Dr Os Guinness

Os Guinness is an author and social critic. Great-great grandson of Arthur Guinness, the Dublin brewer, he was born in China in World War II where his parents were medical missionaries. A witness to the climax of the Chinese revolution in 1949, he was expelled with many other foreigners in 1951 and returned to Europe where he was educated in England. He completed his undergraduate degree at the University of London and his D.Phil in the social sciences from Oriel College, Oxford.

Os has written or edited more than twenty five books, including The American Hour, Time for Truth, The Call, Invitation to the Classics, Long Journey Home, Unspeakable, and A Case for Civility. His latest book is The Last Christian on Earth, published by Regal in February, 2010.

Previously, Os was a freelance reporter with the BBC. Since moving to the United States in 1984, he has been a guest scholar at the Woodrow Wilson Center for International Studies and a guest scholar and visiting fellow at the Brookings Institution. From 1986 to 1989, Os served as Executive Director of the Williamsburg Charter Foundation, a bicentennial celebration of the First Amendment. In this position he helped to draft the Williamsburg Charter and co-authored the public school curriculum Living With Our Deepest Differences. From 1991 to 2004 he was a senior fellow at the Trinity Forum, and a frequent speaker and seminar leader at political and business conferences in both the United States and Europe.
As a European visitor to America and a great admirer but detached observer of American culture today, he stands in the long tradition of outside voices who have contributed so much to America’s ongoing discussion about the state of the union. He lives with his wife Jenny in McLean, Virginia.

Dr Samson Makhado

Dr. Balanganani Samson Makhado grew up below the poverty line and the first five years of his educational journey was taught under a tree.  He managed to manoeuvre through Bantu education (educational bondage) of apartheid to the present freedom and from spiritual bondage to spiritual freedom.

He has been active in education in South Africa for 39 years. From 1971 he taught in public schools, of which the first 6 years were in primary schools and 14 years in secondary schools, where he served as assistant teacher, senior teacher, vice principal and then as principal of Vele Secondary School.  He left the public education system in 1990 to take up the position of principal at Tshikevha Christian School in the Limpopo province. 

Samson brings a powerful message of hope from the African continent which is experiencing an explosion in Christian education.  It is a message of radical Christian social critique of the way we do schooling.  Samson is African Director of the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI), he lectures for a range of Institutions across the world and has served for two terms as the chairperson for the National Alliance of Independent Schools in South Africa (NAISA).  Samson has completed studies for a MA in worldview studies specialising in Christian education from the Institute for Christian Studies Toronto Canada and a PhD in Curriculum Development with the University of Venda.

Dr. Raquel Hatter

Professionally, Raquel has been serving children and families for 20 years. Currently, she serves as the President/CEO of Family & Children’s Service in Nashville Tennessee. She has worked as a front line practitioner in a children’s residential and foster care, and has provided oversight of a residential school for children impacted by abuse and neglect.

As a clinician her areas of specialty include: trauma, crisis intervention, anger de-escalation, sexual abuse and attachment issues. As an administrator her areas of focus include: Organisational change, fiscal stewardship, strategic management, staff development, positive outcomes, public policy and fundraising.  Raquel is involved in advocacy for children, youth and families on a state and national level. Educationally, Raquel holds a Bachelor of Science in Clinical Community Psychology, a Masters in Social Work and a Doctorate of Education in Child and Youth Studies from Nova Southeastern University.

Raquel is married to Andre Hatter, an accountant with Vanderbilt University and the mother of 20 year old Delano and 17 year old Tiara. Raquel is a woman of strong personal faith. Her greatest joys in life include knowing she is fulfilling her divine purpose through her work on behalf of children and families, having been chosen by God to be the mother of her children and being married to her friend. In her words, “I do this work by grace. It is not a job, but an absolute calling”.

Dr John Dickson

John specialises in the big ideas that have shaped our world and inspired men and women to live beyond themselves. His journey has been an eclectic one: from fulltime musician to professional speaker, author, biblical historian, TV presenter and director of a multi-media think tank. He began his career as singer/songwriter for Aussie rock band In The Silence, touring and recording for seven years before temporarily giving music away to focus on academic studies and a wide-ranging career as a speaker and author. With an honours degree in theology and a PhD in ancient history John is also a Senior Research Fellow of the Department of Ancient History, Macquarie University.

John’s first book appeared in 1993 and he has since produced a dozen titles, including the award-winning A Spectator’s Guide to World Religions, the recent Jesus: A Short Life and a number of more academic works. His book The Christ Files: How Historians Know what they Know about Jesus was made into a major television documentary which aired nationally on Channel 7 in March 2008. Now a best-selling DVD, it won the 2008 Pilgrim Media award (see www.thechristfiles.com.au). His recent Life of Jesus also aired on Channel 7 in April 2009 (see www.lifeofjesus.tv).

John is also Co-Director (with Greg Clarke) of the Centre for Public Christianity (CPX), an independent research and media company promoting informed discussion about social, ethical and religious issues in modern life. Prime Minister Kevin Rudd praised CPX as “a welcome development in the spiritual and intellectual life of Australia.”

For John's website please click here.