Home > Projects > Speakers announced for Braaten-Benne Lectures

The speakers have been announced for the 2019 Carl E. Braaten and Robert D. Benne Lectures in Theology. The annual theological conference, held during Lutheran Week, is Aug. 6-7 at The Westin Indianapolis in Indianapolis, Ind.

This year’s lectures will focus on the work of the Holy Spirit under the Lutheran Week theme, “Walking by the Spirit with the Fruit of the Spirit.”

Dr. Robert Benne will address the Holy Spirit and Christian life. He was Jordan-Trexler Professor of Religion and chair of the Religion and Philosophy Department at Roanoke College in Salem, Va., for 18 years before he left full-time teaching in 2000. He founded the Roanoke College Center for Religion and Society in 1982 and served as its director until 2012. Upon his retirement, the college renamed the center in his honor. He is the author of several books including Ordinary Saints: An Introduction to the Christian Life; and Good and Bad Ways to Think about Religion and Politics.

Dr. Paul Hinlicky will explain how the Holy Spirit “disappeared in Lutheranism.” Dr. Hinlicky is the Rev. J. Marshall Tise Professor of Lutheran Studies at Roanoke College. He is the author of several books including Luther for Evangelicals: A Reintroduction; Beloved Community: Critical Dogmatics after Christendom and Divine Simplicity: Christ the Crisis of Metaphysics.

Dr. Craig Keener will address the work of the Holy Spirit in the New Testament. He is the F. M. and Ada Thompson Professor of Biblical Studies at Asbury Theological Seminary in Wilmore, Ky. He is the author of 25 books including Mind of the Spirit: Paul’s Approach to Transformed Thinking and Spirit Hermeneutics: Reading Scripture in Light of Pentecost. His IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament has sold more than half a million copies.

Dr. Matthew Levering will focus on the Holy Spirit and salvation. Dr. Levering holds the James N. and Mary D. Perry, Jr. Chair of Theology at the University of Saint Mary of the Lake in Mundelein, Ill. He is the author of more than 20 books including Engaging the Doctrine of the Holy Spirit; Engaging the Doctrine of Revelation and Was the Reformation a Mistake?

Dr. Derek Nelson will speak about the Holy Spirit and the stuff of life. He is Professor of Religion and Stephen S. Bowen Professor of the Liberal Arts, at Wabash College in Crawfordsville, Ind. He is the author or editor of 10 books including A History of Christian Theology; Resilient Reformer: The Life and Thought of Martin Luther and Sin: A Guide for the Perplexed. He and Dr. Hinlicky coedited The Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Martin Luther.