“TELLING THE TRUTH: STORIES OF COURAGE, CONFLICT & CONNECTION”
with Nancy and David French
March 22 | UVA’s Old Cabell Hall
Best selling author Nancy French and New York Times opinion writer David French will appear together at the University of Virginia on the theme “TELLING THE TRUTH: STORIES OF COURAGE, CONFLICT AND CONNECTION.” They will address the personal and political costs of speaking inconvenient truths, even as they testify to the promise of courageous honesty.
“This conversation is for anyone who longs for authenticity, boldness and hope amidst fracture and conflict,” says Karen Wright Marsh, Executive Director of Theological Horizons, who will host the conversation along with UVA’s Project on Lived Theology and the Virginia Festival of the Book .
“Too often, faith perspectives can be unhelpfully narrow. It’s vital that we hear from Nancy and David French, whose lifelong commitment to integrity and truth-telling embolden us toward healthy, active citizenship in today’s fractious commons,” remarks sponsor Dr. Stephen Scoper.
The event on Sunday, March 22 at 3:30 PM in Old Cabell Hall, with music by Paul Zach of The Porter’s Gate, is the 5th Scoper Lecture in Christian Thought: an annual public series that brings eminent speakers to the University to deliver public lectures exploring the breadth of Christian expression in the arenas of scholarship, science and medicine, the arts, and culture. Past Scoper Lecturers include Kate Bowler,Bryan Stevenson, David Brooks, and Charles Marsh.
“ACROSS OUR DIVIDES: THE PROMISE OF MORAL COURAGE” – a free companion lunch event on Friday, March 20 at 1 p.m. in the Rotunda Dome Room – will feature Jazzalyn Livingston (National Program Director, One America Movement) and Andrus Ashoo (Director, UVA’s Office of Citizen Scholar Development).
Scoper Lecture tickets are on sale at artsboxoffice.virginia.edu (General admission: $12 | Students: Free) A produced film of the event will have its free online premiere on April 9, 2026 at 8 PM ET.
The series is generously funded by Nancy and Stephen Scoper, M.D., through their gift to the University of Virginia designated to Theological Horizons.
Visit www.theologicalhorizons.org/scoper-lectures
for event details, learning resources & to register for free events.
ABOUT THE SPEAKERS & SPONSORS
Nancy French is a New York Times best selling author whose memoir, Ghosted: An American Story, was named 2025 Christian Book of the Year (Memoir) by ECPA. She has conducted a multi-year journalistic investigation, written commentary, and appeared in the nation’s prominent newspapers and magazines. Nancy has collaborated on multiple books for celebrities and co-authored The After Party: Toward Better Christian Politics, a resource of the After Party Project created by Russell Moore, Curtis Chang and David French.
David French is an Opinion columnist for The New York Times, where he writes about law, culture, religion, and armed conflict. His most recent book, Divided We Fall: America’s Secession Threat and How to Restore Our Nation, outlines the dangers of polarization and the need to engage with people who have opposing viewpoints. David calls himself an evangelical conservative who believes strongly in a classical liberal, pluralistic vision of American democracy, in which people with deep religious, cultural, and moral differences can live and work together and enjoy equal legal protection and shared cultural tolerance.
Theological Horizons supports believers, seekers & all spiritually curious people by providing a welcoming community for engaging faith, thought and life. A non-profit organization centered at the Bonhoeffer House at UVA, Theological Horizons has a global presence. www.theologicalhorizons.org
The Project on Lived Theology at the University of Virginia is a research initiative whose mission is to study the social consequences of theological ideas for the sake of a more just and compassionate world. www.livedtheology.org
The Porter’s Gate is a sacred ecumenical arts collective reimagining and recreating worship that welcomes, reflects and impacts both the community and the church.
The Virginia Festival of the Book unites communities of readers, writers, artists, and book lovers for discourse, inspiration, and connection. www.vabook.org
