Franz Lecture

Each year the School of Humanities and Social Sciences sponsors a lecture celebrating the visionary work of Professor David L. Franz. These lectures span the disciplines, featuring speakers from around the world.

About David Franz | Lecture Background

Dr. Franz came to Gordon in 1951 to teach as the founding member of the department of history. In 1958, to realize his vision of bringing Gordon students into critical scholarly engagement with major global issues of the day, he began an annual lecture series that provided an opportunity to learn from renowned Christian scholars. That same year, Dr. Franz brought Gordon students to the world, pioneering one of the first global studies programs in the United States. These groundbreaking European Seminars brought Gordon students to study in Great Britain, Europe, Israel, Russia, Scandinavia, and beyond. The Franz lecture was established in his name in 1991 to continue this tradition of connecting Gordon students and faculty to the world. 

The School of Humanities and Social Sciences is honored to continue this tradition of rigorous examination of society as a vital way of preparing our community to pursue God’s shalom in every corner of the globe.

Recent Lectures

January 2026

Dr. James Taylor | Director of the European Center for the Study of War and Peace

"SHALOM: A Gift and a Task"

Shalom is a radical re-envisioning of our relations with God, others, and the world around us. 

The world loves peace but trusts in violence. Only through the judicious use of violent force, we are told, can we bring order and meaning to the chaos that threatens us on all sides. Shalom rejects this violent approach to peacemaking and insists that peace comes from life, not death. The task of shalom is to receive this life, tend to it, and allow it to grow us into a thriving community of beings who share this life.

Previous Speakers