The BODY OF CHRIST and the PUBLIC SQUARE
1 October A.D. 2016
———————————————————–
Guest Biographies:
Dinesh D’Souza
Dinesh D’Souza is a bestselling author and filmmaker. His films, 2016: Obama’s America and America: Imagine A World Without Her, are respectively the #2 and #6 highest political documentaries of all time. Born in Mumbai, India, Dinesh has truly lived the American Dream. He moved to the United States to attend school on a Rotary Scholarship. Following graduation from Dartmouth University he went on to work in the Reagan White House as a policy analyst. D’Souza has served as a John M. Olin Fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, and Robert and Karen Rishwain Fellow at Stanford University. D’Souza has won numerous awards including “Best Documentary” for America (The Dove Foundation), and he has been called one of the “top young public-policy makers in the country” by Investor’s Business Daily.
Michigan State Representative Lana Theis
State Rep. Lana Theis was first elected to the Michigan House of Representatives in November 2014, and represents the city of Brighton and the townships of Brighton, Genoa, Green Oak, Hamburg and Putnam. Theis serves as the vice chair of the Committee on Insurance. She is also a member of the Committees on Financial Services, Local Government, and Oversight and Ethics. Theis attended California State University Fullerton where she graduated with a bachelor’s degree in biology with a minor in chemistry. Rep. Theis was elected treasurer of Brighton Township in 2008 and was re-elected in 2012. Theis served on the Brighton Planning Commission and Brighton Area Fire Authority. She is the immediate past chairperson of the Brighton Area Fire Authority, Livingston County Republican Party and Livingston County Treasurers Association. Theis and her husband Sam have two children, Jacob and Gabrielle.
Michigan Senator Patrick Colbeck
Patrick Colbeck is currently serving his second term in elected office as the State Senator for Michigan’s 7th District. He is a graduate of the University of Michigan with Bachelors and Masters Degrees in Aerospace Engineering as well as a graduate of the Life Sciences Department of the International Space University in Strasbourg, France. He has over 20 years of engineering and management experience in a variety of industries, including engineering responsibility for key elements of the Life Support System for the International Space Station, instruction of students at Space Camp, program management leadership for an advanced training and simulation system for the Department of Defense, and running his own small business. Senator Colbeck currently serves as the vice-chair of the Elections and Government Reform Committee; and serves on the following Appropriations Subcommittees: State Police and Military Affairs; Education; Judiciary; Veterans, Military Affairs and Homeland Security.
The Senator is consistently rated as one of the most conservative senators in the Michigan legislature. During his tenure in the legislature, the Senator has demonstrated a persistent focus on solving problems for his constituents not playing politics. The Senator has received numerous recognitions for his efforts including the Senator Paul Fannin Statesman of the Year Award from National Right to Work for his leadership in making the nation’s 24th Right to Work state, the Golden Apple Award for his efforts to expand school choice for parents, and Legislator of the Year Awards from The Senior Alliance, the Police Officers Association of Michigan, and Associated Builders and Contractors. His staunch support of the military is highlighted by his role as co-founder and board member for the Freedom Center hospitality center at Detroit Metro Airport and the Lansing and Troy Military Entrance Processing Stations.
He lives with his wife, Angie, in Canton, Michigan.
William Wagner
Professor William Wagner currently holds a tenured law school professorship. A frequent speaker at world conferences, William has a special interest in the protection of free expression and constitutional good governance under the rule of law. His writing is published in a number of articles, books and other publications, including a national best seller. As lead amicus counsel on a variety of matters before the U.S. Supreme Court, he authored briefs on behalf of various organizations. He also authored written testimony, evidence, and briefs in such forums as the Swedish Supreme Court, the U.S. Congress, and the U.K. Parliament. He has further addressed many executive, legislative, parliamentary, and judicial audiences throughout the world, and presented at various diplomatic forums including the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva.
William previously served in the U.S. Courts as a federal judge. Prior to his appointment on the federal bench, he served as a legal advisor and the chief American diplomat for the Department of Justice at an American Embassy in Africa. William also served as a senior U.S. prosecutor, litigating hundreds of federal cases and serving as chief of appellate litigation for the Office of the U.S. Attorney. Prior to serving in the Justice Department, William served as legal counsel in the U.S. Senate.
William received the post-doctoral Danforth Fellowship in Law after earning his J.D. in 1986. He is a winner of the Stanley E. Beattie Teaching Award, given to the professor making the greatest contribution to the legal education of law students. He has served on the executive governing boards of a number of international and national ministries and non-profit corporations. William married his bride, Marilyn, over twenty-five years ago and together they home schooled their children
Reverend Christopher I. Thoma
Reverend Thoma is Pastor of Our Savior Evangelical Lutheran Church in Hartland, Michigan. Click here to read his bio (which is already located on this site).