Franz Lecture
Annual Franz Lecture
Each year the School of Humanities and Social Sciences sponsors a lecture event celebrating the visionary work of Professor David L. Franz. Lectures in this series span the disciplines and feature 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 also 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 rich and rigorous examination of society as a vital way of preparing our community to pursue God’s shalom in every corner of the globe.
Meet This Year's Speaker!
Dr. James Taylor | Director of the European Center for the Study of War and Peace.
JANUARY 29, 2026
Dr. James Taylor
"SHALOM: A Gift and a Task"
KOSC Loggia & Chair's Room
4:00 P.M. Reception | 4:30 P.M. Lecture
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.
About Our Speaker
Dr. James L. Taylor is Professor of Philosophy and Peacemaking and Director of International Programs at the European Center for the Study of War and Peace. He received his B.A. from Gordon College, his M.A. from LMU and his Ph.D. in philosophy from Boston College.
His work focuses on the “ethics of transformation” across philosophical, religious and personal dimensions, as well as the potential for reconciliation through intercultural and interreligious dialogue. With his wife Petra, he founded the European Center for the Study of War and Peace, where he teaches courses in philosophy, theology and peacemaking to small groups of international students who want to think critically and creatively about how we might foster peace and joy in this broken world.
Check Out Recent Lectures!
MARCH 2025
Dr. Dennis Hoover | Senior Fellow at the Institute for Global Engagement (IGE)
"DEALING WITH DIVERSITY DIFFERENTLY: A Case for Covenantal Pluralism"
Societies around the world, including our own, are experiencing challenges with deep religious diversity. Hoover introduced an approach called “covenantal pluralism” as a middle path between fundamentalism and relativism to better engage differences.
Questions about the Franz Lecture?
Our School of Humanities and Social Sciences Dean, Mark Gedney, would love to connect with you!