Each year, on or about September 17, the History Department of Bethany Lutheran College sponsors an educational event concerning the U.S. Constitution. The entire campus community plus the general public are welcome to attend. Following are a list of topics and presenters from the inception of this program in 2005 to the present. For further information, contact Dr. MacPherson.
- 2005: “A ‘Living Constitution’ or an ‘Enduring Constitution’?” by Dr. John Eidsmoe (Thomas Goode Jones School of Law)
- 2006:“The Burning of the Stars and Stripes: An Act of Protected Freedom or Punishable Defiance?” by Paul Gunderson (Broad Field Social Studies Major, Class of 2007), and “The First Amendment v. Promotion of Violence” by Nicholas Kaminsky (History Major, Class of 2008)
- 2007: “The Origins of American Constitutionalism” by Dr. Jonathan Den Hartog (Northwestern College)
- 2008: “The Electoral College: Its History, Some Controversies, and Your Questions” by Dr. Ryan C. MacPherson (Bethany Lutheran College)
- 2009: “The ACLU: From Civil Liberties to Liberal Causes” by Michael Greibrok (History Major, Class of 2010), and “Sociological Jurisprudence: The Supreme Court during the Progressive Era” by Caitlyn Felthous (English Major/History Minor, Class of 2010)
- 2010: “The Constitution and Public Service” by County Commissioner (and former state legislator) Mark Piepho
- 2011: “John Marshall and the Supreme Court” by Anna Rysavy (Broad Field Social Studies Major, Class of 2012), and “The Judicial Philosophy of Antonin Scalia” by Andrew Soule (History Major, Class of 2012)
- 2012: “The Reality of Marriage and the Costs of Redefining It” by Evan L. Wilson, co-founder of Lawyers for Marriage
- 2013: “You Can Get There from Here: A Presentation to Commemorate Chief Justice Warren Burger” by Sara Edwards, attorney and visiting professor of Communication (Bethany Lutheran College)
- 2014: “The Dakato 38 and the U.S. Constitution” by Justice R. A. (Jim) Randall, Minnesota Court of Appeals, Retired
- 2015: “We the People: How George Mason Exemplifies What it Means to be an American” by Kristian Marzolf (History Major, Class of 2016)
- 2016: “The Electoral College: Its History, Some Controversies, and Your Questions” by Dr. Ryan C. MacPherson (Bethany Lutheran College)
- 2017: “Law and Faith” by the Honorable Mark Betters (Minnesota Judge for the Fifth District)
