Advocacy and Resistance in a Divided Time

May 31-June 1, 2019

McCormick Theological Seminary, Chicago, Illinois

The 20^th Annual Bonhoeffer Lectures in Public Ethics featured keynote speakers the Rev. Dr. William J. Barber and Rev. Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove. Drawing on their extensive experience building movements for social change, these speakers addressed the pressing issues of our diverse communities, calling us to the work of advocacy and resistance. 

In order to examine these concerns locally, this conference uniquely placed Chicago organizations working for justice alongside leading scholars making constructive use of the theology of Dietrich Bonhoeffer. Scholars gave presentations that introduced Bonhoeffer as a resource for thinking in new ways about a select number of issues, including racism, mass incarceration, gender justice and environmental justice. Representatives from local organizations – Live Oak Chicago, Faith in Place, Restoring Rights and Opportunities Coalition of Illinois, and

Institute for Nonviolence Chicago – then led workshops, providing training in practices relevant to the issues and opportunities for engagement in their on-going work. This conference served laypersons, religious leaders, students and scholars from diverse faith communities in and beyond the Chicagoland area. 

Speakers included Stephen Ray, Jennifer McBride, Thomas Fabisiak, Jeffrey Pugh, Lisa Dahill, Di Rayson, J. Kameron Carter, Michael DeJonge, Reggie Williams, and Father Michael Pfleger