Back to wheaton.edu
Marion Wade Center Logo

Wade Center Events

The Wade Center plans to record all events and upload them to our YouTube channel unless otherwise noted and barring any technical difficulties.

  • JANUARY 29, 2026 @ 7PM, BAKKE AUDITORIUM
    “The Horns of Elfland: On Fairy-Story Justice"
    Lecture #1 in the 2026 Hansen Lecture Series with Jim Beitler
    This lecture will look closely at J.R.R. Tolkien’s famous “On Fairy-Stories” and other defenses of fantasy written by the Wade authors, exploring what these arguments reveal to us about the relationship between fantasy literature and justice.
  • FEBRUARY 26, 2026 @ 7PM, BAKKE AUDITORIUM
    “The Hammer of God: Sub-creation and Divine Justice"
    Lecture #2 in the 2026 Hansen Lecture Series with Jim Beitler
    Tolkien places a high value on the art of sub-creation, going so far as to call it our “right” as humans. In the second lecture, we’ll reflect with the Wade Center authors on what it means to do justice to this “right” as well as the judgments that await those who do wrong by it.
  • MARCH 19, 2026 @ 7PM, BAKKE AUDITORIUM
    “The Ring of Righteousness: Justice in J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth"
    Lecture #3 in the 2026 Hansen Lecture Series with Jim Beitler
    This lecture will consider the visions of justice that J.R.R. Tolkien offers us in The Lord of the Rings.

Endowed Programming

Bakke Endowment Logo

Stanley W. and Jeannette A. Bakke Endowment for Intellectual and Imaginative Engagement

This endowment offers occasional lectures as well as artistic presentations of all types including periodically commissioning new works.

Hansen Logo green

Ken and Jean Hansen Lectureship

A series of lectures on the Wade authors presented annually by Wheaton College faculty.

Muriel Fuller Endowment Logo

Fuller Endowment for Imagination & the Arts

A regular series of talks, performances, exhibitions, and new commissions celebrating imagination and the arts.

Mead Endowment Logo

Stephen and Marjorie Mead Endowment for Spiritual Formation

Occasional lectures on spiritual formation subjects by speakers who draw upon the writings of the Wade authors in this area.

Explore Media Recordings

View & listen to recordings from our previous programming, and other Wade author-related content, on our Media Page and YouTube channel.