On June 13-15, 2013, we hosted the third annual Values & Capitalism Summer Conference. More than 85 students and professors joined us in Washington, D.C., from Christian colleges and universities across the country. During the conference, the group explored topics including faith in the public square, helping the poor, and the changing structure of American culture and society.
Students and professors heard from AEI’s president Arthur Brooks on the connection between human flourishing and free enterprise. Other sessions included a panel discussion on communicating public policy ideas effectively with AEI’s Ramesh Ponnuru, Tim Carney, Michael Strain and Stan Veuger. We traveled across town to Capitol Hill, where Congressman Randy Hultgren (R-IL), Steve Daines (R-MT) and former Congressman Charlie Stenholm (D-TX) shared about their vocation and how their faith has impacted their lives both in and outside of the political spotlight.
In addition to other excellent presentations, AEI’s Christina Hoff Sommers spoke on her new book “Freedom Feminism: Its Surprising History and Why It Matters Today.” And Charles Murray spoke on “Coming Apart,” describing how America’s classes are increasingly living in separate worlds, unlike previous generations of Americans.
A panel discussion featuring Tim King from Sojourners, Eric Teetsel of the Manhattan Declaration, Aaron Graham of the District Church and our own Josh Good opened our final day of the conference. The panelists discussed and debated their conflicting visions of how to best help our neighbors in need. To close out the conference, we heard from Nick Schulz on “Home Economics,” his new Values & Capitalism book that explores the economic consequences of changing family structure in America. Finally, Michael Cromartie of the Ethics and Public Policy Center concluded the conference by highlighting the “now, but not yet” tension that Christians face, living in this world and working to improve human flourishing, while simultaneously longing for the promised hope of what’s to come.
We look forward to an exciting 2013-14 school year working with these students and professors on campus, and to another great conference next year. Video from the conference is available at our Vimeo channel.