The annual Hoskins Lecture invites educators to explore ideas that shape faith, learning and life. Established to encourage thoughtful reflection on the purpose of education, the lectures examine what it means in today’s world to be a school built on Christian foundations, and how Christian belief informs the formation of character in young people. The Hoskins Lecture seeks to inspire conversation, strengthen understanding and contribute to the flourishing of students, educators and the wider community.

2026 Lecture: Presented by Dr Laurel Moffatt

What Are We Building? | On Foundations, Dwelling, and Belonging

Human beings are builders by nature. We build houses and schools, institutions and communities, careers, and identities. Although, as with any building project, before we can begin, we must first ask what kind of ground can bear its weight.
Drawing on biblical understandings of foundations, homes and the nature of belonging, this lecture considers how Christian schools help shape not only what we know, but who we become, what we love, and the common life to which we belong.

About the Presenter:

Dr Laurel Moffatt, Principal, Mary Andrews College

Our 2026 speaker, Dr Laurel Moffatt, is Principal of Mary Andrews College and has a doctorate in English Renaissance Literature, with a specialty in early 17th century, specifically Shakespeare. She hosts the Small Wonders podcast in the Undeceptions network, and her writing has appeared in ABC Religion and Ethics, the Daily Telegraph, The Sydney Morning Herald and The Spectator.