What is Disputatio?

New Saint Andrews College seeks to cultivate a rigorous life of the mind. Jesus himself, when he summarized the first great commandment, taught that we must love God with all our minds (Matt 22:37). The current cultural malaise rejects well-argued reasoning, which means that Christians, in order to love God rightly, must learn how to use their minds well to the glory of God. 

One of the ways NSA pushes students to use their minds better is through a weekly college gathering on Fridays called Disputatio. The term ‘disputatio’ is a Latin word meaning discussion, debate, or argument. This title captures the essence of this scholarly event where the whole college–students and faculty–hear from and engage with leading Christian scholars in various academic fields. 

“This gathering is important to the college as it serves as a college-wide meeting that addresses significant doctrinal, educational, and cultural matters, aiding students to shape culture under the Lordship of Christ,” said Dr. Jared Longshore, Undergraduate Dean at New Saint Andrews. He added, “In every age, leadership requires understanding the times and what Israel ought to do. Disputatio equips students to that end.”

"In every age, leadership requires understanding the times and what Israel ought to do. Disputatio equips students to that end.”

Disputatio shapes students to see the integrated nature of knowledge. Speakers from a wide variety of backgrounds present various topics, including legal theory, musical history, language study, theological discussions, poetry analysis, and more. Over four years at the college, a student will attend about 112 Disputatio events. As students listen to over a hundred different presentations, they will gain insights into diverse fields of knowledge while learning to see how each field is integrated into Christ, who holds everything together. 

Disputatio is also an opportunity for NSA students to sharpen their rhetorical abilities by watching and analyzing how speakers move an audience through words. These lectures give students the space to evaluate arguments and consider the proper way to think about a discipline with a Christian worldview. Students also apply their rhetorical skills by presenting their own work at Disputatio in speech competitions called declamations. 

These lectures give students the space to evaluate arguments and consider the proper way to think about a discipline with a Christian worldview.

Declamations are persuasive speeches presented using the rhetorical skills learned and practiced in freshman Rhetoric. Students work on these skills throughout their time at the college in presentations, oral finals, and written assignments. The three halls of the school hold speech competitions, and then winners from each competition move on to present before the school body. Declamations are essential for students to polish and sharpen their skills to lead others through their words and lives.  

Disputatio is open to the public and includes the following elements. The upperclassmen and faculty dress in formal academic robes. The program opens with a psalm sung acapella in four parts by the student body. There are college announcements, an opening prayer, and a poem reading. The main program typically includes a lecture by a guest speaker or faculty member with a Q&A open to the student body. Occasionally, students deliver presentations or participate in a rhetoric competition. Disputatio concludes with the singing of the doxology.

Upcoming Disputatio events include lectures by Theo Wold, Tim Griffith, and Timon Cline.

On February 9, Theo Wold will provide a lecture to the student body. Theodore Wold serves as the Director of the Administrative State Project at The Claremont Institute. His extensive background includes holding the position of Solicitor General of Idaho, as well as serving as the Acting-Assistant Attorney General in the Office of Legal Policy at the Department of Justice and Deputy Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy during President Donald Trump's administration. Prior to his work in the Trump White House, Wold was the Deputy Chief Counsel to United States Senator Mike Lee on the Senate Judiciary Committee.

On February 16, Tim Griffith will present a lecture on the Case for Classical Languages.

Tim Griffith is a Fellow of Classical Languages at New Saint Andrews College. He teaches Latin, oversees the college’s language program, and is director of both the Institute for Classical Languages and the Universal Latin Exam. 

On March 1, Timon Cline will present his third lecture in his lectureship series, "New Wineskins for Old Wine: Protestant Political Theology and the Recovery of the Classical Legal Tradition." Timon Cline holds the NSA lectureship for this academic year. 

See the NSA events page to learn more about upcoming Disputatio events.