On Wednesday, Oct. 21, the Andrews University Department of English hosted the 13th annual John O. Waller lecture through Zoom. This lecture is held in honor of John O. Waller, who served as the chair of the Department of English from 1963-1979 at Andrews University. Over the years, speakers from around the country have given talks about various topics within the literary and broader arts field. This year’s speaker, Dr. Marilyn McEntyre, spoke about her recent book released in May 2020, Speaking Peace in a Climate of Conflict. The topic could not have been more relevant as we face the turbulence surrounding current events and the need to find and speak peace with one another.
Dr. McEntyre specifically spoke about the importance of conversation in human relationships and how conversations can either perpetuate conflict or bring about peace. At the beginning of the lecture, she stated, “Peacemaking is a vigorous business.” She continued to explain how speaking peace is a continuous act and process of embodying, imparting, and bringing out peace that requires a continuous consciousness of how we speak to one another. Additionally, she provided eight different strategies on how we can speak peace. These included the importance of taking time to define and clarify the meaning of the words we speak, unmasking euphemisms, learning to put ideas into poetry, articulating our rage and the need of righteous anger, fact checking, being aware of the metaphors we use, the importance of comedy and laughter within conversation, and learning gracious alternatives to winning and losing.
Her beautiful lecture and helpful advice greatly touched and inspired students. Alex Hess (sophomore, English) expressed what inspired him during the lecture, saying, “Something that really struck me from Dr. McEntyre’s talk was that the quality of discussion is life giving. I think this idea really stood out to me because conversation and deep discussion are so pivotal to the way I experience interpersonal relationships. Conversation not only affirms your idea of self, but it can also push you to reconsider personal biases and make you confront ideology that is different from your own.” Lily Burke (sophomore, anthropology, English) explained another area of the lecture that impacted her. She noted, “Instead of using conversation as a way to beat and prove someone wrong, Dr. McEntyre suggested that we try to genuinely persuade people, encourage others to reflect, and encourage them to challenge their ideas. If words don’t work, Dr. McEntyre reminded us that we ought to model what we think is right.” Dr. McEntyre’s lecture challenged students and professors to rethink how they converse with one another and the power our words hold. During her lecture, she stated, “Words are packets of energy in the world.” However, it is up to us to determine whether that energy is used for bringing about peace or chaos.
The lecture has helped students realize how they can use the idea of speaking peace in their fields of study and interaction with others on campus, ultimately revealing the incredible value of the John O. Waller lectures. Ms. Burke stated, “I was inspired to be more intentional in my conversations about difficult topics, and to treasure those conversations as opportunities for genuine connection with the other human. I greatly anticipate next year's lecture and encourage everyone to attend, even if you aren’t an English major yourself.” Elianna Srikureja (junior, English) also explained, “As an English major, it is important for me to internalize speaking peace because I have the opportunity to be a voice for others that may not be in the same position. The idea of speaking peace has really helped me further my understanding of listening to marginalized voices and standing up for what I believe in.” This year’s John O. Waller lecture continues in the legacy of not only educating students but also inspiring them with ways to use their studies to make the world a better place.
The Student Movement is the official student newspaper of Andrews University. Opinions expressed in the Student Movement are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors, Andrews University or the Seventh-day Adventist church.