Spring 2026 Schedule
Please see below for the Spring 2026 Catalog of courses taught at Westminster-Canterbury as part of the Westminster/Wesleyan Lifelong Learning Institute. Copies of the catalog are also available at the Westminster-Canterbury Resident Hub. If you have questions about the course offerings, please contact Dr. Ben Fraser at benson.fraser@wcbay.com.
Course 1 – Theological Themes in Film Comedies – Part One
Presented by:
Dr. Dennis Bounds, Writer, Author, and Adjunct Professor at Virginia Wesleyan University.
Course Description:
Throughout the history of film—both in this country and throughout the world—filmmakers have wrestled with theological ideas through a very popular style of filmmaking: the comedy. In this course we will examine one of five types of comedy each week: Romantic Comedy, Screwball Comedy, Musical Comedy, Parody, and Mocumentary to see how comedy forms an effective frame for dealing with theology. Clips from representative films will be shown and each session lasts 60 minutes—with plenty of time set aside for questions at the end.
Dates and Weekly Topics:
Lecture 1: Monday, Jan. 26 at 4:00 p.m. in the Penthouse Lounge.
Romantic Comedy! Who doesn't love a good romance? How about a funny romance? Girl meets guy, girl loses guy, girl and guy experience the divine. This session will examine how comedic romance films handle some surprising theological issues. Clips from key films of this type such as Keep the Faith and Nacho Libre will be shown.
Discussion to follow.
Lecture 2: Monday, Feb. 2 at 4:00 p.m. in the Penthouse Lounge.
Musical Comedy! Musicals blend plot with bursts of song to explore that plot. Several musicals examine how the human condition encounters God. Clips from important films of this style such as Godspell and Sister Act will be shown.
Discussion to follow.
Course 2 – Economic and Military Issues That Matter
Presented by:
Dr. Garrett Wood, who served as a Naval Surface Warfare Officer in the U.S. Navy before leaving to attain his Ph.D. in economics from George Mason University. He publishes research on the intersection of defense and economics while teaching at Virginia Wesleyan University.
Course Description:
This course will examine current issues on economics and defense that have important implications for the United States today.
Dates and Weekly Topics:
Lecture 1: Friday, Feb. 6 at 10:30 a.m. in the Penthouse Lounge.
Tax Evasion and the Laffer Curve: The government can raise revenue by raising taxes, but only up to a point. It can raise taxes so high that revenues drop, and tax evasion may be the sign that this is happening.
Lecture 2: Friday, Feb. 13 at 10:30 a.m. in the Penthouse Lounge.
How Communes Actually Work: Communism doesn't work, and yet there are many communes that do. What features do they share that make communal property rights function when normally such rights are destructive?
Lecture 3: Friday, Feb. 20 at 10:30 a.m. in the Penthouse Lounge.
The Defense Production Act: An exploration of why we have the DPA and the political entrepreneurs trying to use it for non-defense purposes.
Lecture 4: Friday, Feb. 27 at 10:30 a.m. in the Penthouse Lounge.
Why Is Housing So Expensive? The American dream of home ownership seems more distant, but why? Are institutional investors to blame, subsidies, supply restrictions?
Course 3 – Church History: The Christian Middle Ages (590–1517)
Presented by:
Dr. Benson P. Fraser, Westminster-Canterbury Fellow for Religious Studies and Lifelong Learning at Virginia Wesleyan University.
Course Description:
This class will examine at the development of Christianity during the Middle Ages—roughly the time between 590 and 1517. It will explore how different events in history influenced the church and how specific individuals and political influences shaped both theology and the expression of Christianity in the world. Such themes as: the search for unity, the papacy and the crusades, scholasticism and the decline of the papacy during this period will be addressed. In our discussion we will encounter such historic and charismatic figures as: Gregory the Great, Charlemagne, Francis of Assisi, Wyclif and Hus.
Note: This is the third series of lectures on the History of the Church.
Dates and Weekly Topics:
Lecture 1: Friday, Feb. 6 at 1:00 p.m. in the Penthouse Lounge.
The collapse of Roman civil authority and the search for unity. In this lecture we will focus on Gregory I and examine his role in shaping the medieval papacy—both spiritually and politically. Furthermore, we will study the alliance of the church and secular power in unifying Western Europe. Of particular interest is the role of Charlemagne and the expansion of the Frankish kingdom. This leads us to consider the emergence of cultural and political aspects where the church and state cooperate to uphold Christian order.
Lecture 2: Friday, Feb. 13 at 1:00 p.m. in the Penthouse Lounge.
Tension between institutional power and spiritual renewal. In this week's lecture we examine the relationship between the papacy nd the crusades. This combination of religious fervor and military expedition became a defining movement in the Middle Ages. We will discuss why so many people think that the crusades have had a continuing impact of European and Middle Eastern relations as well as the prestige of the papacy. Finally, we look at the renewed intellectual life centered in cathedral schools and emerging universities during this moment in history. Finally, I will discuss the importance of scholasticism and its influence on later Western thought.
Lecture 3: Friday, Feb. 20 at 1:00 p.m. in the Penthouse Lounge.
Faith shaping politics and culture. This lecture we encounter Francis of Assisi and the Apostolic lifestyle. We will examine the radical poverty, simplicity, and direct imitation of Christ that springs from the Franciscan movement. In so doing, we will discuss how the Franciscan movement influenced other reform movements and contributed to devotional renewal. Furthermore, I refer to the crisis in papal leadership due to increasing secular interference, corruption, and factional strife. This will lead us to discuss the papacy's loss of moral authority. Finally, we will look at what led to the adoption of residency outside of Rome (Avignon Papacy) and the rival papal claimants.
Lecture 4: Friday, Feb. 27 at 1:00 p.m. in the Penthouse Lounge. (45 minutes)
Growing demand for reform and biblical authority. Clearly there were calls for reform and many theologians see such men as John Wyclif (England) and Jan Hus (Bohemia) as the precursors of the Reformation. These voices criticized the clerical wealth and moral laxity as well as promoted scripture's authority over institutional claims. We will look at the case of Jan Hus, who was condemned as a heretic at the Council of Constance, his death sparked the Hussite Wars.
Course 4 – Brain Health Matters!
Presented by:
Dr. Scott W. Sautter, Diplomate, American Board of Professional Neuropsychology, Board Certified Neuropsychologist, and Licensed Clinical Psychologist. He is an adjunct professor at Virginia Wesleyan University.
Course Description:
This class will provide beneficial advice for strengthening your brain's health.
Date and Topic:
Lecture: Tuesday, Feb. 17 at 3:00 p.m. in the Penthouse Lounge.
MI, EI, and RIP IQ: In this lecture Dr. Sautter will help us: (1) understand the relationship of various cognitive processes, (2) explain how unique individual cognitive processes relate to brain health and (3) develop your unique cognitive talents.
Course 5 – Music and Art from the Baroque (1600–1750)
Presented by:
Lee Jordan-Anders is Professor of Music and Artist-in-Residence Emeritus at Virginia Wesleyan University where she served on the faculty for twenty-nine years, she continues to perform occasionally while enjoying a quieter life on Virginia's Eastern Shore.
Course Description:
Music and Art from the Baroque: 1600-1750
Both music and visual art reflect something of the historical era during which they are created. Examining art and music within the context of the cultural environment that fueled their creation presents the opportunity for a greater understanding and appreciation of each. The Baroque era marks the beginning of what is now called the "Common Practice Period," and as such, serves as a logical starting place from which to examine concurrent practices in both music and art.
Dates and Weekly Topics:
Lecture 1: Tuesday, March 3 at 10:30 a.m. in the Penthouse Lounge.
The Spirit of the Age: We begin by studying "The Doctrine of Affects," a theory of musical aesthetics widely accepted by late Baroque theorists and composers that embraced the proposition that music can arouse a variety of specific emotions within the listener. We will continue by seeing and hearing examples of music and art that illustrate elements common to both. These include the use of elaborate ornamentation, evocations of high drama, displays of virtuosity, and the establishment of codified rules of order. Music excerpts will include works by Vivaldi, Bach, Scarlatti, and Handel, with artworks by Bernini, Tintoretto, and Artemisia Gentileschi.
Lecture 2: Tuesday, March 10 at 10:30 a.m. in the Anderson Bayview Room.
Instrumental Music: We'll hear various instrumental music forms including a sonata, concertos (both gross and solo), and a suite by composers Telemann, Bach, and Vivaldi, Artworks will include Tintoretto's Allegorical Figure of Spring and Rembrandt's The Night Watch.
Lecture 3: Tuesday, March 17 at 10:30 a.m. in the Penthouse Lounge.
Keyboard Music: Music by Bach, Scarlatti, and Élisabeth-Claude Jacquet de la Guerre will be featured along with Velázquez's Las Meninas and Boucher's Pastorale: The Vegetable Vendor.
Lecture 4: Tuesday, March 24 at 10:30 a.m. in the Anderson Bayview Room.
Vocal Music:We'll see and hear excerpts from a performance of Claudio Monteverdi's L'Orfeo. Written in 1607, it's a work many consider to be the first opera ever written. Arias from various operas by G. F. Handel as well as Bach's Coffee Cantata are also included.
Course 6 – New Perspectives on the Holocaust
Presented by:
Dr. Sara Sewell, Professor of History at Virginia Wesleyan University.
Course Description:
This lecture series recounts the history of the Holocaust based on the latest research. Since the collapse of East European communism and the opening of borders and archives in Eastern Europe, scholarly understanding of the Holocaust has significantly expanded and shifted. Also contributing to our new knowledge are the testimonies of thousands of survivors who documented their personal experiences in the Holocaust. This series begins with two lectures that provide an overview of the Holocaust. In the two final lectures, Dr. Sara Ann Sewell will share her research from her forthcoming book, Sounding, Hearing, Silencing: Experiencing the Holocaust through the Sonic, which investigates victims' audial, sensorial, and emotional lives in the Holocaust.
Dates and Weekly Topics:
Lecture 1: Friday, March 20 at 11:00 a.m. in the Penthouse Lounge.
Nazi Racial Ideology and the Beginnings of the Holocaust: Scholar's struggle to date the precise start of the Holocaust. In Nazi Germany, it unfolded incrementally. Certainly, the many discriminatory laws and violence that Jews faced in the 1930s were evidence of the Third Reich's escalating persecution of Jews, which culminated in the 1938 November Pogrom (a.k.a. "Kristallnacht"). Germany's invasion of Poland in September 1939 marked another critical inflection point in the terror. This lecture provides an overview of the early stages of the Holocaust from the establishment of the Third Reich through Germany's stunning military victories in 1939 and 1940 and how conquest shaped genocide.
Lecture 2: Friday, March 27 at 11:00 a.m. in the Penthouse Lounge.
The East Europeanization of the Holocaust:When many Americans think of the Holocaust, places such as Dachau and Buchenwald readily come to mind. Located in Germany, these concentration camps, however, were not the primary sites of the genocide. Instead, the overwhelming majority of Jews died in Poland and western Soviet territory, including Ukraine and the Baltic States. The Holocaust also did not commence with the gas chambers. Rather, it began with mass killings that occurred in conjunction with Germany's rapid invasion of Soviet territory in 1941. Only in 1942 did the Germans erect killing centers (a.k.a. "death camps"). These also were located in Eastern Europe. Incorporating newer scholarship on the Holocaust, this lecture explains why researchers now focus on Eastern Europe as the site of the killing fields.
Lecture 3: Friday, April 3 at 11:00 a.m. in the Penthouse Lounge.
Commanding Poland's Soundscapes: Germany's invasion of Poland in September 1939 transformed Poland in myriad ways. To assert their power, the Germans systematically mobilized sound, inundating Poland with novel noises, including the German language and gunfire, while simultaneously silencing the occupied. Jews especially faced sonic violence, which accompanied persecution and murder. This lecture focuses on the many ways that the Germans weaponized sound to gain control of Poland and to terrorize Jews.
Lecture 4: Friday, April 10 at 11:00 a.m. in the Penthouse Lounge.
The Acoustics of Train Deportations: The Acoustics of Train Deportations: To implement genocide, the Germans sent millions of Jews, typically with their families, to Eastern Europe aboard freight trains under horrific conditions. Paradoxically, the boxcars provided one of the few Holocaust spaces where Jews — not Germans — controlled the sonic environment. This lecture explores the acoustics of the train journeys, examining the sounds of both suffering and solace that echoed continuously inside the trains. This approach offers intimate perspectives on the Holocaust, shedding light on how Jews personally grappled with the lethal persecution.
Course 7 – Brain Health Matters!
Presented by:
Dr. Scott W. Sautter, Diplomate, American Board of Professional Neuropsychology, Board Certified Neuropsychologist, and Licensed Clinical Psychologist. He is an adjunct professor at Virginia Wesleyan University.
Course Description:
This class will provide beneficial advice for strengthening your brain's health.
Date and Topic:
Lecture: Tuesday, March 17 at 3:00 p.m. in the Penthouse Lounge.
What Is Your AQ? This lecture will discuss: (1) the relationship between AQ and resilience, (2) how this connection relates to Salutogenesis and (3) putting your AQ to daily practice.
Course 8 – America at 250
Presented by:
Dr. Timothy G. O'Rourke (Ph.D., Duke, Political Science), now retired, served as Vice President and Provost at Virginia Wesleyan University from 2007 to 2019.
Course Description:
As the United States celebrates the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution, this four-part series examines the Declaration of Independence through the eyes, among others, of Montesquieu, Jefferson, Lincoln, and contemporary Americans. Is it true, as President Washington observed in 1789, that "the preservation of the sacred fire of liberty and the destiny of the republican model of government are justly considered, perhaps, as deeply, as finally, staked on the experiment entrusted to the hands of the American people"?
Dates and Weekly Topics:
Lecture 1: Thursday, April 16 at 1:00 p.m. in the Penthouse Lounge.
Montesquieu's Declaration: The French Impact on the American Revolution: The French & Indian War and its aftermath spawned the political divisions between the Colonies and Britain that led to the Revolution. The French philosopher Montesquieu exerted a profound influence on the political thinking of the Founders; Lafayette and French allies played key roles at Yorktown. And the French sale of Louisiana to the United States in 1803 fundamentally changed the arc of American history. Is the French contribution underappreciated?
Lecture 2: Thursday, April 23 at 1:00 p.m. in the Penthouse Lounge.
Jefferson's Declaration: The Enigmatic Founder's Troubled Legacy: As the principal author of the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson remains the Founder most closely associated with the words "all men are created equal." While he was a prominent advocate for the emancipation of slaves early in his public career, Jefferson would gradually abandon these views and would die, as he lived, as a slave owner. How did the Founding generation understand the words of the Declaration and how should we regard Jefferson now?
Lecture 3: Thursday, April 30 at 1:00 p.m. in the Penthouse Lounge.
Lincoln's Declaration: The 16th President's Revival of the Spirit of '76: Lincoln professed that he "never had a feeling politically that did not spring from the sentiments embodied in the Declaration of Independence." And in the Gettysburg Address he contended that the Civil War had created the opportunity to bring about "a new birth of freedom" as set out in the Declaration. At an earlier time, Lincoln said, "If destruction be our lot, we must ourselves be its author and finisher." What did he mean and what does it mean for us?
Lecture 4: Thursday, May 7 at 1:00 p.m. in the Penthouse Lounge.
Our Declaration: The Meaning of 1776 for Us Today: Modern Americans, perhaps more than earlier generations, view the words of the Declaration of Independence with a more cynical eye, focusing on the nation's troubled history with Native Americans, African Americans, and women (among other groups). A different narrative would emphasize the progress toward equality for all groups and America's role in promoting a democratic world order. Martin Luther King, Jr., spoke of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence as "a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir." Is the note still good?
Course 9 – Faith, Power, and Moral Imagination: Four Religious Figures Who Shaped History
Presented by:
Dr. Benson P. Fraser, Westminster-Canterbury Fellow for Religious Studies and Lifelong Learning at Virginia Wesleyan University.
Course Description:
This course is designed to look at four historical figures who have shaped human history. By examining the lives of Abraham, Paul, Teresa of Avila and Martin Luther King, Jr., we will attempt to understand religion as a historical and cultural force. Therefore, we will explore faith through biography rather than doctrine and in the process see how belief shapes moral action. This class will encourage critical thinking and respectful dialogue.
Dates and Weekly Topics:
Lecture 1: Friday, April 10 at 1:00 p.m. in the Penthouse Lounge.
Abraham: Faith, Covenant and the Birth of a People. This lecture see's Abraham as foundational figure in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. He represents one of the earliest examples of moral monotheism. As such he embodies faith as trust, not certainty. In the story of Abraham's call to leave his homeland with no clear destination we find faith defined as movement and risk. In so doing, Abraham enters a relationship or covenant with God and is not just following a command. In examining the story of his life we see faith as struggle, not certainty.
Lecture 2: Friday, April 17 at 1:00 p.m. in the Penthouse Lounge.
Paul the Apostle: Mission, Theology and the Birth of Christianity. This lecture begins by examining the world that Paul inherited. Paul stands at the crossroads of Judaism, Hellenism, and the emerging Christian movement. He was born Saul of Tarsus in the early first century CE, but he lived in the complex world of the Roman Empire—a world marked by imperial power, cultural pluralism, and deep religious diversity. Paul's transformation from persecutor of the early Jesus movement to one of the most influential missionaries stands as one of the most dramatic narratives in religious history. At the heart of Paul's teaching lies his understanding of justification by faith. Few figures have shaped Christianity as profoundly as Paul.
Lecture 3: Friday, April 24 at 1:00 p.m. in the Penthouse Lounge.
Teresa of Avila: Mysticism, Reform and the Interior Life. Teresa of Ávila (1515–1582) lived during one of the most turbulent and transformative periods in European religious history. Born in Ávila, Spain, during the height of the Spanish Renaissance, Teresa's existed during the political consolidation of Spain, the rise of the Spanish Inquisition, and the Catholic Church's response to the Protestant Reformation. This was an era marked by intense concern for orthodoxy, institutional control, and spiritual reform. Spain in the sixteenth century was both deeply devout and deeply anxious. Mysticism flourished alongside suspicion of heterodoxy, particularly toward women claiming direct experiences of God. Teresa, a woman without formal theological training, navigated this environment with remarkable intelligence and spiritual authority. Teresa's legacy endures as a bridge between mysticism and practical faith. Her emphasis on interiority speaks powerfully to contemporary seekers navigating distraction, anxiety, and spiritual fragmentation.
Lecture 4: Friday, May 1 at 1:00 p.m. in the Penthouse Lounge. (45 minutes)
Martin Luther King Jr.: Prophetic Faith, Nonviolence and the Struggle for Justice. Martin Luther King Jr. emerged as one of the most influential moral and religious leaders of the twentieth century during a period of deep racial injustice in the United States. Born in Atlanta, Georgia, into a family rooted in the Black Baptist church, King inherited both a religious tradition and a social reality shaped by segregation, racial violence, and economic inequality. The Jim Crow system of the American South enforced racial hierarchy through law, custom, and terror, denying African Americans full citizenship and dignity. King came of age in a nation founded on democratic ideals yet profoundly divided by race. The contradiction between American democratic principles and the lived experience of Black Americans formed the moral backdrop of his life and work. Influenced by the Black church, the social gospel movement, and global struggles for liberation, King developed a vision of justice that fused Christian theology with democratic ideals.
Course 10 – Theological Themes in Film Comedies – Part Two
Presented by:
Dr. Dennis Bounds, Writer, Author, and Adjunct Professor at Virginia Wesleyan University.
Course Description:
Throughout the history of film—both in this country and throughout the world—filmmakers have wrestled with theological ideas through a very popular style of filmmaking: the comedy. In this course we will examine one of five types of comedy each week: Romantic Comedy, Screwball Comedy, Musical Comedy, Parody, and Mocumentary to see how comedy forms an effective frame for dealing with theology. Clips from representative films will be shown and each session lasts 60 minutes—with plenty of time set aside for questions at the end.
Dates and Weekly Topics:
Lecture 1: Friday, May 8 at 1:00 p.m. in the Penthouse Lounge.
Screwball Comedy: The Screwball comedy—manic and wacky physical humor designed to delight and amuse—has also been used to explore issues of faith and redemption. Clips from her most notable performances such as The Lady Eve and Theodora Goes Wild. will be shown.
Discussion to follow.
Lecture 2: Friday, May 15 at 1:00 p.m. in the Penthouse Lounge.
Parody: When a film takes a recognized genre and highlights that formula is at the heart of Parody. When the films parodied are films of a biblical slant, theological ideas are turned upside down—resulting in surprising revelations. Clips from her most notable performances such as The History of the World Part 1and Life of Brian will be shown.
Discussion to follow.
Lecture 3: Friday, May 22 at 1:00 p.m. in the Penthouse Lounge.
Mockumentary: The documentary is a film style that explores real life with real situations and images. A Mockumentary uses that style but is faked in a comedic way. Even this style has been used to explore serious theological issues and assumptions. Clips from her most notable performances such as The Making of "…And God Spoke and The Proper Care and Feeding of an American Messiah will be shown.
Discussion to follow.
Lecture 4: Friday, May 29 at 1:00 p.m. in the Anderson Bayview Room.
The Farce/Dark Comedy: This is one of the most outrageous film styles that follows an idea or trait to its logical, absurd conclusion. This style has been especially effective in examining weighty theological themes and motifs. Clips from key films of this style such as Groundhog Day and Bruce Almighty will be shown.
Discussion to follow.