Interactive learning opportunities with Taylor faculty members across multiple disciplines. These sessions are intended for all audiences - prospective and incoming students, alumni, parents, and friends.
The first round of Taylor Talks took place on July 20-24, 2020.
The second round of Taylor Talks took place during Virtual Homecoming on October 5-9, 2020.
Submissions from 2020
Cooking with Jay Cunningham and Nathaniel Malone, Jay Cunningham and Nathaniel Malone
10-10-2020
In this live cooking tutorial, participants will learn from Nathaniel Malone, Associate Food Service Director/Executive Chef who will be assisted by Jay Cunningham (President Paige's husband). Learn how to make roasted butternut squash soup with crème fraiche and Israeli couscous, sage and candied bacon garnish. You will receive the recipe and list of ingredients ahead of time.
Building and Flying Satellites, Stefan Brandle
10-9-2020
This talk will describe Taylor's heritage in satellite-building, give some details from our current satellite projects, and talk about various satellite communications projects Taylor Computer Science faculty and students have participated in.
The Poets of Taylor, Julie Moore and Dan Bowman
10-9-2020
Faculty members Dan Bowman and Julie Moore will read their original poems along with Taylor students and community members, such as poet Bethany Bowman. We will also highlight Relief Journal, the national literary journal published under the auspices of Taylor’s English Department, for which Bowman serves as editor-in-chief and Moore serves as poetry editor.
He Threw Away His Shot: Hamilton, Dueling, and Political Conflict in America, Elizabeth George
10-8-2020
Why did Alexander Hamilton die in a duel? Fans of the musical-and the history behind it-have to wonder why Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton, two men who sought to be “in the room where it happens” during the Founding Era, ended up with pistols drawn. Was this a barbaric aberration, an unfortunate misunderstanding, or maybe an event dramatized for Broadway? In this session, we’ll examine why early Americans considered dueling to be the height of civility, why it fell out of favor, and whether dueling could make a comeback in our current political climate.
Mars: Home, Peter Staritz
10-8-2020
As mankind reaches for the stars the next big step is living and working on the red planet. Companies like SpaceX are leading the way to transport humans to Mars, but there are myriad technologies that are needed to make a mission successful. Students and faculty at Taylor are developing a novel 3d printer architecture that allows the printing of large structures and buildings for living and working on Mars. The presentation will cover the ongoing work being conducted by the students.
Using God Image to Understand and Shape Spiritual Formation, Jessie Woodring
10-8-2020
Have you ever given much thought to the people, places, and spaces that significantly shape your spiritual formation? Drawing from existing research as well as original research from a Master's thesis, this session will explain concepts of "god image" and "god concept" to provide insight to the ways that our relationships and experiences shape how we perceive God. Attendees can expect to participate in a creative reflection exercise to examine how and when their understanding of God has shifted throughout their life with an eye towards building tools for personal growth in the future.
Created for Work: Tables Instead of Laddres, Jeff Aupperle
10-7-2020
Created for Work: From the very beginning of Scripture, we read of God as Creator and we are called to bear that image as co-laborers with him in his kingdom. We work because we bear the image of one who works. In this session Jeff Aupperle will describe the theological perspective on work we strive to share with students.
Eat Lovingly: The Ethical Aspects of Food Choices for Sustainability and Justice, Philip Grabowski
10-7-2020
God created us with physical bodies that are sustained by eating food. When we eat, we are not only consuming that food but we are contributing to a long chain of cause and effect connections that have wide implications, most of which are hidden from us through the modern food system. In this session we will discuss how our food choices can reflect Christ’s redemptive work, so that we honor God, love our neighbors and steward creation.
Engaging Scripture Using the Visual Arts, Phil Collins
10-7-2020
This session will explore the Scripture engagement practice of using the visual arts to help us connect with various biblical passages with both our minds and emotions. A good piece of art can help us see the truth of an unfamiliar passage and give us fresh eyes for familiar passages. The artist becomes our companion, a commentator who points out details of a passage that we might otherwise miss. The session will be interactive in nature and will use the newly released Abide Bible that was developed by Taylor University faculty, staff, students and alumni as part of the Taylor University Center for Scripture Engagement.
Empowering Women in Developing Nations Through the Eyes of Food Security, Grace Ju Miller
10-6-2020
Women make up 70% of the world's poor. They make up 40% of the workforce in agriculture in developing nations. Gender inequality is a complex problem. When women are empowered through training, microloans, and fair wages, communities begin to climb out of poverty. Is there progress? Is there good news? How are we as Christians to respond? How do we encourage growth without toxic charity?
The Secular and Biblical Origins of the Term "Evangelical", Edward P. Meadors
10-6-2020
This presentation will address the historic, political, and cultural phenomena that translators took into consideration when they incorporated the Greek term "Euangelion" into the Septuagint (Greek) translation of the Old Testament. We will then investigate the original meaning of the crux Old Testament passages that use the word group "Euangelion," before climaxing the session with investigation of crux New Testament passages that reveal the "evangelical" visions of Jesus, Paul, and the book of Revelation. Discussion at the end of the session will address how best to utilize this contentious term in contemporary culture, if at all.
An Introduction to the Enneagram, Drew Moser
10-5-2020
The enneagram is exploding in popularity. What is it? How do we reconcile the enneagram with the Christian faith? What's the best way to use the enneagram? Join Dr. Drew Moser, Dean of Student Engagement and author of *The Enneagram of Discernment: The Way of Vocation, Wisdom, and Practice,* to learn all about it.
Business as Mission: Showing Jesus to the World Through Business, Mick Bates and Jeff Sherlock
10-5-2020
The Taylor University Business Department has been increasingly engaged in the Business as Mission movement. From involvement with the movement at the global level to taking students on BAM-focused ministry trips to creating a repository for BAM-related research/writing, we want to be a part of what God is doing in the nations through BAM.
Taylor History and Heritage: Milo Rediger and Anchor Points, Ashley Chu
7-24-2020
This session will provide a brief biography of Dr. Milo Rediger, focusing on the development of his well-known Anchor Points essay published in 1972 from an award-winning opinion piece in a local newspaper. Excerpts from Rediger’s other significant writings and addresses will be shared. A time of discussion, reflection, and questions will follow.
Baseball and America, Michael Hammond
7-23-2020
“People ask me what I do in the winter when there's no baseball. I'll tell you what I do. I stare out the window and wait for spring.” Rogers Hornsby. We will take a brief look at the story of baseball in American history. The game which has been called the Nation’s pastime has been a steady influence in American culture for almost 200 years. While the game is often lauded for not changing its boundaries or rules often, the organized sport of baseball has adapted to modernization, Western expansion, commercialization, media technology, racism, and corruption, and shaped American culture along the way.
COVID-19 Reflection from Biochemical and Scriptural Perspectives, Daniel Kaluka
7-23-2020
At the close of the year 2019, reports of a contagious novel virus that causes pneumonia-like symptoms emerged in Wuhan, China. The viral disease, now famously known as coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has since risen to the level of a global pandemic with over 6.5 million reported cases and almost 400 thousands deaths worldwide. The global scientific community is working around the clock investigating possible control measures, such as development and testing of therapeutic drugs and vaccines. Beside all these advances in technology and biochemical knowledge, is there anything else we can learn from this pandemic? Is it enough that we have some understanding of the viral structure, or the proteins involved in the infection process, or that we have promising vaccine candidates. What else can we learn? What does this mean to a Christian professor of biochemistry, to a chemistry student, to a Taylor Alumni and to all of us who are called by the name of Jesus Christ? In this talk I will share some thoughts on the current pandemic in light of what the scripture says. I invite you to join me in reflecting on this crisis that has essentially shut down our world as we know it.
Evangelicalism 101, Michael Hammond
7-22-2020
Do you consider yourself an Evangelical Christian? The term "Evangelical" has a rich history and a changing cultural meaning. For some people, the term evokes Billy Graham and revivals, while others interpret it as a political movement. In this session, we will examine the popular and scholarly definitions of Evangelicalism and discuss its importance to the Christian church today. We will consider the global missions movement, political implications, and challenging issues for Evangelicalism.
Literature Influences Science: The Role of Sherlock Holmes in the Development of Forensic Science, Daniel King
7-21-2020
Over a thirty-year period from the late nineteenth to early twentieth century, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle drew upon his scientific training as a physician to create one of the most influential figures, albeit fictional, in the development of modern forensic science. Seemingly ahead of his time, Holmes was developing criminalistic theories and forensic science tests before they actually existed. But perhaps the most important impact of the Holmes stories, was their incredible popularity which prepared the public to willingly accept forensic science into criminal justice systems when new forensic techniques were developed. This presentation will use excerpts from several Holmes stories to compare his approaches to that of our twenty-first century forensic scientists. We will also discuss the important people and contexts that influenced Doyle’s creation of Holmes and where Holmes fits into the timeline of modern forensic science.
Protest, Solidarity, and Praise: The Singing that Sustained the Civil Rights Movement, Reed Spencer
7-21-2020
Hope, rage, shared community, defiance, assurance – all characteristics of the music of Black Americans during the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950’s, 60’s, and 70’s. From Billie Holliday and Nina Simone to Fannie Lou Hamer, the Freedom Singers, and vocal allies like Pete Seeger and Joan Baez, music influenced the gathering and sending of those fighting for justice during the Civil Rights Movement. The power of group singing became what Dr. King called “the soul of the movement.” We will explore some of the great protest and freedom songs through both a historical and contemporary lens. What made this music compelling? What can we learn from it today? This summer we have seen the peaceful protests of millions around the country, calling for further justice and reform in legislation, regulation, and accountability. Who are the prophets and poets of today’s marches?
Taylor History and Heritage: From the Stacks, an Archives Show-and-Tell, Ashley Chu
7-20-2020
As the University Archivist, I’m often asked about my favorite items in the collection, and what types of materials we collect. Come and learn about the mission and purpose of the Ringenberg Archives & Special Collections, who we serve, what we collect, and more. Several intriguing artifacts will also be shown and discussed, and attendees will participate in an exercise demonstrating how students are introduced to primary source materials. A time of discussion will follow.
Taylor History and Heritage: Samuel Morris, His Life and Legacy, Ashley Chu
7-20-2020
This interactive session will utilize documents and artifacts from the collection to tell the story of Samuel Morris, specifically his time at Taylor University in Fort Wayne, IN, and his legacy that continues today. A time of questions and discussion will follow.
The Traumatized Brain and Vulnerable Children, Scott Moeschberger
7-20-2020
With over 1 billion children experiencing violence every year, the importance of understanding how trauma impacts the brain continues to grow in importance. This session will provide a basic understanding of neurodevelopment and how children’s brains are impacted by violence and neglect. Implications for working with vulnerable children will be discussed in light of this emerging area of research.
The Value of Live Performance in the Life of the Christian, Conor Angell, Patricia Robertson, Loralee Songer, and Tracy Manning
7-20-2020
Faculty members from Taylor’s Department of Music, Theatre, and Dance discuss how participating in live performances can uniquely develop a Christian’s mind and soul. The process of preparing collaboratively for live performances calls a Christian to aspire to technical excellence; to serve others; and to reflect deeply on oneself, on the world, and on the Creator of all beauty. We are transformed by our artistic experiences that explore incarnational truths in the presence of God and of humans.
Working with Orphaned and Vulnerable Children 101: Overview of the Taylor Program and Current Trends, Scott Moeschberger
7-20-2020
This session will discuss current trends in working with Orphaned and Vulnerable Children worldwide including understanding the continuum of care in relationship to best practices and biblical principles. Topics will cover general areas such as poverty, foster care, adoption, trafficking, and violence against children. It will conclude with an overview of the Taylor OVC program and how students are being trained to serve in this ever-changing sphere.