Description

Vanderbilt University Divinity School will expand the Public Theology and Racial Justice Collaborative. Launched with the support of a 2016 Luce Foundation grant, the Collaborative is envisioned as a hub for a national conversation on racial justice and injustice, with faith and theological reflection at the center. Led by Dean Emilie M. Townes and Dr. Teresa Smallwood, the initiative’s summer institutes have brought together students, scholars, activists, journalists, clergy, business leaders, politicians, and civil servants. Building on the multi-faith networks nurtured by the institutes, a next phase of work will extend the Collaborative’s efforts geographically, through a series of mobile workshops. Developed in concert with local partners in both urban and rural settings, workshops will delve into topics of interest to the region, aiming to increase public appreciation of theological education while simultaneously enriching the practical experience of student and faculty participants. The Luce Foundation’s grant will support project direction and program coordination, as well as the production of resource materials for workshops and honoraria for workshop leaders.