In his Pastoral Theology: A Reorientation, Thornton (d. 1986) put forward his “Remnant Thesis,” writing, “The Remnant, far from being an amputated segment—the clique detached from the whole—is at the centre of the parochial organism and of power extending beyond it.” He then goes on to say that as “we survey the history of the Church from the fifth century to the sixteenth century this monastic mountain can hardly be overlooked: this fact either condemns its whole structure during three parts of its history, or it goes a long way to justify the Remnant hypothesis.” Though Thornton’s overall theological vision is rich and nuanced, at many points it is dependent on monasticism and monastic theology.
The 2026 Breck Conference seeks to investigate Thornton’s pastoral and parochial theology in order to see how he integrated Christian monasticism into his thinking and how that thinking can help to revitalize the Church and her parishes today.
The conference will be held June 17-19, 2026, on the Nashotah House campus, in Nashotah, Wisconsin.
Father Matthew C. Dallman, Obl.SB, is the Rector of St Paul's Episcopal Church in New Smyrna Beach, Diocese of Central Florida. He is acknowledged as the leading authority in the theology of Martin Thornton through his work over the last fifteen years that includes his 2015 master's thesis for Nashotah House entitled "Catholic and Anglican: The Motif, Model, and Operations of Martin Thornton's Theology," and his 2020 public lecture "Parish Prayer Life: The Parochial Theology of Martin Thornton," which to date is the only comprehensive introduction to both the life and theology of Thornton. He is the custodian of the Thornton legacy, having been given the exclusive publishing rights in 2014 to all of Thornton's works by Monica Thornton, his wife, and subsequently all of his effects (including extant original manuscripts) by Magdalen Smith, their daughter. Since 2021, he has taught Thornton's priestly model through priest study cohorts offered through Akenside Institute for English Spirituality, which Father Dallman founded. These cohorts facilitate reflective discussion and inspire pastoral practice through close-reading of several of Thornton's seminal texts. Father Dallman publishes regularly on his Substack podcast "Anglican Ascetic" and plans to pursue a PhD in the theology of the Venerable S. Bede.
Bishop Stephen Scarlett has been the rector of St. Matthew’s Church in Newport Beach, CA for thirty-nine years. For the last twelve years he has also been the Bishop Ordinary of the Diocese of the Holy Trinity in the Anglican Catholic Church. He received a B.S. in finance and real estate from the University of Oregon. A conversion in college led him to pursue theological studies at St. Joseph of Arimathea Anglican Theological College in Berkeley, CA. He holds an M.A. in Theology from Fuller Seminary and a DMin from Denver Seminary. Bishop Scarlett’s DMin thesis focused on the remnant theology of Martin Thornton. For the last decade, the Diocese of the Holy Trinity has developed the “remnant approach to mission.” This maintains that the mission of the church should begin with a focus on the spiritual formation of the most committed people in a church or mission. Bishop Scarlett has been married to his wife Nancy for thirty-nine years. They have three adult sons.
Fr. Cole Hartin is an associate rector at Christ Church Episcopal in Tyler, Texas, where he lives with his wife and four sons. He earned his PhD at Wycliffe College in the University of Toronto. Fr. Cole is a fellow at the Center for Pastor Theologians, and an instructor at Iona School for Ministry. Ordained in the Anglican Church of Canada, he recently finished serving on the Primate's Commission Reimagining the Church: Proclaiming the Gospel in the 21st Century. Fr. Cole has written widely in popular venues (Christianity Today, The Living Church, Commonweal) as well as in academic journals (Journal of Anglican Studies, Anglican Theological Review, The Heythrop Journal). His first book, Anglican Biblical Interpretation in the Nineteenth Century: A Critical Evaluation (Brill), was published in 2024. He is currently working on book about pastoral theology and loss. Martin Thornton has helped him to understand the importance and challenge of what it means to be priest serving in the diminished Anglican Church.
The Rev. Dr. Thomas Buchan is Associate Professor of Church History at Nashotah House and serves as Priest-in-Charge of St. Anskar's Episcopal Church in Hartland, Wisconsin. Buchan’s dissertation, "'Blessed Is He Who Has Brought Adam From Sheol': The Doctrine of Christ's Descent to the Dead in the Theology of Saint Ephrem the Syrian," was the first book-length treatment of the subject and was published by Gorgias Press in 2004. From 1998-2006, Fr. Buchan taught as an adjunct professor in the fields of church history and New Testament, as well as historical and systematic theology. He also worked as an editor for Gorgias Press and with Beth Mardutho: The Syriac Institute. In 2006, Fr. Buchan was appointed to the faculty of Asbury Theological Seminary in Orlando, Florida. He was ordained deacon and priest in the Episcopal Diocese of Central Florida in 2009. He began teaching in Nashotah House’s Distance Learning program in 2010 and was invited to join the residential faculty in the Spring of 2012. Fr. Buchan’s academic interests include historiography, ancient Christian martyrdom and asceticism, the history of doctrines and practices of sanctification and holiness, Trinitarian theology, Christology, and the history of exegesis.
Fr. Greg Peters joined Nashotah House in 2018 and oversees the annual James Lloyd Breck Conference on Monasticism and the Church and teaches courses in monasticism and ascetical theology. His research interests include the history and theology of Christian monasticism, the history of Christian (especially monastic) theology, and ascetical theology. His published articles have appeared in the American Benedictine Review, Cistercian Studies Quarterly, Tjurunga: An Australasian Benedictine Review, and the Journal of Spiritual Formation and Soul Care, alongside articles in other peer-reviewed journals and edited volumes. His most recently published books are Anglican Spirituality: An Introduction (Cascade Books, 2024), Thomas à Kempis: His Life and Spiritual Theology (Cascade Books, 2021) and The Monkhood of All Believers: The Monastic Foundation of Christian Spirituality (Baker Academic, 2018).
Fr. Peters is also Professor of Medieval and Spiritual Theology in the Torrey Honors College of Biola University, a Research Associate at the Von Hügel Institute, St Edmund’s College in the University of Cambridge, and a Visiting Scholar at Wycliffe Hall, University of Oxford. He serves (since 2012) as Vicar of the Anglican Church of the Epiphany in La Mirada, California, and is Canon Theologian in the Diocese of Mid-America, Reformed Episcopal Church.
The Breck Pre-Conference provides an opportunity for participants to study in even greater depth the theology of Martin Thornton. For the pre-conference, participants will read some of Thornton’s lesser-known works, showing the breadth and scope of his overall vision of parochial ministry. Participants will also engage in rigorous discussion about the implications of Thornton’s theology for the contemporary parish.
Early-Bird Rate: $350 (Register by Dec. 31, 2025)
Regular Rate: $400 (Effective Jan. 1, 2026)
Early-Bird Rate: $575 (Register by Dec. 31, 2025)
Regular Rate: $650 (Effective Jan. 1, 2026)
On-Campus Housing
Please complete this form to request on-campus accommodations. Housing on campus is limited during the summer and offered on a “first come, first served” basis.
Off-Campus Housing
We have relationships with several local hotels that allow visiting guests to book rooms at discounted rates. Let the hotel know you are with Nashotah House when booking your room.
Contact Fr. Greg Peters with questions about the Breck Conference at gpeters@nashotah.edu.
Contact Joy Wint with questions about on-campus accommodations at jwint@nashotah.edu.
Please contact Joy Wint with questions at jwint@nashotah.edu.
