Alumni Symposium with Dr. Jack Templeton

On the evening of April 2, six select Academy Alumni, the Fellows in the Class of 2011 and twenty-five guests gathered for a dinner symposium with Dr. Jack Templeton at the Union League Club in Philadelphia. The event was themed around "Unchallenged Assumptions and the Risks They Pose" and was designed to facilitate a dynamic discussion between Academy Alumni and Dr. Templeton about critical issues within their career fields. Each panelist prepared an essay in preparation for the discussion which was moderated by Academy Senior Faculty member Dr. William Edgar.

Alumni Panelists and Their Essay Topics

Amin Aminfar ('03)   “The Violence of the Law and the Peace of the Church”
Adam Lockridge ('06)  “Freedom of Speech is Taming Our Tongues”
Brooks Lumpkin ('05)  “The Power and Limits of the American Dream”
Matthew McGowen ('06)  “Tithes of Mint, Dill, and Cumin”
Katherine Roland ('03) “Women Are Winning: Should We Celebrate?”
Laura Ruth Venable ('10) “How the Rod of Ascelpius Turned Into an Ouroboros”

From Dr. William Edgar's introduction to the event booklet, on "Freedom"

The central concern which brings us together is the concept of freedom, which each of the panelists will be interacting with in some way. A number of factors contributed to highlighting this issue for us. The first is the thoughtful book, New Threats to Freedom . Each of the authors within this edited volume argues that while we easily recognize deadly threats such as terrorism, despotism, religious violence, etc., new, more subtle threats have gone under the radar, such forces as transnationalism, the regulatory state, global technology, and so forth. The second factor is the general sense that many of us live in a paradox. While we are in a globalizing world, and have more opportunities and choices than ever before in the history of mankind, at the same time those great institutions which shape our society seem less and less capable of giving us guidance on how and why we should make those choices.

Read Dr. Edgar's Full Introdution  |  View Photos From the Event

Class of 2011 Graduation

Trinity Forum Academy graduated its tenth class of Fellows on Thursday May 19 . The annual graduation ceremony and dinner was held at Osprey Point Retreat & Conference Center and was attended by friends, family, mentors, host families, and neighbors. The graduation charge offered by Executive Director Grady Powell focused on how a vibrant and biblical imagination is vital to cultivating redemptive change in our culture. After leading the Fellows through a series of Christian commitments, Chairman Bob Kramer pronounced the Fellows official alumni of Trinity Forum Academy, bringing the Academy's total number of alumni to 112. To publicly demonstrate their commitment to one another the Fellows signed a class covenant based on what they learned and experienced during their year at the Academy. The ceremony was followed by a wonderful dinner which many guests shared outside on the patio overlooking the Bay. Over dessert guests gathered for a Q&A session with the Fellows to hear firsthand about the ways they were challenged and transformed by the Academy experience.

Fellows Host Middle School Leadership Day

In April ten members of the eighth-grade class of Merritt Academy in Fairfax, VA, traveled with their principal Linda Potts to Osprey Point for a leadership workshop led by Daniel Allen and the other Fellows of Trinity Forum Academy. The students participated in several sessions that addressed the meaning of leadership with a focus on how true leaders serve a purpose larger than themselves by serving others. Daniel Levi Goans led a songwriting session, Sarah Coffin demonstrated how to throw clay pots, and Rebeckah Groves led the students in an improv workshop. In the final session of the day students broke out into small groups with Academy Fellows to discuss what they had learned about creativity, relationships, and leadership.

In thank you notes written to Daniel Allen, a few of the students shared the following:

• The improv was very fun, I got to see a side of people that I don't see every day from watching them come out of their shells.
• I loved when Sarah was talking about God, and how she said God molds us, just like she molds her pots and bowls.
• This was a wonderful experience that I will never forget!

Announcing 2012 Annual Conference: America's Role in the World

Save the date! We are excited to announce that on January 20-22, 2012 we will host our annual conference on "A Christian Perspective on America's Role in the World." The conference will be led by Dr. Peter Feaver, political science professor at Duke University, along with Dr. Timothy Shah and Dr. Will Inboden. The conference will examine the history of Christian influence on American foreign policy and America's current foreign policy issues, including the Arab Spring. If you would like to consider a thoughtful Chrisitian perspective on these issues or simply learn more about the Academy community, please plan to join us. Fellowship applicants who apply for early decision are invited to attend. Scholarships are available to campus ministers and students. For more information contact Grady at gpowell@ttf.org.

Latest Media

• Video: Academy Alumni Jamin Brophy-Warren speaks on the history and meaning of video games in our culture
• Links: Veritas Riff Podcasts with Michael Lindsay, David Skeel, Renee Hsia, and Andrew Chignell
• Photos: Alumni Symposium with Dr. Jack Templeton

Support the Academy

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