break
Saturday June 13, 2026 10:30am - 11:00am EDT
Loggia (Ken Olsen Science Center)

Saturday June 13, 2026 10:30am - 11:00am EDT
Loggia (Ken Olsen Science Center)
  Coffee Breaks

11:00am EDT

Plenary Panel (Open to Public) | "Forming Christians for Public Life: Practices of Formation in a Time of Polarization"
Saturday June 13, 2026 11:00am - 12:15pm EDT
Chairs' Room (Ken Olsen Science Center)
This panel explores the importance of Christian formation in a time of anxiety about democracy, deep polarization, and institutional distrust. The conversation will feature Stephanie Summers of the Center for Public Justice, Michael Wear of the Center for Christianity and Public Life, and Susan Gates of Faith and Law reflecting on the practices, virtues, and communities needed to sustain faithful...
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Speakers
avatar for Stephanie Summers

Stephanie Summers

CEO, Center for Public Justice
CEO, Center for Public Justice. Co-author with Michael Gerson and Katie Thompson, Unleashing Opportunity: Why Escaping Poverty Requires a Shared Vision of Justice. Recipient, Duke Divinity Reflective Leadership Award. Former Vice President, Coalition for Christian Outreach... Read More →
avatar for Michael Wear

Michael Wear

CEO, Center for Christianity and Public Life
CEO, Center for Christianity and Public Life. Former Deputy Director, President Obama’s White House Office for Faith-Based Initiatives. Author, The Spirit of Our Politics: Spiritual Formation and the Renovation of Public Life, and Reclaiming Hope: Lessons Learned in the Obama W... Read More →
avatar for Susan Gates

Susan Gates

Executive Director, Faith and Law
Executive Director, Faith and Law. Former budget examiner, Office of Management and Budget. Former VP of public policy, Freddie Mac. Author, Days of Slaughter: Inside the Fall of Freddie Mac and Why It Could Happen Again. Adjunct Professor, Virginia Tech. Small business owner... Read More →
Saturday June 13, 2026 11:00am - 12:15pm EDT
Chairs' Room (Ken Olsen Science Center)
  Plenary Events

12:30pm EDT

Lunch
Saturday June 13, 2026 12:30pm - 1:30pm EDT
Chester's Place (Lane Student Center)

Saturday June 13, 2026 12:30pm - 1:30pm EDT
Chester's Place (Lane Student Center)
  Conference Meals

1:45pm EDT

Early Afternoon Panel 6A | "Author Meets Critics: Robert Joustra, Christ and Covenant in Global Politics"
Saturday June 13, 2026 1:45pm - 3:15pm EDT
KOS 124 (Ken Olsen Science Center)
Christ and Covenant in Global Politics casts a compelling vision for a Christian approach to international relations that seeks to transform global politics from systems driven by fear to covenantal global community based in shared loves, drawing on Augustine’s understanding of rightly ordered loves and a contemporary Christian notion of covenantal pluralism. This author meets critics panel will...
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Speakers
avatar for Robert Joustra

Robert Joustra

Professor of Politics and Spoelhof Chair, Calvin University
Professor of Politics and Spoelhof Chair at Calvin University. Author, Christ and Covenant in Global Politics: A Christian Introduction to International Relations, Co-Editor, Power Politics and Moral Order: Three Generations of Christian Realism. Senior Editor, RFIA.
avatar for Chan Shin

Chan Shin

Associate Professor of Political Science and International Affairs, Gordon College
Dr. Shin joined Gordon College after teaching at Indiana Wesleyan University for 10 years. He teaches courses in International Relations and American politics. His research areas include religion and international relations, American foreign policy, evangelical Christianity and p... Read More →
avatar for Stephanie Summers

Stephanie Summers

CEO, Center for Public Justice
CEO, Center for Public Justice. Co-author with Michael Gerson and Katie Thompson, Unleashing Opportunity: Why Escaping Poverty Requires a Shared Vision of Justice. Recipient, Duke Divinity Reflective Leadership Award. Former Vice President, Coalition for Christian Outreach... Read More →
Saturday June 13, 2026 1:45pm - 3:15pm EDT
KOS 124 (Ken Olsen Science Center)
  Panel Discussions

1:45pm EDT

Early Afternoon Panel 6B | Civic Education
Saturday June 13, 2026 1:45pm - 3:15pm EDT
KOS 127 (Ken Olsen Science Center)
Ryan Cowden (Gordon College) “Desiring Democracy in a Time of Democratic Backsliding”This paper considers the question of why professionals and concerned citizens alike should desire democratic governance arrangements that require experts to yield some of their authority to the general public. To address this question, I offer a synthesis of the works of John Dewey. Using these texts, I offer...
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Speakers
avatar for Ryan Cowden

Ryan Cowden

Assistant Professor of Education, Gordon College
Ryan Cowden is an assistant professor of education in the Herschend School of Education at Gordon College. His research interests include social studies education, education policy, and teacher leadership. 
avatar for Dennis Savill

Dennis Savill

Assistant Professor of History, Southern Nazarene University
Dennis Savill is an assistant professor of history and Director of Debate. Teaching and coaching since 2012, he helps equip Christian students with the framework and persuasion skills needed to defend their faith. 
avatar for Jim Pingel

Jim Pingel

Dean and Professor of Education, Concordia University Wisconsin
Dr. Jim Pingel currently serves as  at Concordia University Wisconsin. He has published books on George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, the American Revolution, pedagogy, teaching best practices, and athletic coaching.
avatar for Timothy Sherratt

Timothy Sherratt

Professor of Political Science, Gordon College
Professor Sherratt teaches American Politics, Constitutional Law and Public Policy. He received his B.A. and M.A. degrees from Oxford University and his Ph.D. from the University of Kentucky. He is a fellow of the Center for Public Justice and the author of Power Made Perfect? I... Read More →
Saturday June 13, 2026 1:45pm - 3:15pm EDT
KOS 127 (Ken Olsen Science Center) 255 Grapevine Road, Wenham, MA, USA
  Panel Discussions

3:15pm EDT

Coffee Break
Saturday June 13, 2026 3:15pm - 3:45pm EDT
Loggia (Ken Olsen Science Center)

Saturday June 13, 2026 3:15pm - 3:45pm EDT
Loggia (Ken Olsen Science Center)
  Coffee Breaks

3:45pm EDT

Late Afternoon Panel 7 | Roundtable: The Future of Christians in Political Science
Saturday June 13, 2026 3:45pm - 5:15pm EDT
KOS 109 (Ken Olsen Science Center)
Christians in Political Science, a national organization of political scientists from a variety of Christian faith traditions, has long provided a forum for Christian faculty and graduate students to explore the intersection of faith and politics.  More recently, CPS has been less active however, even though the subject of faith and politics is certainly as relevant as ever.  Join this...
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Speakers
avatar for Paul Brink

Paul Brink

Professor of Political Science, Gordon College
Paul Brink has been teaching at Gordon since 2006. His teaching and research interests lie in political philosophy, particularly theories of justice, and faith and politics. Dr. Brink serves on the board of Christians in Political Science, the national Christian learned society in... Read More →
avatar for Corwin Smidt

Corwin Smidt

Senior Research Fellow of the Henry Institute, Calvin University
Corwin Smidt is a Senior Research Fellow of the Henry Institute at Calvin University. In 2014, he was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Religion and Politics section of the American Political Science Association for his service and contributions to its field of study... Read More →
avatar for Chan Shin

Chan Shin

Associate Professor of Political Science and International Affairs, Gordon College
Dr. Shin joined Gordon College after teaching at Indiana Wesleyan University for 10 years. He teaches courses in International Relations and American politics. His research areas include religion and international relations, American foreign policy, evangelical Christianity and p... Read More →
Saturday June 13, 2026 3:45pm - 5:15pm EDT
KOS 109 (Ken Olsen Science Center) 255 Grapevine Road, Wenham, MA 01984
  Panel Discussions

5:15pm EDT

Check Out (Guests Leaving Saturday)
Saturday June 13, 2026 5:15pm - 6:45pm EDT
Loggia (Ken Olsen Science Center)
Please visit the Welcome Table in the entryway of the Ken Olsen Science Center to return your name tag and check out with our Conference Team. (If you would like to stay for the evening's Dinner, Plenary Address, and Reception, you are welcome to wait to drop off your name tag until the evening's events conclude at 8:45 p.m.)For Guests with On-Campus Housing:During this 5:15–6:45 p.m. window,...
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Saturday June 13, 2026 5:15pm - 6:45pm EDT
Loggia (Ken Olsen Science Center)

5:30pm EDT

Dinner
Saturday June 13, 2026 5:30pm - 6:30pm EDT
Chairs' Room (Ken Olsen Science Center)

Saturday June 13, 2026 5:30pm - 6:30pm EDT
Chairs' Room (Ken Olsen Science Center)
  Conference Meals

7:00pm EDT

Plenary Address (Open to Public) | "The Founders and the Future of American Democracy"
Saturday June 13, 2026 7:00pm - 8:15pm EDT
Chairs' Room (Ken Olsen Science Center)
Tracy McKenzie (Wheaton College)"The Founders and the Future of American Democracy”C. S. Lewis once observed that there are only two main reasons to believe in democracy. One is because you have confidence in human nature. The other is because you don’t. Listening carefully to the Framers of the Constitution and drawing substantively from Christian theology, I suggest that Americans have long...
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Speakers
avatar for Tracy McKenzie

Tracy McKenzie

Arthur Holmes Chair of Faith and Learning & Professor of History, Wheaton College
Arthur Holmes Chair of Faith and Learning & Professor of History, Wheaton College. Author, We the Fallen People: The Founders and the Future of American Democracy, and former Chair of Am History, U of Washington
avatar for Michael Hammond

Michael Hammond

President, Gordon College
President of Gordon College; former Provost and Executive VP, and former history professor, Taylor University; widely published scholar in American Christianity, including the evangelical movement, the Civil Rights movement, and the intersection of race and religion in 20th century... Read More →
Saturday June 13, 2026 7:00pm - 8:15pm EDT
Chairs' Room (Ken Olsen Science Center)
  Plenary Events

8:15pm EDT

Plenary Reception
Saturday June 13, 2026 8:15pm - 8:45pm EDT
Loggia (Ken Olsen Science Center)

Saturday June 13, 2026 8:15pm - 8:45pm EDT
Loggia (Ken Olsen Science Center)
  Plenary Events
 
Sunday, June 14
 

7:30am EDT

Check Out (Guests Leaving Sunday)
Sunday June 14, 2026 7:30am - 8:30am EDT
Chase Hall Lobby
For Guests Leaving Directly (No Boston Tour):Enjoy breakfast items in the Chase Hall 1st floor lounge, then visit the Housing Check-Out table outside Chase Hall to drop off your key card and name tag. We're excited to send you off to further democratic endeavors!For Guests Attending the Boston Tour:Enjoy breakfast items in the Chase Hall 1st floor lounge, then pack up your belongings from Chase...
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Sunday June 14, 2026 7:30am - 8:30am EDT
Chase Hall Lobby Gordon College - 255 Grapevine Road, Wenham, MA 01984

7:30am EDT

Breakfast
Sunday June 14, 2026 7:30am - 8:30am EDT
Chase Hall 1st Floor Lounge

Sunday June 14, 2026 7:30am - 8:30am EDT
Chase Hall 1st Floor Lounge Gordon College - 255 Grapevine Road, Wenham, MA 01984
  Conference Meals

11:00am EDT

Worship Service
Sunday June 14, 2026 11:00am - 12:00pm EDT
Park Street Church, Boston

Sunday June 14, 2026 11:00am - 12:00pm EDT
Park Street Church, Boston 1 Park Street, Boston, MA 02108
  All-Conference Events

12:00pm EDT

Lunch
Sunday June 14, 2026 12:00pm - 12:30pm EDT
Boston, MA
Please plan to purchase your own meal at a local Boston restaurant!
Sunday June 14, 2026 12:00pm - 12:30pm EDT
Boston, MA 1 Park Street, Boston, MA 02108

12:30pm EDT

Democracy at 250: Historical Tour of Revolutionary Sites
Sunday June 14, 2026 12:30pm - 5:00pm EDT
Boston, MA
Join tour guide Professor David Goss on an (optional) all-day exploration of revolutionary sites in the historic district of Boston! Transportation will be provided. Please plan to buy your own lunch while we are out and about in the city.
Speakers
avatar for David Goss

David Goss

Assistant Professor in the Practice of History, Gordon College
David Goss teaches in the School of Humanities and Social Sciences at Gordon College. His teaching fields include Museum Studies, Public History, and Early American Maritime. His research revolves around Museum Studies, New England Puritanism, the American Revolution, and New England... Read More →
Sunday June 14, 2026 12:30pm - 5:00pm EDT
Boston, MA 1 Park Street, Boston, MA 02108
  All-Conference Events
 

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Thursday, June 11
Friday, June 12
Saturday, June 13
Sunday, June 14
Boston, MA
Chairs' Room (Ken Olsen Science Center)
Chase Hall 1st Floor Lounge
Chase Hall Lobby
Chester's Place (Lane Student Center)
KOS 109 (Ken Olsen Science Center)
KOS 124 (Ken Olsen Science Center)
KOS 127 (Ken Olsen Science Center)
Loggia (Ken Olsen Science Center)
Park Street Church, Boston
Phillips Recital Hall
  • All-Conference Events
  • Coffee Breaks
  • Conference Meals
  • Panel Discussions
  • Plenary Events