JBU to hold forum on religion, politics

SILOAM SPRINGS — John Brown University will host New York Times bestselling author Rod Dreher and former White House staffer Michael Wear in a public forum at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday in the Simmons Great Hall.

At the event, titled “Reimagining Faith and Public Life,” Wear and Dreher will discuss the role of Christians in shaping public policy in the U.S. and will answer questions from the audience following the discussion.

“JBU’s Honors Scholars Program and Department of Political Science are excited to welcome Dreher and Wear to share their experiences and perspectives on the integration of faith and public life with our community,” Trisha Posey, director of the Honors Scholars Program, said. “JBU encourages a campus environment where students of differing majors and political affiliations can come together to discuss a variety of topics, including religion and politics. This forum will challenge the university’s community to consider how to authentically incorporate faith in today’s political climate.”

Rod Dreher, the senior editor at The American Conservative, recently published the New York Times bestseller “The Benedict Option: A Strategy for Christians in a Post-Christian Nation,” in which he recounts church history as a strategy for how Christians should interact in today’s culture. Other work from Dreher has been published in the New York Post, National Review and Washington Times.

Michael Wear recently published “Reclaiming Hope: Lessons Learned in the Obama White House about the Future of Faith in America,” which details his experience leading evangelical outreach initiatives and managing the White House’s engagement on values and religious issues as a young, Christian White House staffer. Wear ultimately counsels Christians on how and why they must be involved in shaping the momentum of U.S. culture.