Veninga Lecture on Religion & Society

Jim Veninga, former UW-Marathon County dean, religious studies professor and a founding father of WIPPS, created this annual lecture series to help engage people on religion and its relationship to society

Veninga’s vision was to bring nationally acclaimed experts in the field to address topics that often are emotionally charged. Although he died in January 2014, his vision lives on through all of WIPPS programs, but most especially through his namesake religion and society lecture series. His hope was that people “learn from some great scholars who have thought deeply and written widely about the connections between religion and society, at home and abroad. “I am hoping that the Wisconsin Institute for Public Policy and Service will pull from the presentations key ideas and help circulate those ideas to citizens across the state.”

The Veninga Lecture is made possible through the support of Bremer and Trollop Law Offices, UW-Stevens Point at Wausau, Mark and Ann Bradley, Christine and Paul Bremer Muggli, Linda and Lane Ware, and Wisconsin Public Radio.