Operations and Events Manager Bryan Just successfully planned and executed another educationally rich conference in alignment with LeTourneau’s identity as “The Christian Polytechnic University.” Polytechnic Bioethics highlighted plenary speakers who focused on the practical side of bioethics. Included in this was the annual virtue ethics lecture given by Dr. Gilbert Meilander, along with addresses from Jesse Michael Kay, Dr. Tara Sander Lee, Dr. Jonathan Lett, Dr. John Seago, and Dr. Patrick Briscoe.
Other Events
In February, CBHD’s Academy of Fellows met for its final time in Deerfield, IL. As an open-themed year, Fellows presented current research projects and engaged in invigorating interdisciplinary dialogue. LeTourneau University’s Dr. Kelly Liebengood and Dr. Jonathan Lett joined the meeting this year, with Dr. Lett also presenting current research. It was a representation of the fruitful partnership blooming between LeTourneau University and CBHD.
Our Bioethics Reading Group has been terrific! We’ve completed reading and discussing David VanDrunen’s Bioethics and the Christian Life, and we are now in the midst of Ewan Goligher’s How Should We Then Die? Meetings take place every other week over the course of two months, and they are recorded for reading group members who can’t join us live. The discussions have truly been rich. In October and November, we will be reading Paul Ramsey's Fabricated Man—registration for that opens in September, so keep an eye out for the announcement. We’d love to have you join us.
Staff Bioethical Engagement
Matthew Eppinette
Moved personally to Longview, Texas.
Moved and established CBHD offices from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School to LeTourneau University.
Spoke at LeTourneau University’s monthly Athletic Department staff meeting.
Planned, prepared, and launched, with Jon Holmlund, CBHD’s Bioethics Reading Group.
Hosted CBHD’s annual Academy of Fellows meeting.
Attended the 2026 Bioethics Conference, Dallas Theological Seminary’s Hendrick’s Center, Southwestern Christian Fellowship (University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center).
Spoke at LeTourneau University’s School of Business faculty meeting.
Attended the Society for Christian Bioethicists annual conference, The End of Life, the Gift of Life: Reflections on Death and Organ Donation.
Attended Discovery Institute’s Dallas Conference on Science & Faith.
Attended the 2026 Conference on Medicine and Religion, The Prophetic Voice: Creativity, Compassion, and the Pursuit of Healing.
Gave two introductions to bioethics talks at LeTourneau University’s Spring Homecoming.
Attended the Christian Medical and Dental Associations annual Convention.
Attended the Colson Center National Conference, You Are Here.
Taught “The Ethics of Life and Death” for The Passage Institute, a week-long theology camp for high school students at LeTourneau University.
Moved to Texas to continue working with LeTourneau University.
Planned and launched “Shared Convictions: CBHD and LeTourneau on Mission” for our Intersections forum to highlight the new school partnership.
Coordinated speakers and themes for the annual Academy of Fellows meeting.
Completed a research project on digital technologies and spiritual flourishing.
Began a grant project with Biola University through the National Institutes of Health on theological engagement with genomic medicine.
Heather Zeiger
Led a workshop in February on end of life at the Bioethics Conference at Dallas Theological Seminary’s Hendrick’s Center, hosted by Southwestern Christian Fellowship (UT Southwestern) and the Christian Medical and Dental Association.
Spoke on human dignity at the Discovery Institute’s 8th annual Dallas Conference on Science & Faith.
Helped at CBHD’s annual conference, Polytechnic Bioethics.
Finished out her first year teaching full time as a high school physics teacher at a classical Christian school in Dallas.
Finalized the editorial work for a forthcoming book entitled Medical Excess and the Frail Elderly: Ethics and Overtreatment in Aging Populations (Cambridge University Press, March 2027)
