Speakers

 

 

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Chuck Colson J.D.

Chuck Colson, Ph.D.

Charles Wendell Chuck Colson (born October, 1931) was the chief counsel for President Richard Nixon from 1969 to 1973. His later life has been spent working with his nonprofit organization devoted to prison ministry called Prison Fellowship. Colson is also a public speaker and author. Colson is also the chairman of the Wilberforce Forum, a Christian political and social think tank and action group active in the promotion of creationism in education and in biotechnology and bioethics issues, such as human cloning and stem cell research.

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Ravi Zacharias Ph.D.

Ravi Zacharias, Ph.D.

Dr. Ravi Zacharias is the founder and president of Ravi Zacharias International Ministries. He has spoken all over the world in great halls and universities, confronting spokespersons of other beliefs - and no beliefs - with impact and grace. The author of many books, he powerfully mixes biblical teaching and apologetics. His weekly radio program, "Let My People Think," is broadcast over 1,500 stations worldwide. He and his wife live in Atlanta, Georgia.

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Daryl E. Witmer

Daryl E. Witmer, Ph.D.

Daryl E. Witmer AIIA.
Director and Founder Rev. Witmer founded AIIA in 1991. Areopagus II America, d.b.a. AIIA Institute (AIIA) is a contemporary, adapted construct of the original Areopagus, offering information and perspective on various worldviews and thoughtforms. Unlike the original Areopagus, the perspective and commentary offered by AIIA is distinctly Christian in nature. Rev. Witmer presently also serves as associate pastor of the Monson Community Church. His ordination credentials are with the Evangelical Free Church of America. In his early twenties, Daryl was significantly influenced by a term of study at Dr. Francis Schaeffer's L'Abri Fellowship in Huemoz, Switzerland. Witmer's journey to meaningful faith was a determining factor in his sense of call to vocational ministry. In December of 1984, Witmer suffered an extensive ordeal with Guillain-Barre syndrome that has left him ever since in a wheelchair with quadriparetic paralysis.

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Patrick Smith, Ph.D. (candidate)

Patrick Smith, Ph.D.

Patrick T. Smith is an Assistant Professor of Theology and Philosophy at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in South Hamilton, MA and has served as an adjunct apologist for Ravi Zacharias International Ministries.  He is a member of professional organizations as the Society for Christian Philosophers, the Evangelical Philosophical Society and the Evangelical Theological Society. He has publications in the Encyclopedia of Christian Civilization and critical reviews in scholarly journals. His primary areas of interest are in Christian apologetics, philosophical theology, philosophy of religion and Christian ethics.  He frequently speaks in churches and to university and professional groups concerning contemporary challenges to Christian faith and belief. His desire in ministry is to engage the mind to impact the heart with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. 

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Brett Kunkle, M.A.

Brett Kunkle, M.A.

B.A., Christian Education, Biola University.

Brett Kunkle is the Student Impact Director at Stand to Reason, an organization that trains Christians to think clearly about their faith and to make an even-handed, incisive, yet gracious defense for classical Christianity and classical Christian values in the public square.  Brett has spoken to thousands of students and adults across the country at churches, conferences and on college campuses.  He is a regular guest host of Stand to Reason's weekly radio show.  Brett is currently completing his Masters Degree in philosophy of religion and ethics at Talbot School of Theology.   

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John Marks, M.A.

John Marks, M.A.

John Marks is a novelist, journalist and a former 60 Minutes producer. His first novel, The Wall, was named a New York Times Notable Book in 1998. His second, War Torn, made Publishers Weekly's Best of 2003. His third novel, Fangland, appeared in January 2007 and has been optioned for a feature film by Hilary Swank. His 60 Minutes segment 'Submission', about the murder of Dutch filmmaker Theo Van Gogh, received a 2006 Gracie Allen award from the Foundation of American Women in Radio and Television for Best Hard News Feature. John's first work of non-fiction, Reasons to Believe, a portrait of American Christianity, will be published by the Ecco Press, an imprint of Harper Collins, in February 2008. John, 44, grew up in Dallas, Texas. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree in German from Davidson College and a Masters in Creative Writing from the University of Iowa's Iowa Writers Workshop. He currently lives in Northampton, Massachusetts with his wife, Debra, and his son, Joe.

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Dick Keyes, M.Div.

Dick Keyes, M.Div.

Dick Keyes is the Director of L'Abri Fellowship in Southborough, Massachusetts, where he has worked with his wife and family since 1979. He holds a B.A. in History from Harvard University, and a M.Div. from Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia. Dick has worked for L'Abri Fellowship in Switzerland and in England, where he served also as a pastor in the International Presbyterian Church in London for eight years. He has been an adjunct professor at Gordon Conwell Seminary and Westminster Theological Seminary. In 1979, Dick and his wife Mardi moved to Southborough, Massachusetts, where they opened the first residential branch of L'Abri in the United States. He is the author of Beyond Identity, True Heroism, Chameleon Christianity and several chapters in anthologies such as No God But God, ed. Os Guinnes, Finding God at Harvard, ed. Kelly Monroe, and New Dictionary of Christian Apologetics from Intervarsity Press. He is currently writing a book on cynicism. He has lectured widely in the U.S. and also in Europe and Korea.

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Walter Kim, Ph.D.

Walter Kim, Ph.D.

For three years after graduating from Northwestern University, Walter Kim served with Campus Crusade for Christ and ministered to the students at Yale University. Because the Christian mind is as valuable as the Christian body and soul, Mr. Kim went on to study God's word in greater depth at Regent in Vancouver, Canada, where he pursued a Master's of Divinity degree and pastored a church. Nearing the end of his degree program, Dr. Kim applied to Ph.D. programs with the intention to teach in secular universities. He deeply understood the need for Christian influence in higher education. His invitation to Harvard's PhD program of Near Eastern Languages brought Dr. Kim and his wife to Boston about ten years ago. This past November, Dr. Kim agreed to join South Shore Christian Academy as a member of the board. As a board member, Dr. Kim is committed to prayer for South Shore Christian Academy. Dr. Kim and his wife have been married for thirteen years and they have two children.

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Rick Carver

Rick Carver, Ph.D.

Pastor Rick Carver has been AIIA's Associate Director since October 2008. He also serves as senior pastor of County Road Baptist Church in New Limerick, Maine. He, his wife Cathleen, and their five children live in Houlton, Maine.

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Gordon P. Hugenberger, Ph.D.

Gordon P. Hugenberger, Ph.D.

Gordon P. Hugenberger is the senior pastor at historic Park Street Church, in Boston, Massachusetts. Hugenberger received his Bachelor of Arts in physics from Harvard University, the President's Award (for highest GPA) with a Master of Divinity degree from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in South Hamilton, Massachusetts, and his PhD from the College of St. Paul and St. Mary and the Oxford Centre for Post-Graduate Hebrew Study in Oxford, England. Hugenberger has served on the full-time and adjunct faculty of Gordon-Conwell Seminary since 1974. He is currently a Ranked Adjunct Professor of Old Testament at the seminary. He also served as pastor of the Lanesville Congregational Church in Gloucester, Massachusetts from 1974-1997. Since 1997 he has served as the senior minister of Park Street Church. He served on the Translation Review Board for the English Standard Version of the Bible, and he is currently writing a commentary on the Book of Judges. An expansion of his doctoral thesis was published in 1994 by E.J. Brill & Co. as Marriage as a Covenant (reprinted in 1998 by Baker Book House). Hugenberger lives in Boston with his wife Jane; they have four adult children.

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Joe Mixie, D. Min.

Joe Mixie, Ph.D.

Rev. Dr. Joe Mixie is the founder of Faithinquiry and is currently the Senior Pastor at Grace Baptist Church in Milford, CT. He received his Bachelors of Arts in Honors Philosophy from Brown University; His M.A. in Philosophy from the University of Rhode Island; his Masters of Divinity from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, where he graduated Summa Cum Laude; his Doctor of Ministry from Ashland Theological Seminary. He has been a pastor for over 10 years and has taught philosophy, religion, and ethics in colleges and universities for over 17 years. He also has several books and journal articles published in the area of the Philosophy of religion and Apologetics.

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Bob Pardon, M.Div.

Bob Pardon, Ph.D.

Reverend Bob Pardon was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan. There he attended the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Religious Studies. Bob did his theological and professional training at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in Hamilton, Massachusetts. Upon graduating from Gordon-Conwell with a Master of Divinity degree (M.Div.), he pastored a church in Middleboro, Massachusetts for eight years. He continued his theological education at Princeton Theological Seminary where he graduated with a Masters in Theology (Th.M.) with a concentration in ethics, and upon graduation pastored a church in Watertown, Massachusetts for seven years. Bob was a founding member of the New England Institute of Religious Research and currently serves as executive director of Meadow Haven, which helps former cult members recover their ability to be thriving contributors to society. Currently, he speaks throughout the country on cults in general, and many groups specifically, at national conferences, Churches, secular organizations, etc. He works with families who have lost children to cultic groups, runs support groups for those who have left, conducts extensive research, provides seminars, works with law enforcement when requested, as well as child protection services in many States.

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Os Guinness, D.Phil.

Os Guinness, Ph.D.

Dr. Os Guinness is a writer and speaker living in Northern Virginia. He is the co-founder of The Trinity Forum and served as Senior Fellow and Vice Chairman of the Board from its inception in 1991 until 2004. Born in China during World War II, he remained there until 1951 when the Communists forced most foreigners to leave. Since then he has lived mostly in England, Switzerland, and the United States. Educated in England, he did undergraduate studies at the University of London and postgraduate studies at University of Oxford, where he graduated with a D.Phil in the social sciences from Oriel College. Since 1984, he has lived in the Washington, DC area. He was a Guest Scholar at the Woodrow Wilson Center for International Studies and then a Guest Scholar and Visiting Fellow at the Brookings Institution. From 1986–1989 he was the Executive Director of the Williamsburg Charter Foundation, one of the drafters of the Williamsburg Charter, and co-author of the public school curriculum Living With Our Deepest Differences. He has written or edited more than twenty books, including The American Hour (Free Press, 1993), The Call (Word 1998), Time for Truth (Baker 2000), Long Journey Home (Doubleday 2001), and Unspeakable: Facing Up to Evil in an Age of Genocide and Terror (HarperCollins, 2005).

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Lorrie Comeford, Ph.D.

Lorrie Comeford, Ph.D.

Lorrie Comeford is a chemistry professor at Salem State College in Salem, MA. She and several Christian colleagues are developing a ministry for faculty and students on their campus. Professionally, Lorrie is interested applying new methods in chemical education such as team based learning. Lorrie also serves as the assistant pastor for adult learning at First Baptist Church in Reading, MA. She holds a Ph.D. in physical organic chemistry from Brandeis University and an M.Div. from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary.

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Pat Richardson, M.S.

Pat Richardson, Ph.D.

Pat Richardson has conducted Apologetic workshops for youth and adults throughout New England. He served for six years as a youth leader in Connecticut and as a volunteer with Straight Ahead Ministries working with and ministering to adjudicated teenagers. He currently is a public high school philosophy and history teacher as well as an adjunct history professor with UCONN. He holds a Master of Science Degree in History and he has earned 12 graduate credits in Christian Apologetics from Southern Evangelical Seminary. Pat is also a church planter with the Baptist Convention of New England, helping to create an apologetics centered house church network.

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Gary Davis, D.Min.

Gary Davis, Ph.D.

Gary Davis is the President of NEEDinc, a communication ministry that trains Christians to express their faith in ways that are appropriate to their culture (subculture), region of the world, and generation. His expertise is in the field of paradigm shifts and how they influence the communication of the Christian message to the church’s immediate surroundings. Gary has a BA from Nyack College, a BD/MDiv from Westminster Seminary, an MA (Art History) from UPENN, and a DMin from Grodon-Conwell Seminary. He de-stresses by climbing 14K mountains and thru photography.

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Jason Dollar, M.A.

Jason Dollar, Ph.D.

Jason Dollar, a former pastor, graduated from Southeastern Bible College and Birmingham Theological Seminary. He currently teaches full time at Shades Mountain Christian School in Birmingham, AL and works as the youth specialist for the Apologetics Resource Center. This position that gives him the opportunity to teach at youth groups, camps, retreats, home school groups, and in other settings.

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Celena Sky April, M.F.A.

Celena Sky April, Ph.D.

Celena Sky April is a professor in the Department of Theatre and Speech Communication at Salem State College. She has been working in the theatre for over 35 years and has a B.F.A., from the School of Performing Arts International University, as well as a M.F.A., from University of Texas.

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John Mitchell

John Mitchell, Ph.D.

John Mitchell and his wife Melissa are with Campus Crusade for Christ in Southern New England. Their ministry focus is to help church and student leaders begin and develop ministries on college and university campuses.

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Dave Thom

Dave Thom

Dave Thom is president of The Leadership Connection. He coordinates The Roundtable on Science, Art & Religion in Cambridge, a ministry to faculty at both Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

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Greg Dyson, M.S.

Greg Dyson, M.S.

Pastor Greg Dyson of Church in the Acres, Springfield, MA, is also the Executive Director of the Lion’s Den Youth Outreach Center and the Protestant Associate Chaplain at Springfield College. A graduate of Word of Life Bible Institute, Greg’s BA is in Bible from Cedarville University and he is completing an MS in Organizational Leadership from Philadelphia Biblical University.

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Glenn Sunshine

Glenn Sunshine

Glenn Sunshine, Professor of History at Central Connecticut State University, is an award winning author, having published three books and numerous articles on history, theology, and culture online and on both sides of the Atlantic. His latest book, titled Why You Think the Way You Do: The Story of Western Worldviews from Rome to Home (Zondervan, 2009), received the 2006 Acton Institute Book Grant. Glenn has taught a variety of Bible, history, and worldview seminars and courses to churches around the U.S. and in Europe, as well as leading church retreats, seminars, and renewal weekends. He is also the content consultant for Wide Angle, a worldview program featuring Chuck Colson and Rick Warren.

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