The Center is under the direction of Dr. Robert Benne, who founded the Center in 1982 and has served as its director since then. Dr. Benne has taught, written, and lectured widely in the area of religion and society. He was Jordan-Trexler Professor of Religion and Chairman of the Department of Religion and Philosophy for eighteen years. He has authored over one hundred articles and ten books, most dealing with Christianity and society.

His books include: Wandering in the Wilderness—Christians and the New Culture (1971); Defining America—A Christian Critique of the American Dream (1974); The Ethic of Democratic Capitalism—A Moral Reassessment (1982); Ordinary Saints—An Introduction to the Christian Life (1988 and revised second edition in 2003); The Paradoxical Vision—A Public Theology for the Twenty-first Century (1995); Seeing is Believing—Visions of Life Through Film (1998); Why Bother?--A Whole Vision for a Whole People (1999); Quality with Soul—How Six Premier Colleges and Universities Keep the Faith with Their Religious Traditions (2001), and Reasonable Ethics—A Christian Approach to Society, Economics, and Politics (2005).

Activities of the Director for 2006-2007

Presentations

• "Joy in Our Calling," "The Nature of Our Calling," and "Power for Our Calling," a series of three lectures for the Fall Faculty Fellowship Event (330 persons) at Andrews University at Berrien Springs, Michigan, August 18 and 19.
• "What We Share with All Humanity" and "The Christian Difference," two plenary lectures to the Pastors' Conference of the South-west Minnesota Synod on October 3. 220 persons were in attendance at Mankato, MN.
• "Keeping the Faith in Christian Higher Education" to the Midland Lutheran College Board of Directors at Fremont, NB, on October 6.
• "The Challenge of Lutheranism in the 21st Century" to the Confessing Fellowship of Philadelphia on November 18 to 120 persons.
• "Sunset or Dawn-The Lutheran Calling to Public Life in America," at a conference featuring four lecturers on the topic, Called to Engage the Postmodern World-the Lutheran Voice in Contemporary America, sponsored by the Institute for Lay Vocations of Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri, on Nov. 4. Two hundred persons attended.
• "A Lutheran Confessional Voice in the Contemporary Scene" at the Annual Theological Symposium of the Concordia-Fort Wayne Seminary of the Missouri Synod Lutheran Church on January 18. Five hundred pastors and laypersons were present.
• "Six Perspectives on Evolution from a Religious Point of View," to 35 members of the Roanoke Torch Club on March 6.
• "Ethics for a Pandemic" at the Lewis-Gale Hospital Community Forum to 125 healthworkers as part of a panel discussing disaster preparations, on March 19.
• "The Ethics of Academic Administration," and "The Importance of Mission Statements" at the Seminar on Leadership in Baptist Universities at the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, May 21. Provosts and Deans of nine Texas Baptist colleges and universities present.
• "Religion and Politics," member of a panel discussion of that topic on WBRA TV's At Issue, May 16.

Writings

Articles

• "Will There be a Lutheran Theological Ethic in the Next Generation?" in the online Journal of Lutheran Ethics, October issue.
• "Lutherans in Public-Four Lively Options," in Dialog, Winter, 2006, 356-365.
• "A Confessional Lutheran Voice in the Contemporary Scene" in Lutheran Forum, Spring 2007, 28-33.

Editorials

• "Religion, Marriage, and Babies," on the August 30 Commentary page (9) of The Roanoke Times.
• "The West and Radical Islam" in Dialog, Volume 45:3, Fall 2006, 210-212.
• "Why I Am Voting for the Marriage Amendment" in the Commentary Section of The Roanoke Times, 9, October 13, 2006.
• "American Exceptionalism-Religion, Marriage, and Babies" in The Cresset, Advent/Christmas 2006, 53-55.
• "The Paradox of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod-Churchly and Sectarian at the Same Time," in the Lutheran Forum Newsletter, March 2007, 1-3.
• "The Age of Distraction and Its Possible Remedies" in The Cresset, Easter 2007, 60-62.

Conferences Attended

• Annual Lilly Network Conference at Xavier University in Cincinnati, Ohio, on October 13-15.
• Lilly Fellow Reunion at the Indianapolis University Center, June 8-10.

Service

Community

• President of the Blue Ridge Chapter of Thrivent Financial for Lutherans
• Member of the Board of Faith Christian School, Chair of its Nominating Committee
• Chair of the Public Theology Group
• Bio-ethics Committee of Lewis-Gale Hospital

Church

• Chair of Theological Discussion Group (made up of staff from the Bishop's office and members of the Religion and Philosophy Department)
• Member of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's Task Force on Developing a Social Statement on Education, writing team.
• Member of Search Committee for a new pastor for College Lutheran Church, Salem

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