The Institute on Religion and Democracy (IRD) hosted a timely and well-attended panel discussion responding to the Benedict Option on the evening of July 12, 2017, at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. Originally live streamed, IRD has now shared video from the event online, which is viewable below.
IRD President Mark Tooley, who moderated the panel, set the tone for the event about the Benedict Option in a press release on July 10. Tooley stated:
Saint Benedict founded a vibrant monastic movement in the ashes of the imploding Roman Empire, an aspiration for those who despair of redeeming postmodern Western Civilization and counsel a Christian retreat into separatist communities to rebuild Christian culture through faithful discipleship. But throughout the church’s history, most believers have had a vocation to live and work within the world, with all of its temptations and snares.
Following the event, Tooley tweeted his thanks to the panelists for their insights while responding to the Benedict Option.
Thx @CherieHarder @alisonhoward1 @BruceAshford Joe Capizzi/Joe Hartman for super #BenedictOption talk @PressClubDC! h/t @Tyler2ONeil @TheIRD pic.twitter.com/YZNU0OT2sW
— Mark Tooley (@markdtooley) July 13, 2017
Illustrious speakers responding to the Benedict Option included the following:
Bruce Ashford — Professor of Theology and Culture, Provost and Dean of Faculty, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary; author One Nation under God: A Christian Hope for American Politics (2015).
Joseph Capizzi — Executive Director at The Institute for Human Ecology; he serves as Associate Dean of Graduate Studies and Ordinary Professor of Moral Theology at the Catholic University of America.
Cherie Harder — President of The Trinity Forum; formerly served in the White House as Special Assistant to the President and also as the Director of Policy and Projects for First Lady Laura Bush.
Joseph Hartman — Attorney, Adjunct Assistant Professor, Georgetown University Department of Government, doctoral dissertation titled In His Image: God and Man in the Political Philosophy of Reinhold Niebuhr.
Alison Howard — Director of Alliance Relations at Alliance Defending Freedom working to serve, strengthen, and expand the alliance on life, marriage, and religious freedom.
In addition to watching video of the IRD’s panel about the Benedict Option, be sure to view photos captured during the event.
Comment by MikeS on July 18, 2017 at 12:55 am
We should ignore the B.O. and continue to strive for Christian America, Reclaiming America for Christ, because we have always done so, and it has worked out so well. Onward and Upward, I say.