As a Christ-centered institution of higher learning, Geneva College provides numerous opportunities for the Geneva community to engage in compelling, contemporary topics to inspire thought and discussion. Renowned speakers, authors, religious leaders, artists and filmmakers are invited to come and discuss important ideas in the interest of fostering academic development. Throughout all of the presentations, students are challenged to approach the wide variety of ideas and opinions presented and formulate principled and ethical Christian responses.

Distinguished guests come to Geneva through separate speaker series collectively known as Guests@Geneva. Programs that are part of Guests@Geneva include the Geneva Visiting Artist and Lecture Series (GVALS), the Faith and Culture series, the Bitar and Vos Lectures, and select Chapel speakers scheduled for evening engagements.

A number of guests have already visited campus this semester. Christian musician and composer Ken Medema spoke in chapel, worked with a class of music majors and performed an evening concert featuring his unique brand of improvisation. Presidential historian Dr. Paul Kengor spoke to audiences about faith-based leadership among recent United States presidents. Son of Hamas author Mosab Yousef addressed a standing-room-only crowd about his experiences as a former member of Hamas and informer for the Israeli internal security service, as well as his conversion to Christianity. And Dr. Alvin Plantinga, a philosopher of religion credited with helping revive Christian philosophy, was this year′s Bitar lecturer.

Upcoming Guests@Geneva include Faith and Culture series guest Gregg Helvey, who spoke in chapel today and will be screening his award-winning film, Kavi this evening, Wednesday, November 16, in Skye Lounge at 7 p.m. Helvey is an Oscar nominee and Student Academy Award Winner. He wrote, directed and produced Kavi, the winning film of the 2009 Student Academy Award gold medal in the narrative category. Kavi tells the story of a young boy in India forced to work as a modern-day slave.

On Thursday, November 17 in John White Chapel at 7:30 p.m. and Friday, November 18 in Skye Lounge at 10:10 a.m., GVALS speaker Fred Barnes will discuss politics in Washington and the 2012 presidential election. Barnes is an American political commentator and the executive editor of The Weekly Standard. He has appeared on the Fox News Channel program Special Report with Bret Baier and was the co-host of The Beltway Boys. Barnes recently wrote Rebel-in-Chief: Inside the Bold and Controversial Presidency of George W. Bush. He is also a member of the board of the Institute on Religion and Democracy.

Click here for the full Guests@Geneva schedule. Visiting speakers for the spring semester include professor of politics at New York University and author of From Prophecy to Charity: How to Help the Poor Larry Mead, Deep Church author Jim Belcher and Pastor Dr. Dan Doriani. Information on these and other upcoming events will be added to the Guests@Geneva webpage as they become available.

Because Geneva is a leader in providing quality academics from a Christian perspective, thought and discussion continue to be important. Guests@Geneva are presented to the Geneva community and all who are interested at no charge.