Great &
Wonderful
Days
Recovering the Christian Life in a Post-Christian Age
Location
Trinity International University
Bannockburn, Illinois
Date and time
Thursday, Sept. 25 –
Saturday, Sept. 27
Admission
$325 per person
Student pricing available
SPEAKERS
Paul Kingsnorth
Matthew B. Crawford
R. V. Young
Douglas Farrow
Jonathan Pageau
Richard Rohlin
Hans Boersma
Rod Dreher
C. R. Wiley
Paul Kingsnorth
Paul Kingsnorth is the author of nine books—three novels, two poetry collections and four works of non-fiction—all of which, it turns out, tell the same story: how we walked away from the wild world, and how we might get home again, if we can. His new book is Against the Machine: The Unmaking of Humanity. He lives in the west of Ireland with his family, a dog, some chickens and a lot of trees. His website can be found at www.paulkingsnorth.net.
Jonathan Pageau
Jonathan Pageau is a renowned liturgical artist, writer, and public speaker. Through his popular YouTube channel The Symbolic World, he has become a sought-out interpreter of the deep patterns in stories. With his 2022 publication of God's'Dog: Monster, a graphic novel invented with his brother Matthieu Pageau and artist Cord Nielson, Jonathan proved himself a powerful storyteller in his own right. The project’s successful crowdfunding encouraged him to continue his efforts to reclaim the storytelling landscape by starting a publishing company called Symbolic World Press.
Matthew B. Crawford
Matthew Crawford studied physics at UC Santa Barbara and then turned to political philosophy, earning a PhD from the University of Chicago. He has published articles on ancient Greek philosophy, neuroscience, and the philosophy of science. He is the author of Why We Drive: Toward a Philosophy of the Open Road; The World Beyond Your Head: On Becoming an Individual in an Age of Distraction; and Shop Class as Soulcraft: An Inquiry into the Value of Work, a New York Times best seller that has been translated into seven languages.
Richard Rohlin
Richard Rohlin is a software developer, Germanic philologist, and Orthodox Christian living in Texas with his wife and children. He speaks and publishes on Germanic poetry, the Inklings, and the Sacramental Imagination. He regularly contributes to Jonathan Pageau’s The Symbolic World YouTube channel through the Universal History series, which has recently launched a 6-week course studying the epic poem Beowulf. Richard co-hosts The Amon Sul Podcast, and has published several works of fiction and non-fiction.
Hans Boersma
Hans Boersma teaches theology at Nashotah House Theological Seminary in Wisconsin and is ordained as a priest in the Anglican Church in North America. He has written about sacramental ontology (Heavenly Participation), patristic exegesis (Scripture as Real Presence), and the practice of lectio divina (Pierced by Love). His forthcoming book on the metaphysics of creation is tentatively titled Theophanizing Love. He has written for Touchstone for many years. His talk is titled "Miracles: Why We Will Walk on Water."
R. V. Young
R. V. Young is Professor of English Emeritus at North Carolina State University, a former editor of Modern Age: A Quarterly Review, and the author of Shakespeare and the Idea of Western Civilization. He and his wife are parishioners at St. Ignatius of Antioch Church in Tarpon Springs, Florida. They have five grown children, fifteen grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren. He is a senior editor of Touchstone.
Douglas Farrow
Douglas Farrow is Professor of Theology and Ethics at McGill University, and sometime Lecturer in Theology at King's College London. He is a fifth-generation Canadian whose ancestors were pioneers that hailed from Norfolk and from Skye. His recent books include Ascension Theology, Desiring a Better Country, Theological Negotiations, and 1 & 2 Thessalonians in the Brazos Theological Commentary on the Bible. He is a contributing editor for Touchstone.
C. R. Wiley
C. R. Wiley is a senior editor at Touchstone, a co-host of The Theology Pugcast (a podcast with listeners in 60 countries), and a Presbyterian pastor serving a church in the Pacific Northwest. Besides writing for magazines and publishing books, he has also been a college professor, a commercial real estate investor, a landlord, and a building contractor. Other publications he has written for include: Modern Reformation, Sacred Architecture, World Magazine, Front Porch Republic, National Review, and First Things. His most recent book is In the House of Tom Bombadil (2021).
Rod Dreher
Rod Dreher is a veteran of three decades of magazine and newspaper journalism and has written three New York Times bestsellers—Live Not By Lies, The Benedict Option, and The Little Way of Ruthie Leming—as well as Crunchy Cons and How Dante Can Save Your Life. He lives in Budapest, Hungary. He is a contributing editor for Touchstone.
TICKETS & FAQ
Registration
$325 per registrant
• 3 Days / 9 Lectures / 2 Panels
• Meals / Refreshments / Evening receptions
• Free subscription to Touchstone
* new subscribers only
What is the schedule for the conference?
Doors open at 4 p.m. on Thursday, September 25, with the first talk beginning at 7 p.m. The last talk will conclude around noon on the 27th. The full schedule can be found here.
Will the sessions be live-streamed?
Yes, the conference will be live-streamed; registration is now available. Attendees will also have access to the talks when they are posted to the Touchstone website after the conference.
Is there a student rate or a discounted rate?
Yes, students can register here for a greatly reduced rate! There are also a limited number of tickets available at a reduced rate.
Tell me more about the free subscription.
Attendees who are not currently Touchstone subscribers will have the opportunity to sign up for a subscription beginning with the Jan/Feb 2026 issue—with full access to the online archives.
What is included with the meals?
Lunch and dinner on Friday are provided, in addition to morning refreshment breaks on both Friday and Saturday. Should you have any inquiries regarding specific dietary requirements, please contact Melissa at office@fsj.org.
HOTEL ACCOMMODATIONS
La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham
*Walking distance from Trinity!
2000 Lakeside Dr.
Bannockburn, IL 60015
Homewood Suites by Hilton
*Only 2 miles from Trinity
10 Westminster Way
Lincolnshire, IL 60069
THANK YOU FOR ANOTHER GREAT CONFERENCE!
The next Touchstone conference will be September 24-26, 2026 at our new venue in Oakbrook, Illinois!