Thomas L. King Lecture in Religious Studies with Dr. Laura Carlson Hasler
Schedule
Tue Feb 24 2026 at 07:00 pm to 08:30 pm
UTC-06:00Location
Bradbury Thompson Alumni Center | Topeka, KS
About this Event
The Washburn University department of philosophy and religion will host the 41st annual Thomas L. King Lecture in Religious Studies. Dr. Laura Carlson Hasler summarizes her lecture as follows:
The Disappointing Prophet: What the book of Haggai can tell us about how we read
Why read the Bible's prophets? What do we want from them? For generations, readers from many traditions (including scholars) have asked these texts to inspire them and even to predict the future. But what if a biblical prophet made a prediction that was wrong? Why keep or read a failed prophet?
In this talk, Laura Carlson Hasler will introduce you to Haggai, a short collection of disappointing prophecies. Brief, unpoetic and (arguably) wrong, Haggai doesn't sound like the kind of prophet we want in our Bibles - and yet, he's there! This lecture will explain how a disappointing prophet reveals the power of our own expectations: in this case, that biblical prophecy must be good, beautiful and true in particular kinds of ways.
With our own biases in mind, I argue that Haggai still does surprising and valuable work for us. Instead of offering inspiration or accurate prediction, this "unpoetic," failed prophecy helps us rethink divine violence, human bodies and human speech.
About Laura Carlson Hasler:
Laura Carlson Hasler is an assistant professor of religious studies and Jewish studies at Indiana University, where she holds the Alvin H. Rosenfeld Chair in Hebrew Bible. Her first book, "Archival Historiography in Jewish Antiquity" (Oxford University Press 2020) won the Manfred Lautenschlaeger Prize for Theological Promise.
About the Thomas L. King Lecture:
The Thomas L. King Lecture in Religious Studies, established in 1982 through a generous gift from the First Congregational Church in Topeka in memory of alumnus and Washburn benefactor Thomas L. King, now also receives support from contributions in memory of Rev. Dick Dickinson and Dr. Barry Crawford.
This lecture series significantly enhances Washburn's religious studies program by offering a platform each spring semester for students, faculty and community members to engage with the works of eminent scholars in the field.
Over the years, the series has been privileged to host distinguished speakers such as Walter Brueggemann, Jacob Neusner, Martin Marty, John Dominic Crossan, Huston Smith, Wendy Doniger, Bart Ehrman, Peter Gomes and Eva Morczek. Beyond the formal public lecture, speakers often arrange informal meetings with undergraduate classes, further enriching the educational experience.
The Thomas L. King Lecture in Religious Studies is always free and open to the public. It is held each spring semester.
Where is it happening?
Bradbury Thompson Alumni Center, 1701 Southwest Jewell Avenue, Topeka, United StatesEvent Location & Nearby Stays:
USD 0.00
