The Grace College School of Arts and Humanities is pleased to announce a two-part event discussing the ongoing relevance of the American Revolution. The free, open-to-the-public event will take place on Thursday, Sept.17, and Thursday, Sept. 24, at 7 p.m. in the Morgan Library, 921 Connection Cir, Winona Lake.
“There are all sorts of ideas associated with the American Revolution – liberty, freedom and protest, just to name a few, and these ideas continue to inform American identity and civics today,” said Dr. Jared Burkholder, chair of the Department of Communication, Social and Historical Studies at Grace. “The 250th anniversary of the Revolution gives us a unique opportunity to dialogue about the meaning of America and how revolutionary ideas are still relevant today.”
The events will include clips from Ken Burns’s new documentary series, “The American Revolution,” and panel discussions on The American Revolution and Campus Engagement (Sept. 17) and Religion and the American Revolution (Sept. 24). According to Burkholder, these two unique lenses will lead to thought-provoking dialogue, and he encourages attendees to thoughtfully consider the Revolution’s enduring questions from both civic and Christian perspectives.
“The ideas and tensions that emerged from the American Revolution are still very much with us, and they continue to be debated both in American society and in higher education,” he said. “As Christians, we also have an opportunity to think carefully about those questions as we seek to be faithful to Christ while engaging responsibly as citizens.”
Students are also looking forward to the opportunity to explore the Revolution’s continued significance.
“I think it’s easy to look at the American Revolution as something that happened a long time ago and doesn’t really affect us anymore,” said Grace College history student Ella Throne. “I’m excited for this event because it will give us a chance to look at the Revolution through a modern perspective and think about why it still matters.”
The event is made possible by Grace’s School of Arts and Humanities, History and Political Science program, WNIT and PBS Michiana.
