Speakers & Artists

Plenary Speakers

(In Alphabetical Order)

devinbrownDevin Brown — Lilly Scholar and Professor of English at Asbury University. He has written several books, including his Three-Volume Inside Narnia Series, The Christian World of The Hobbit, and A Life Observed: A Spiritual Biography of C. S. Lewis. Dr. Brown has also published numerous essays and scholarly articles on C. S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkien and has written chapters for six books, including a chapter on The Screwtape Letters for the 4-volume series C. S. Lewis: Life, Works, and Legacy. In 2008 he served as Scholar-in-Residence for the Summer Seminar held at The Kilns, the Oxford home of C. S. Lewis.

Diana Pavlac Glyer — Professor of English at Azusa Pacific University. She has been widely recognized for her work on C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, and the Inklings, including contributions to The C.S. Lewis Readers’ Encyclopedia and C.S. Lewis: Life, Works, and Legacy. She is the recipient of the Wade Center’s Clyde S. Kilby Research Grant (1997), APU’s Chase A. Sawtell Inspirational Teaching Award (2002), the Imperishable Flame Award for Tolkien Studies (2007), and the Mythopoeic Society Scholarship Award (2008). She is the author of Clay in the Potter’s Hands and The Company They Keep: C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien as Writers in Community.

Lou-MarkosLouis Markos — Professor in English and Scholar in Residence at Houston Baptist University. He has authored several books including Lewis Agonistes: How C.S. Lewis Can Train us to Wrestle with the Modern & Postmodern World, Apologetics for the 21st Century, and Restoring Beauty: The Good, the True, and the Beautiful in the Writings of C.S. Lewis. He has written many essays, often dealing with themes from The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. He speaks widely across the United States on several topics including apologetics and C.S. Lewis and his works.

Artists

(In Alphabetical Order)

Ad-Deum-Dance-Co1Ad Deum Dance Company — A professional Houston, Texas, based contemporary/modern dance company founded and directed by Randall Flinn.The company is comprised of dancers that have found home in Houston from all across the globe. Dramatic passion, flowing grace and fierce athleticism abound as these artists explore the mysteries of faith, grace, beauty and redemption through the freedom created by God for the expressions of the human body, soul and spirit.

Malcolm Guite — Anglican priest, Chaplain & Fellow, Girton College, Cambridge, Guite teaches Literature and Pastoral Theology for the Cambridge Federation of Theological Colleges. He is involved with a number of projects linking theology and the arts, and has published poetry, literary criticism and theology in various journals. His books include Beholding the Glory and What Do Christians Believe? He contributed to The Cambridge Companion to C.S. Lewis. His newest collection of poetry, Sounding the Seasons, was released this year. Last year Malcolm worked with artist Steve Bell on his newest album Keening for the Dawn. As founder of the rock band, Mystery Train, he writes lyrics and performs on guitar and vocals.

Male listening to headphones with eyes closed.Max McLean — President of Fellowship for the Performing Arts, narrator for the Listener’s Bible audio line, and speaker on the daily radio program Listen to the Bible which airs on over 670 radio affiliates worldwide.  He is best known for his theatrical presentations of The Screwtape Letters, Mark’s Gospel, and Genesis. Each of these has received critical acclaim in a wide array of publications including the Chicago Tribune, The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal. His theatrical productions have appeared in several off-Broadway theaters in New York; at the Edinburgh Fringe Theater Festival in Scotland; Pegasus Theater in Chicago; the Dallas Theater Center; the Stratford Festival Theater, as well as dozens of colleges and performing arts venues across the country, including Duke, Brown and Smith.

Session Leaders

(In Alphabetical Order)

Chris-BaronChris Baron — Originally from New York City, Baron credits being raised in a Jewish household of artists for many of the themes and stories pervasive to his poems.  Baron moved to San Diego and received his MFA in Poetry from San Diego State University in 1998. Now a Professor of English and Director of San Diego City College’s Writing Center, Baron served for over a decade on the executive board for the Border Voices Poetry Project. He works with the C.S. Lewis Foundation, Musalaha, and many other professional and social communities.   His poetry, essays, and creative non-fiction, has appeared in Pearl, Sunshine Noir, Aethlon, Literary Ink, San Diego Writer’s Monthly, Sierra Club Pres, Charlotte Literary Review, Mama’s and Papa’s Hunger and Thirst, and other journals and anthologies. Under the Broom Tree, part of Lantern Tree, is his first formally published book of poetry.

Randy HassonRandall Hasson — Randall M. Hasson has had a varied career and brings a multi-layered experience to his approach to teaching and to his art. He is known for his large scale paintings and work in layered journals which include image as well as calligraphy, and where both symbolism and philosophy thru text play a vital role. His works are known as “Paintings that inspire conversation”. The Randall M. Hasson Gallery was established in Solana Beach, CA in 2000, and in late 2006 relocated to Santa Fe, NM where it remains to this day. Randall is the artist of this year’s theme image of the C.S. Lewis Foundation’s 50th Anniversary Celebration of the Legacy of C.S. Lewis. The painting is “C.S. Lewis: The Spirit and the Man” and can be viewed and purchased on the Hasson Gallery website.

Steve LaubeSteve Laube — President and founder of The Steve Laube Agency, Steve is a 32 year veteran of the bookselling industry. He began his career in the bookselling arena and his store in Phoenix was named the Christian Booksellers Association (CBA) store of the year in 1989. He then spent 11 years with Bethany House Publishers rising to the position of an editorial director. In 2002 he was named the AWSA Golden Scroll Editor of the Year. The next year he became a literary agent and in 2004 formed The Steve Laube Agency. In 2009 he was named the ACFW Agent of the Year. In 2013 he was inducted into the Grand Canyon University Hall-of-Fame by their College of Theology.

Andrew LazoAndrew Lazo — Speaker and writer on C.S. Lewis and his fellow Inklings. Andrew holds an M.A. in Modernist British Literature from Rice University where he was Javits Fellow in the Humanities, and a B.A. in English with minors in Latin and Medieval Studies from UC Davis; he is currently completing a Master of Arts in Teaching. When not teaching English at St. Thomas High School in Houston, Andrew is in much demand as a popular retreat, conference, and seminar speaker on C. S. Lewis. Andrew has published several articles and book reviews on C. S. Lewis and other Inklings and co-edited Mere Christians: Inspiring Encounters with C. S. Lewis (Baker Books, 2009).

lanciaLancia Smith — Lancia E. Smith, Author, speaker, and photographer. She has been photographing professionally for more than 20 years; taught English and Art as an integrated subject for 5 years; and writes on topics related to C.S. Lewis, spiritual development, and the arts intersecting culture. Lancia hosts the website “Cultivating the Good, the True and the Beautiful,” where viewers can read her latest posts and view her photos.

Melanie Stiles picMelanie Stiles —  Christian Life Coach and author, Melanie Stiles, is invested in moving writers to the next level on their respective journey. Join her for a session of self-discovery encompassing your own community, habits, attitudes, new routines, God-centered activities, and the extension of your writing vision. Walk away with an action plan that leads to progress!

 

*Speaker Lineup is subject to change