Hope is extending its recognition of the 1700th anniversary of the Nicene Creed into 2026, hosting a unique and free event on Thursday, Feb. 26 at Dimnent Chapel that will include a lecture by Dr. Gavin Ortlund of Truth Unites, a congregational hymn and Q&A with Hope College President Matt Scogin.
Special guest Dr. Gavin Ortlund will provide a lecture, titled “Creed, Revival and Gen Z.” Dr. Ortlund will explore the interplay of religious revival and traditional Christian creeds, and provide a perspective on why ancient creeds seem to be resonating with the Gen Z population.
Ortlund is a pastor, author, speaker and apologist for the Christian faith. He founded Truth Unites and serves as its president, is an active theologian-in-residence at Immanuel Nashville and also serves as a visiting professor of historical theology at Phoenix Seminary. Dr. Ortlund has a Ph.D. from Fuller Theological Seminary in historical theology and an M.Div from Covenant Theological Seminary. He is the author of nine books, and numerous academic and popular articles. His 2021 book “Why God Makes Sense in a World That Doesn’t” won numerous awards, and his 2024 “What It Means to Be Protestant” won the Christianity Today 2024 Book of the Year award.
The community is invited to the event — in person or via livestream on Hope College’s YouTube channel — as we continue to reflect on the Creed’s history, significance and influence. Doors will open at 6:30 p.m. and there will also be a Q&A panel discussion following the lecture and discussion with Hope’s President Scogin.