November 9, 2015 in Advocacy, Equipping, News
Sacred Conversations for Racial Justice
The Synod is co-sponsoring live webcasts of “Listen for a Change: Sacred Conversations for Racial Justice” featuring New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof, actor Anna Deavere Smith, and Vanderbilt Divinity School Dean Emilie Townes on January 21-23, 2016, at the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia.
The webcasts from Trinity Wall Street’s annual theological conference will explore structural racism, mass incarceration, and policy change. Small group discussions will focus on how to undo racism here at home.
The three-day conference begins Thursday, Jan. 21 at 5:30 pm in LTSP’s Brossman Center, and concludes Saturday, Jan. 23 at 4:30 pm. Cost is $20 for all three days (LTSP students free with ID).
Register starting December 1 at StMartinEC.org. For more information contact Barbara Ballinger at Church of St. Martin-in-the-Fields at or 215.247.7466, ext. 102.
Other co-sponsors of the event are The Church of St. Martin-in-the-Fields, the Seminary, The Episcopal Mission Center, the Episcopal Diocese of Pennsylvania and its Anti-Racism Commission.
Other speakers include Eduardo Bonilla-Silva, Episcopal Church Presiding Bishop Michael Curry, Gary Dorrien, Kelly Brown Douglas, Michelle Norris, and Victor Rios. For more information about Trinity Institute’s National Theological Conference in NYC — including speaker bios, schedule, videos, and more — visit TI2016.org.
This schedule is subject to change. Please visit here for updates.
Thursday, January 21
5:30PM Registration Opens
6:30PM Opening Worship
Preacher
- :
The Most Rev. Michael B. Curry
8:00PM Keynote Address
- , “Eavesdropping on America’s Conversation on Race”
Friday, January 22
7:45AM Registration opens, continental breakfast
9:00AM Gathering in song and prayer: Melanie DeMore
9:30AM Session 1: What Is Race, Anyway?
- Science tells us that race has no basis in biology or genetics. So is race real? Surveys show how racist attitudes that were widespread 50 years ago are swiftly disappearing. So how can our society be racist? And why did it cause such a stir when a university offered a class on “The Problem of Whiteness”? TI2016’s distinguished speakers will bring a sharp focus on what we talk about when we talk about race.
20-minute opening talk:
Nicholas KristofPanel and Q&A with:Nicholas KristofEmilie TownesEduardo Bonilla-Silva
11:00AM Break
11:30AM Reflection group meeting
12:45PM Lunch
- Lunch is not included or provided. We encourage participants to go out and enjoy the many dining experiences of Mt. Airy and Chestnut Hill.
2:00PM Gathering in song and prayer: Melanie DeMore
Session 2: A People’s History of Race
- Even as we make strides toward overcoming racism in individuals, we need to take a closer look at the way our society’s systems developed to perpetuate inequality. Insightful performance and probing conversation will help to ensure that when we talk about the future, we are conscious of a past that still clings to the present.
20-minute opening talk:
Emilie TownesPanel and Q&A with:Gary DorrienJanine Tinsley-RoeT. James Kodera
3:30PM Break
4:00-5:15PM Reflection group meeting
Saturday, January 23
8:00AM Continental breakfast
9:00AM Warm-up in song and prayer: Melanie DeMore
9:30AM Session 3: Soul Searching in a Culture of Control
- As Michelle Alexander argues in
The New Jim Crow
- , “our prison system is a unique form of social control, much like slavery and Jim Crow, the systems it has replaced.” Churches are waking up in great numbers to the importance of challenging this systemic injustice.
- 20-minute talk:
- 20-minute talk:
- Dialogue and Q&A
11:00AM Break
11:30AM Reflection group meeting
12:45AM Lunch
- Lunch is not included or provided. We encourage participants to go out and enjoy the many dining experiences of Mt. Airy and Chestnut Hill.
2:00PM Session 4: Listen for a Change
- Featuring
- , “Race in America: Accepting Difference, Standing Shoulder to Shoulder”.
Q&A
3:15PM Break
3:30PM Session 5: What We Can Do Together – Policies and Practices
- Conversations about the places where progress is being made, relationships are deepening, and change is emerging. The goal is to help participants find inspiration and concrete ideas to implement.
Speaker:
- The Rev. Dr. William Lupfer,
Rector, Trinity ChurchQ&A and panelPanel guests to be announced
4:30PM Closing
