GREENEVILLE – Grow your faith through popular literature with spiritual messages about character and virtue by well-known authors, such as C.S. Lewis, during an upcoming series of talks at Tusculum University.
The Rev. E.J. Swatsell stands on campus.
The Stokes Lectures on Theology and Religion, previously called Theologian-In-Residence, will be held every Friday in February at 10 a.m. in Chalmers Conference Center. The theme for this year’s series will be “Character and Virtue in the Inklings: Practical Wisdom from Fantastic Worlds.”
Delivering the talks will be Dr. Martin Dotterweich, director of the King Institute for Faith and Culture and professor of history at King University.
“We are excited to again dedicate February to this impactful series, which has strengthened people’s faith through a variety of approaches for more than 30 years,” said the Rev. E.J. Swatsell, Tusculum’s director of spiritual life and special projects. “Dr. Dotterweich has prepared an enjoyable series of presentations that will give attendees something compelling to contemplate each week. We encourage the community members to join us and take their faith to another level.”
Dr. Dotterweich said the series will introduce and deepen one’s reading of a group of authors – and some who were connected to them – called the Inklings. The core group, including Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien and Charles Williams, met regularly at The Eagle and Child, a pub in Oxford, England. They discussed their creation of fantastic worlds and the ideas behind them.
“Along with writers connected to them – G.K. Chesterton, T.S. Eliot and Dorothy Sayers – the Inklings drew on a rich tradition of classical and medieval literature as they created ‘Narnia,’ ‘Middle Earth,’ the mystery stories of Father Brown and Lord Peter Wimsey and more. Through their books, and film and television adaptations of them, they have delighted millions across the world.”
Dr. Martin Dotterweich
But Dr. Dotterweich emphasizes these are not just fun books They were connected to major historical events and helped provide guidance to individuals facing these troubling times.
“These worlds were created against the backdrop of terrifying crises: World War I, the Spanish Flu, World War II, the Holocaust and the nuclear age,” he said. “Some have, therefore, seen these as escapist works, but in this course of lectures, I will argue the opposite: These are audacious and serious answers to the upheavals of the time. The Inklings were offering a powerfully counter-cultural and thoroughly Christian response to the great needs of their world by drawing on the wisdom of the past in creative and engaging ways.”
Dr. Dotterweich said the insights provided by the Inklings are relevant today as well. He said the series will consider these authors’ wisdom through the lenses of character and virtue. These qualities appear regularly in the Inklings’ works, and the audience will be able to think through some of the background to these concepts, he said. More importantly, he said, attendees will discern how these principles are applicable to their lives.
The subjects for each week and books that attendees might wish to read or review if desired, for each of the sessions are:
- Feb. 6 – “Character Begins in Grace: C.S. Lewis”; “The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe”; any other Narnia books, “The Great Divorce,” or “Till We Have Face”
- Feb. 13 – “Character Grows through Humility and Suffering: J.R.R. Tolkien”; “The Fellowship of the Ring”; “The Two Towers” or “The Return of the King”
- Feb. 20 – “Mysterious Virtues: Dorothy Sayers and G.K. Chesterton”; “Gaudy Night”; any of the Lord Peter Wimsey or Father Brown mysteries
- Feb. 27 – “Naming Virtues: Charles Williams and T.S. Eliot”; “The Place of the Lion”; “Four Quartets” and “The Year of Our Lord 1943: Christian Humanism in an Age of Crisis”
Additionally, Dr. Dotterweich suggests people watch or listen to the following for the first three sessions:
- Feb. 6 – “The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe”
- Feb. 13 – “The Fellowship of the Ring”
- Feb. 20 – BBC adaptations of Lord Peter Wimsey with Ian Carmichael
Dr. Dotterweich has served at King since 2004. In addition to being a history professor and director of the King Institute for Faith and Culture, he is director of faith and learning and the department head of history and political science. He previously taught history at Crichton College.
He is an Inklings Fellow through the McGrath Center at Notre Dame for 2025-2026 and a Network for Vocation in Undergraduate Education Faculty Fellow through the Council for Independent Colleges. In the fall, he will receive a John B. Stephenson fellowship for research on Frederick Buechner. He has been extensively published and has given multiple lectures and presentations off the King campus.
Dr. Dotterweich received his bachelor’s degree in literature and philosophy from Wheaton College in Illinois. He received a Master of Divinity from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary and his doctorate in ecclesiastical history from the University of Edinburgh.
This is the logo for the series.
The series received its new name in 2025 in memory of Mark Stokes, who served as Tusculum’s chaplain prior to passing away in 2015. He served in a number of leadership roles at Tusculum and was known for his affection for the university. Jeanne Stokes, who was married to Mark for 38 years when he passed, recalled how he was known as “Mr. Tusculum.”
In announcing the change to the Stokes Lectures on Theology and Religion, Dr. Scott Hummel, Tusculum’s president, noted that Mark was a dedicated Christian servant who profoundly impacted Tusculum’s development and campus ministries. He said the university was honored to name the series after him. Jeanne gave her blessing to the new name.
The series has attracted as many as 200 individuals who come to one or more sessions and members of about 50 churches.
“Enriching people’s faith is a major component of our mission,” Dr. Hummel said. “Every year, we look forward to holding this series because it positively impacts the community and draws all of us nearer to God. We are extremely pleased so many people have found the lectures helpful, and we are thrilled to host another excellent speaker in Dr. Dotterweich.”
Attendance at the Stokes Lectures on Theology and Religion is free, but the university welcomes donations to support this major faith development initiative. People can choose the Stokes series in the drop-down menu at www.tusculum.edu/giving.
To ensure Tusculum has enough seating, organizers ask that participants email Swatsell at eswatsell@tusculum.edu to inform him which sessions they plan to attend. Coffee and light breakfast items are available in Chalmers.
Additional information about Tusculum’s campus ministries is available at https://site.tusculum.edu/campus-ministries/. To learn more about the university, please visit www.tusculum.edu.