- News
- June 18, 2019
To highlight the importance and meaning of the First Amendment in the story of America, the Faith and Liberty Discovery Center has named Dr. Jesse Covington an affiliated scholar.
Covington teaches at Westmont College in Santa Barbara, California, where he is an Associate Professor of Political Science. He has published on topics such as John Locke, Saint Augustine, Natural Law, the First Amendment, and liberal arts education. He co-edited Natural Law and Evangelical Political Thought (Lexington, 2012). Covington’s current book projects include Taken on Faith: The Concept of Religion in First Amendment Jurisprudence and a collaborative project on Protestant political morality.
Speaking about his appointment at the center, Covington said: “The Faith and Liberty Discovery Center serves the valuable purpose of promoting public understanding of the theological and philosophical predicates of liberty in the history of the United States–particularly commitments arising from the Bible. Telling this story accurately and winsomely does more than promote historical knowledge: it can serve to further ‘secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity’ and can encourage us to value Scripture more highly. I’m honored to be included among those promoting these efforts.”
The Faith and Liberty Discovery Center is a $60 million attraction expected to draw 250,000 visitors annually after it opens in late 2020. The immersive experience is being designed by the award-winning firm Local Projects, which spearheaded the 9/11 Memorial & Museum and ranks as one of the most innovative in the nation.
On the appointment of Dr. Jesse Covington, Faith and Liberty Discovery Center Director Pat Murdock said “Jesse Covington’s knowledge and scholarship on religion and the First Amendment deepens our bench of experts. We are very glad to have his counsel and expertise to inform future program and exhibit planning.”
Covington joins a distinguished scholarly team – top historians, religious experts and legal scholars from different religions and countries – who have shaped the narrative experience while ensuring full historical accuracy. The team include a Pulitzer-prize winning author, the Librarian of Congress Emeritus (recently deceased), a legal historian whose scholarship has been cited by the U.S. Supreme Court, and a member of the federal commission that is planning the 2026 celebration that will mark the nation’s 250th birthday.
About the Faith & Liberty Discovery Center
The Faith & Liberty Discovery Center explores the relationship between faith and freedom in America from its founding through today, illuminating the influence of the Bible on individuals in key historical and personal moments. Among America’s essential founding documents, the Bible is a significant cultural force that has inspired, influenced, and informed American ideals of liberty that continue to shape our national identity as a free people. Learn more at fldcenterstage.wpengine.com.