Upcoming Events
Ecology, Nature, and Religion Reception at AAR San Diego 2024
When: Friday, November 22, 2024 from 7PM-10PM
Where: House of Blues, Delta Room
Challenges to Religion and Ecology in the Capitalocene: Dive into thought-provoking insights from contributors of Liberating People, Planet, and Religion.
Decentering Environmental Narratives: Amanda J. Baugh presents her work, Falling in Love With Nature, spotlighting Latinx Catholic environmentalism and expanding perspectives beyond dominant narratives.
Hosted by the International Society for the Study of Religion, Nature, and Culture and the Wendland-Cook Program in Religion and Justice at Vanderbilt University, with support from the Forum on Religion and Ecology.
Past Events
Fall 2024 Lecture: Labor and Minjung Theology
Date: October 3, 2024
Time: 7PM ET/6PM CT
Where: The Space, Vanderbilt Divinity School and FB Live
Join us on October 3 at 6:00pm CT in The Space for Jin Kwan's lecture at Vanderbilt Divinity School. He will explore the intersections between Minjung theology, which emphasizes the role of people in history, and Prof. Joerg Rieger’s theology of liberation, which focuses on class, power, labor, and economics. Jin Kwan will reflect on the workers' movement in Korea, the implications for Korean churches, and the subjectivity of people in driving historical and social change. Responses will be offered by Joerg Rieger and EunJoo Kim.
Description from Jin Kwan:
There are lots of commonalities between what I have done for minjung theology, which put emphasis on people (minjung) in history and what Prof. Joerg Rieger has done for theology of liberation, which is done from the perspective of class, power, labor and economics. I have been impressed by the detailed concerns and issues for the labor conditions of American workers across areas, genders, and races in Theology in the Capitalocene. In my presentation I will look back at the history of minjung theology from the workers' movement and its implication to Korean churches and theology. I will further discuss the subjectivity of people in current history and society. When I discuss the subjectivity of minjung as a source for the change of history, I will suggest that such concepts as discourse, story, event, symptom, han, trauma might be drawn upon for the explanation of the moments of historical and social change.
Theology Beer Camp: GodPods 2024
Date: October 17, 2024-October 19, 2024
Where: St. Andrew Church in Highlands, CO, USA
There is also a virtual ticket option too!
Wendland-Cook is headed to Denver in just a few weeks for GodPods 2024!
Our podcast hosts, Gabby and George, will be headed to GodPods 2024 this year in Colorado. If that wasn't enticing enough, Aaron Stauffer and Joerg Rieger will be present too--with Joerg on stage for a live podcast episode.
The God-Pods are back for round two! This year, Homebrewed Christianity brings the zestiest podcasters, scholars, and people who like to nerd out on theological goodness while they party. At Camp, we will...
- nerd out with super-nerds (scholars)
- enjoy some wild live podcasts
- have some serious fun at a tailgate party, 90s karaoke, theological speed-dating, - - EPIC bottle share, bonfire smores, & fall festivities
- enjoy quality craft beer (& other tasty treats)
- hang with your favorite podcasters (GABBY AND GEORGE INCLUDED) & find new ones
- leave with some new theology nerd friends
Get your tickets now!
Grace Under Pressure Again
This lecture is part of the European Methodist Lecture Program (EMLP). EMLP’s 2024 theme is "Love, Grace and Transformation: Worship as Ethics and Ethics as Worship in Methodist Theology” and will feature 10 lectures from October 2024 through December 2024 on Tuesdays.
Date: October 29, 2024
Time: 11 AM CST
Where: Virtual, register here: https://linktr.ee/religionandjustice
In the Wesleyan traditions, grace is often more powerfully experienced under pressure, in the struggles and pains of everyday life, than on the mountaintops. Grace under pressure also finds expression in John Wesley’s often-neglected concern to hold together the so-called works of piety and works of mercy, with works of mercy being not primarily social activism but rather true means of grace because God is working through them for the transformation of the world.
On this background, this presentation will focus on the works of mercy, arguing that a Wesleyan theology of grace can only be explored when we extend the church’s imagination beyond the current ecclesial practices of charity, service, and advocacy. More profound encounters of divine grace emerge when works of mercy are interpreted in terms of what will be called works of deep solidarity.
The Social Gospel and Global Labor Solidarities
Date: August 30, 2024
Time: 7PM ET
Where: Zoom
This Labor Day, join the Wendland-Cook program for a conversation with four interfaith scholars on the urgent need to build -- and the challenges facing -- global labor solidarities today. We will ground this conversation in the legacy of the Social Gospel: an international movement that began in the late nineteenth century where Christians claimed that Christianity has something to say about economic and racial injustice. Many social gospelers were leaders at the forefront of labor and economic justice movements, building cooperatives, organizing black and white farmers, and bringing churches into the struggle. For the Wendland-Cook Program in Religion and Justice, this is a deep legacy and well of spiritual insight and energy, along with various liberation theologies, in our work of building real economic alternatives to capitalist exploitation and extraction. On August 30, our panelists will engage in critical conversation around the challenges we face and the unique opportunities present for labor today in building global deep solidarity.
The Age of the Capitalocene and the Theological Critique of Idolatry
Join us on Wednesday, April 10 at 6:00pm in The Space at Vanderbilt Divinity School for a lecture by Dr. Jung Mo Sung, featuring responses by Dr. Joerg Rieger and Dr. Phillis Sheppard.
This event will also be livestreamed to Facebook.
Jung Mo Sung is one of the most prominent Latin American Liberation Theologians of the third generation. Born in Korea, raised in Brazil, and active around the globe, his work is deeply engaged in contemporary struggles for liberation, pushing the work of liberation theology forward. Sung’s work addresses the silences of the liberation traditions in the past and engages the intersectionalities of exploitation and oppression of our age. He is the author of many articles and books, published in numerous languages, and the co-author of “Beyond the Spirit of Empire: Theology and Politics in a New Key,” co-authored with Néstor Míguez and Joerg Rieger.
Book Launch
Listening to the Spirit by Aaron K. Stauffer
Join us on Monday, March 18 at 6:00pm in G33 (Vanderbilt Divinity School) for an inspiring evening co-hosted by the Wendland-Cook Program and Cal Turner Program.
Delve into a social, ethical, and political theological exploration of the role of sacred values in broad-based community organizing. Gain insights into how Christians can enact their faith claims in their political lives. Don't miss this opportunity to engage with the author's analysis of social gospel social ethics in a groundbreaking event that promises to be both enlightening and thought-provoking.
Engage in reflections on the book from distinguished speakers Graham Reside, Lisa L. Thompson, Joerg Rieger, and Melissa Snarr, each offering unique perspectives. Be part of the conversation as Aaron K. Stauffer provides a brief response, followed by a closing session. Guests will be treated to refreshments, setting the stage for a night of literary celebration and community. Please RSVP Below!
The Bible and Settler Colonialism:
A Global Conversation with Rev. Prof. Mitri Raheb and Respondents
January 27, 2024, 9:30 am Eastern Time
Join an international consultation featuring Rev. Prof. Mitri Raheb, Founder and President of Dar al-Kalima University in Bethlehem and author of "Decolonizing Palestine: The Land, The People, The Bible." Responses will be offered by Atalia Omer and Revelation Velunta.
Main Speaker: Rev. Prof. Mitri Raheb, Founder and President of Dar al-Kalima University
Respondents: Atalia Omer, Professor at the Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies, and Revelation Velunta, Associate Professor of New Testament and Cultural Studies
Co-sponsor: Wendland-Cook Center for Religion and Justice
Rev. Prof. Mitri Raheb is the Founder and President of Dar al-Kalima University in Bethlehem. A prolific Palestinian theologian, he has authored 50 books, including "Decolonizing Palestine: The Land, The People, The Bible" (2023). With a rich background in academia and social entrepreneurship, Rev. Raheb served as the senior pastor of the Christmas Lutheran Church in Bethlehem and as the President of the Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land. Learn more about him at https://www.mitriraheb.org/en/page/short-bio.
About the Respondents:
Atalia Omer is a Professor at the Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies. Her research focuses on religion, violence, and peacebuilding in Palestine/Israel studies. She has authored several books, including "Decolonizing Religion and Peacebuilding" (Oxford University Press, 2023).
Revelation E. Velunta is an Associate Professor of New Testament and Cultural Studies at Union Theological Seminary in the Philippines. His work, such as "Jeepney Hermeneutics," explores alternative ways of reading and interpreting biblical texts.
Don't miss this engaging conversation on the intersection of the Bible and settler colonialism. Stay tuned for more details and registration information!
The (Im)Possibility of Solidarity on the Left
Monday, December 4 · 7:30 - 9pm EST
How does the Christian Left build a solidarity that matches the crises and injustices of the moment?
On December 4th, join us for a conversation between Rev. Andrew Wilkes, Rev. Angela Cowser, and Dr. Joerg Rieger on solidarity, ecological devastation, and building a Christian Left that engages all of who we are in confronting the world’s captivity to capitalism. Dr. Rieger's new book, Theology in the Capitalocene: Ecology, Identity, Class, and Solidarity, will serve as the central conversation point for this panel discussion.
This event is co-hosted as a partnership between the Wendland-Cook Program in Religion and Justice and the Institute for Christian Socialism.
Labor Faith and LGBTQ+ Pride
We joined @cwaunion Human Rights for Labor, Faith, and LGBTQ+ Pride, an online panel in celebration of Pride Month 2023! We will discuss the intersections of the labor movement, LGBTQ+ movements, and faith communities on Thursday, June 8
Panelists include our very own @gabby.lisi and @joerg_rieger!
An Evening with Joerg Rieger
When: Monday, May 8th, 2023 from 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM EST
Where: Church of the Village, 201 West 13th St, New York, NY 10011
Join Joerg on May 8th for "An Evening with Joerg Rieger: Theology in the Capitalocene," a conversation on deep solidarity with each other and the earth.
Hosted by the NYC Religion and Socialism Working Group of the Democratic Socialists of America, this event will explore the urgent need for environmental justice and how we can work together to protect our planet.
Good Faith Media: Joerg Rieger
In April 2023, Good Faith Media hosted Director Joerg Rieger for a Good Faith Advocate discussion! Joerg Rieger, Distinguished Professor of Theology at Vanderbilt University, who talked about ecological justice and capitalism. Watch for his presentation and some Q&A!
Good Faith Media provides reflection and resources at the intersection of faith and culture through an inclusive Christian lens. For more information, head to goodfaithmedia.org.
Theology in the Capitalocene Giveaway
The Wendland-Cook Program in Religion and Justice is pleased to announce a book giveaway. We are giving away EIGHT (8) copies of Joerg Rieger’s latest release, Theology in the Capitalocene (2022).
About the book:
"In times of rising pressures and catastrophes, people yearn for alternatives. So does the planet. Protests are often a start, but rebellion is not revolution, nor does it always lead to transformation.
In this incisive and compelling new book, Joerg Rieger takes a new look at the things that cause unease and discomfort in our time, leading to the growing destruction and death of people and the planet. Only when these causes are understood, he argues, can real alternatives be developed.
And yet, understanding is only a start. Solidarity, and the willingness to work at the seemingly impossible intersections of everything--the triad of gender, race, and class, yes, but more beyond--must mark the work of theology.
Without solidarities that match the complexities of our world, the best we can hope for is inclusion in the dominant system but hardly the systemic change and liberation we so desperately need."
Each winner will receive ONE (1) physical copy of the book.
To officially enter, please complete the form here. You must complete all the required questions and submit it to secure your entry for the giveaway.
The giveaway ends on April 22nd, 2023 at 11:59AM EST.
Rethinking Class in Intersectional Activism and Faith-Based Community Organizing
Continuing Critical Reflections on the Work of Norman K. Gottwald
When: March 11, 2023, 11:00am–4:00pm Eastern Time
This online seminar will continue discussions begun at the annual meeting of the Society for Biblical Literature in November 2022 on the effects that Dr. Norman Gottwald’s presidential address given at SBL 30 years ago, Social Class as an Analytic and Hermeneutical Category in Biblical Studies, has had on the role of class analysis in Biblical studies. The gathering will consist of seven prepared remarks (speakers noted below), interspersed by facilitated small group discussion.
The session is organized by the Wendland-Cook Program in Religion and Justice at Vanderbilt Divinity School and the Center and Library for the Bible and Social Justice.
Speakers:
Joerg Rieger, Vanderbilt University & Wendland-Cook Program
Madipoane Masenya, University of South Africa
Gerald West, University of KwaZulu-Natal
Monica Melanchthon, University of Divinity
Stacy Davis, Saint Mary’s College
Brigitte Kahl, Union Theological Seminary
Gregory Cuellar, Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary
Ched Myers, Bartimaeus Cooperative Ministries & CLBSJ
Moderators:
Ludwig Beethoven J. Noya, Vanderbilt University
Matthew J.M. Coomber, St. Ambrose University
To register for this session, click here: Register for this event
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
Liberation Theology’s Preferential Option for the Poor in the Twenty-First Century
Race, Gender, and Class in Brazil and the United States
When: Feb 27, 2023 at 12:00 PM CST
Priscila's research aims to explore the relationship between daily life in Brazilian favelas and the concept of solidarity. Her work focuses on how popular religions, rooted in Baptist sacrificial theology, can help (or harm) impoverished individuals in these areas find meaning in their lives. Despite the immense social suffering caused by neoliberalism and its tentacles, such as racism, gender inequality, and exploitation, thousands of people in favelas wake up every day with hope and faith that things will improve. This optimism is deeply intertwined with their perception of God, which possesses multiple layers of meaning.
After six months of exploring different perspectives and learning about new approaches to understanding the effects of economic power in the United States, this event aims to summarize the most significant contributions that Priscila's research has made. In addition to this, the event will raise questions that can act as seeds for future research, with the ultimate goal of generating more than academic content. Through structural changes, mobilization, and a commitment to dignity for those living on the edge of survival, we can build power and demonstrate solidarity. It is essential to remember that no boundaries exist when it comes to knowledge and analysis, and these elements are critical in realizing the full potential of our efforts.
There will be time for the audience to interact with Priscila following her presentation. Lunch will be provided in Room 127 at VDS.
Theology in the Capitalocene with Democratic Socialists of America (DSA)
When: February 1st at 8 PM ET / 7 PM CT / 6 PM MT / 5 PM PT
In times of rising pressures and catastrophes, people yearn for alternatives. So does the planet. Protests are often a start, but rebellion is not revolution, nor does it always lead to transformation.
Without solidarities that match the complexities of our world, the best we can hope for is inclusion in the dominant system but hardly the systemic change and liberation we so desperately need. How does theology help us work towards the solidarity we so desperately need? Join Joerg Rieger to discuss 'Theology in the Capitalocene: Ecology, Identity, Class and Solidarity.' There will plenty of time for questions and discussion.
To watch the recording of this session, click the button below.
Post-Roe Reproductive & Economic Justice: Connections
What: Webinar #1 in Reproductive and Economic Justice in a Post-Roe Landscape: Changing the Conversation in Christian Communities
When: Sept 26 at 5:00pm ET / 4pm CT / 3pm MT / 2pm PT; 90 minutes.
This webinar will frame the entire series by providing an overview of the challenges faced by the reproductive justice and economic justice movements and the ways activists continue to creatively advance these movements in the face of those challenges — thereby transforming society and religious communities. It will be a moderated conversation between a long-time leader in each movement: Dr. Toni Bond, one of the founding mothers of reproductive justice, and Ms. Vonda McDaniel, president of the central labor council of Nashville/Middle Tennessee. Their conversation will be of interest to both congregation members and leaders who are committed to or want to learn about these movements and to activists in either movement who are open to exploring new forms of solidarity and ways that religious communities can be allies in pursuing them.
A webinar series brought to you by the Wendland-Cook Program in Religion and Justice at Vanderbilt Divinity School, The Carpenter Program in Religion, Gender, and Sexuality at Vanderbilt Divinity School, Union Theological Seminary, and In Our Own Voice: National Black Women's Reproductive Justice Agenda, and the Central Labor Council of Nashville and Middle Tennessee
Post-Roe Reproductive & Economic Justice: Faith-Based Activism
What: Webinar #2 in in Reproductive and Economic Justice in a Post-Roe Landscape: Changing the Conversation in Christian Communities
When: Oct 3 at 5:00pm ET / 4pm CT / 3pm MT / 2pm PT; 90 minutes.
Faith-based activists who advocate for abortion rights have been working diligently to maintain a woman’s right to obtain an abortion, despite loud opposition from Christians who hold opposing views. Whether in a congregational or organizational context, these activists have procured funding, changed hearts and minds, and supported women during and after obtaining abortions. In this panel, we will hear from leading faith-based activists about the resources that they need to do their work effectively and how they talk about abortion theologically. We will also hear about what they believe needs to be done in the current political climate to support women seeking abortions.
Confirmed panelists (in alphabetical order):
Erika Forbes
Jamie Manson, President of Catholics for Choice
Rev. Angela Tyler-Williams,
Rev. Katey Zeh, CEO of Reproductive Coalition for Reproductive Choice
Moderator: Danielle Tumminio Hansen, Ph.D., Emory University
A webinar series brought to you by the Wendland-Cook Program in Religion and Justice at Vanderbilt Divinity School, The Carpenter Program in Religion, Gender, and Sexuality at Vanderbilt Divinity School, Union Theological Seminary, and In Our Own Voice: National Black Women's Reproductive Justice Agenda, and the Central Labor Council of Nashville and Middle Tennessee
Post-Roe Reproductive & Economic Justice: Solidarity
What: Webinar #3 in in Reproductive and Economic Justice in a Post-Roe Landscape: Changing the Conversation in Christian Communities
When: Oct 10 at 5:00pm ET / 4pm CT / 3pm MT / 2pm PT; 90 minutes.
Reproductive justice affects us more widely and deeply than is commonly realized. It is not merely a matter of individual rights, as it impacts families and entire communities. More specifically, the lack of reproductive justice is experienced most severely by those communities that are also experiencing the lack of economic justice. These observations point to common interests and therefore to more robust foundations for solidarity that are often overlooked. As the connections between the lack of reproductive and economic justice are clarified (including the question of who does and does not benefit), the potential of building power along these lines comes into view. Those most affected are not just victims but have power, based on the dominant system’s need for productive and reproductive labor, which includes the gestational labor of women. This panel will deepen the discussion and present examples of emerging forms of what has been called “deep solidarity” (Henkel-Rieger, Kwok, and Rieger).
Confirmed panelists (in alphabetical order):
Elizabeth Freese, PhD, Drew University
Gabriella Lisi, Wendland-Cook Program in Religion and Justice
Traci West, PhD, Drew University
Moderator: Joerg Rieger, PhD, Vanderbilt University
A webinar series brought to you by the Wendland-Cook Program in Religion and Justice at Vanderbilt Divinity School, The Carpenter Program in Religion, Gender, and Sexuality at Vanderbilt Divinity School, Union Theological Seminary, and In Our Own Voice: National Black Women's Reproductive Justice Agenda, and the Central Labor Council of Nashville and Middle Tennessee
Post-Roe Reproductive & Economic Justice: Reproductive Labors
What: Webinar #4 in in Reproductive and Economic Justice in a Post-Roe Landscape: Changing the Conversation in Christian Communities
When: Oct 17 at 5:00pm ET / 4pm CT / 3pm MT / 2pm PT; 90 minutes.
This webinar explores how reproductive labor, in various forms, is a crucial connection between reproductive justice and economic justice. Reproductive labor, as defined in contemporary feminist theory, includes both biological reproduction (bringing new life into the world) and social reproduction (sustaining human life on a daily basis). In other words, it includes all the forms of caring that are necessary to keep communities alive from one day and one generation to the next. Panelists will describe a diverse range of reproductive labors, from interpersonal to systemic, and then discuss how capitalism relies on the exploitation of reproductive labor and what reproductive and economic justice for reproductive laborers can be.
Confirmed panelists (in alphabetical order):
Danielle Tumminio Hansen, PhD, Candler School of Theology, Emory University
Chaumtoli Huq, JD, CUNY School of Law
Elaine Nogueira-Godsey, PhD, Methodist Theological School in Ohio
moderator: Jeremy Posadas, PhD, Stetson University
A webinar series brought to you by the Wendland-Cook Program in Religion and Justice at Vanderbilt Divinity School, The Carpenter Program in Religion, Gender, and Sexuality at Vanderbilt Divinity School, Union Theological Seminary, and In Our Own Voice: National Black Women's Reproductive Justice Agenda, and the Central Labor Council of Nashville and Middle Tennessee
Post-Roe Reproductive & Economic Justice: Thinking Theologically
What: Webinar #5 in in Reproductive and Economic Justice in a Post-Roe Landscape: Changing the Conversation in Christian Communities
When: Oct 24 and 5:00pm ET / 4pm CT / 3pm MT / 2pm PT; 90 minutes.
There is an urgency for progressive churches and individuals to support the broad concerns of reproductive and economic justice. This panel of speakers will offer theological and ethical resources for the interrelated issues of abortion rights, reproductive justice, and empowerment for workers. Contrary to claims by the Far Right, Christian communities can, in good faith, support the moral self-determination of pregnant persons seeking an abortion. Abortion rights and reproductive justice are not just issues of sexuality and family building but are also unavoidably economic issues and sites of labor inequality and exploitation. This panel offers the kind of moral reflection on resistance and agency that Christians committed to justice are seeking.
Confirmed panelists (in alphabetical order):
Margaret Kamitsuka, PhD., Oberlin College
Rebecca Todd Peters, PhD., Elon University
Sandra Sullivan-Dunbar, PhD., Loyola University, Chicago
Moderator: Ellen Armour, PhD., Vanderbilt University Divinity School
A webinar series brought to you by the Wendland-Cook Program in Religion and Justice at Vanderbilt Divinity School, The Carpenter Program in Religion, Gender, and Sexuality at Vanderbilt Divinity School, Union Theological Seminary, and In Our Own Voice: National Black Women's Reproductive Justice Agenda, and the Central Labor Council of Nashville and Middle Tennessee
Fall Webinar Series and Interventions Forum
Dates: Monday, September 26, October 3, 10, 17, and 24
Reproductive justice and economic justice are two essential sites of the struggle for justice in America today. There is a strong moral and religious case to be made for building collective worker power in the face of the debilitating effects of capitalism, racism, patriarchy, and other systems that perpetrate injustice and erode human dignity.
Given that conservative Christian groups are leading the legislative and legal fight to overturn or severely weaken Roe v. Wade, it is incumbent on progressive Christian thinkers and activists to alert their faith communities and the public about the health and economic impacts of losing access to abortion healthcare. Reproductive justice advocates have sounded the alarm that communities of color are already suffering the loss of access to abortion healthcare and to the resources to have and raise children in safe and healthy environments. Christian communities urgently need to act in solidarity with both of these movements. Yet many congregations are not sure of how they can become more involved.
The Wendland Cook Program in Religion and Justice at Vanderbilt Divinity School will hold a series of five webinars in fall 2022 to address the interrelated issues of reproductive justice and economic justice. We invite church leaders, religious studies scholars and students, congregational members, and activists to participate in this event and learn more about what Christian faith and praxis might contribute to concrete, meaningful collaboration with both movements.
A webinar series brought to you by the Wendland-Cook Program in Religion and Justice at Vanderbilt Divinity School, The Carpenter Program in Religion, Gender, and Sexuality at Vanderbilt Divinity School, Union Theological Seminary, and In Our Own Voice: National Black Women's Reproductive Justice Agenda, and the Central Labor Council of Nashville and Middle Tennessee
Academic Fellow Forum with Chaumtoli Huq
Date: Monday, April 4, 2022
TIme: 11:30 am Central
Chaumtoli Huq is an Associate Professor of Law at CUNY School of Law and the founder/Editor of an innovative law and media non-profit focused on law and social justice called Law@theMargins. Huq’s recent scholarship include: Charting Global Economic Inequalities and Emancipatory Human Rights Responses from the Ground Up on tea workers in Bangladesh, Women’s Empowerment in the Bangladesh Garment Industry, Opportunities and Limitations of the Accord: Need for a Worker Organizing Model in an edited volume titled, Labor, Global Supply Chains and the Garment Industry in South Asia; author of, The War on Terror on Muslim Women and Girls: Forging Transformative Solidarities (Scholar and Feminist Online). You can follow her on twitter @profhuq and follow Law@theMargins work at @lawatmargins
Religion and Justice Forum with Alvina Yeh
Date: February 1, 2021
The Wendland-Cook Program in Religion and Justice hosts monthly Public Forum on the first Mondays of the month, featuring voices on the front lines of work at the intersections of justice and faith. We kicked-off this semester with Alvina Yeh, Executive Director at the Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance, a national organization of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) workers dedicated to advancing worker, immigrant and civil rights. Alvina is a lifelong community organizer with experience in political, electoral, and issue-based campaigns. She is deeply passionate about building a movement where everyone has a fair shot in a thriving society.
Compass Conference 2021: The New Green Economy
DATES: FEBRUARY 6 - 11, 2021
The New Green Economy Compass Conference was a week-long conference enabling people from organizations throughout the Tennessee Valley region to learn about and strategize around approaches to economic development that foster both sustainability and equitable employment. Panelists discussed national, regional, and local strategies for furthering the Green New Deal, growing “green collar” jobs for underserved communities, developing cooperative community development programs, and more.
Relevant Religion: Material Spiritualities: Liberating People and the Planet
Moderator: Vonda McDaniel
Panelists: Bridget Hall, Htoi San Lu, Francisco Garcia
Date: February 9, 2021
Material Spiritualities: Liberating People and the Planet is a virtual popular education style workshop focusing on connecting the notion of “deep solidarity” and other core concerns of the Wendland-Cook Program with liturgical, ecclesial, and organizing practices connected to the work of healing justice and liberation for people and the planet. The emphasis will be on sharing stories, strategies, and concrete examples that provide justice-minded faith communities with strong grounding, analysis, and vision for confronting systemic economic, racial, and ecological/environmental justice issues, while holding these in conversation with the myriad of intersecting concerns.
Society for Practical Theology in South Africa
DATE/TIME: February 17, 2021
Keynote speaker: Joerg Rieger
Theme: “Rethinking Religion and What Really Matters: Some Proposals for Practical Theologians”
Abstract: COVID-19 has thrown new light on the nature of inequality as a global problem. This has implications for reassessing what really matters in people’s lives, related to what theologians have sometimes called matters of “ultimate concern.” What do such reassessments mean for rethinking the role and function of religion, with a view towards what religion can contribute to the formation of feasible alternatives? The presentations will conclude by spelling out some vital lessons for practical theology and related fields.
2021 Mafoi Carlisle Bogitsh Lecture
DATE/TIME: February 25, 2021
Event Details: Dr. Joerg Rieger, director and founder of the Wendland-Cook Program and Distinguished Professor of Theology, Cal Turner Chancellor’s Chair of Wesleyan Studies at Vanderbilt Divinity School and Graduate Department of Religion delivered the 2021 Mafoai Carisle Bogitish Lecture, titled: “Beyond Dialogue: Revisiting Interreligious Engagement, Truth and Power,” on Feb. 25.
Lecture Description: In the twenty-first century, interreligious dialogue and encounter is no longer optional. But how can interreligious engagements be productive in the midst of the tensions that mark our age, where might tends to make right? New challenges and possibilities emerge when dominant notions of truth and power are reconsidered
Interventions Forum: Racial Capitalism
DATE: FEBRUARY 25, 2021
To kick 2021 off, Interventions featured more interviews in our racial capitalism series.
Dr. Joerg Rieger interviewed Dr. Steed Davidson, Dean of the Faculty and Vice President of Academic Affairs; Professor of Hebrew Bible / Old Testament at McCormick Theological Seminary.
Dr. Aaron Stauffer interviewed Dr. Teresa Smallwood, Postdoctoral Fellow and Associate Director of the Public Theology and Racial Justice Collaborative at Vanderbilt Divinity School.
More interviews in the racial capitalism series can be found here.
Public Religion and Justice Forum: Labor, Faith, and Racial Justice
Date: March 1, 2021
Special guest: Everett Kelley, AFGE National President
The Wendland-Cook Program in Religion and Justice hosts monthly Public Forum on the first Mondays of the month, featuring voices on the front lines of work at the intersections of justice and faith. The March forum featured Everett Kelley, National President of the American Federation of Government Employees, the largest union representing federal and D.C. government employees. In addition to his work in organized labor, Kelley has more than three decades of experience as a pastor and theological educator.
Engaging Christianities and Socialisms Part I:
What have Christianity and Socialism to do with each other?
DATE: MARCH 8, 2021
MODERATOR: Angela Cowser
CONTRIBUTORS: Cynthia Moe-Lobeda, JOERG RIEGER, and CORNEL WEST
Engaging Christianities and Socialisms is an exciting new partnership between The Wendland-Cook Program in Religion and Justice at Vanderbilt Divinity School and the Institute for Christian Socialism. Together, we are convening a cadre of thinkers, organizers, and working people to reflect on which forms of socialism, past and present, might be advanced by Christians today and how the power to realize them might be organized.
As conservative efforts have moved the public image of Christianity to the right, it is time to reclaim alternatives. While for many older Americans “socialism” is still a bad word, younger generations tend to be curious about the complex histories of socialist movements in the United States and globally. This first webinar in the Engaging Christianities and Socialisms series seeks to address these concerns and to set the stage for the coming three webinars by bringing together prominent thinkers who have long explored alternative images of Christianity on the left. Featuring Cynthia Moe-Lobeda, Joerg Rieger, Cornel West, and moderated by Angela Cowser, this webinar will investigate the history and future of Christian Socialisms that are deeply democratic, intersectional, and praxis-oriented. Participants will discover that not all kinds of socialism are equal, and neither are all kinds of Christianity.
Capital Change: The End of Religion and Business as Usual
DATE: MARCH 16 - April 20, 2021
Capital Change is a series of weekly seminars with Tripp Fuller, cosponsored by Homebrewed Christianity, the Institute for Christian Socialism, and the Wendland-Cook Program in Religion and Justice at Vanderbilt
Throughout the history of religion, faith and economics have been deeply intertwined. While narrow modern ideas of religion have prevented us from exploring this connection, repeated and worsening economic disasters challenge us to take another look. Using the example of Christianity, Tripp Fuller and Joerg Rieger will discuss how the structures of dominant capitalist economies deeply influence religion and faith, exploring what contributions religion and faith might make in the search for alternatives.
Public Religion and Justice Forum: Labor, Race, and Immigration
DATE: APRIL 5, 2021
SPEAKER: ROBERT CHAO ROMERO
Robert Chao Romero (PhD, University of California at Los Angeles; JD, University of California at Berkeley) is associate professor in the Departments of Chicana/o Studies and Asian American Studies at the University of California at Los Angeles. He has authored numerous books, including Brown Church: Five Centuries of Latina/o Social Justice, Theology, and Identity, the award-winning The Chinese in Mexico, 1882-1940, Jesus for Revolutionaries: An Introduction to Race, Social Justice, and Christianity, and Mixed Race Student Politics.
Engaging Christianities and Socialisms, Part II:
How does Christian Socialism Support Intersectional Analysis and Deep Solidarities?
DATE: APRIL 12, 2021
MODERATOR: JOSH DAVIS
CONTRIBUTORS: OBERY HENDRICKS, JEREMY POSADAS, SARAH NGU, AND TIM EBERHART
Engaging Christianities and Socialisms is an exciting new partnership between The Wendland-Cook Program in Religion and Justice at Vanderbilt Divinity School and the Institute for Christian Socialism. Together, we are convening a cadre of thinkers, organizers, and working people to reflect on which forms of socialism, past and present, might be advanced by Christians today and how the power to realize them might be organized
For this second webinar we focus on Christian Socialisms and solidarity. The history of Christian Socialisms is more diverse and intersectional than is broadly known. Since at least the nineteenth century, Christian socialists have been part of the labor movement, the Black freedom movement, the Women’s movement, the environmentalist movement, and Queer rights movements. Today, Christian Socialists are once again reclaiming this intersectional history in order to reinvigorate the best of various radical Christian Socialist traditions. Featuring a panel of organizers and scholars, we explore how deep solidarities and intersectional analysis can deepen the theological, economic, and political resources for Christian Socialisms today.
DSA Religion and Socialism National Conference
DATEs: April 24-25, 2021
SPEAKER: joerg rieger
Dr. Joerg Rieger, Professor of Theology and Director of the Wendland-Cook Program at Vanderbilt, spoke on deep solidarity and democratic socialism at the DSA’s Building The Religious Left Conference. Learn more here.
The Intersections of Economic, Political, and Religious Democracy
DATE: May 1, 2021
Moderator: joerg rieger
panelists: KB Brower, Chaumtoli Huq, Francisco Garcia, Jeremy Posadas, Rosetta Ross
The focus of this panel will be on the emerging relations of religion and labor, emphasizing the mutual benefits and challenges, both past and present. Questions that will be addressed include: How do forms of economic, political, and religious democracy intersect? How can labor help ground religion and anchor it in democratic relations? How can religion help connect labor more deeply to people’s traditions and the community? What shortcomings of both religion and labor need to be addressed in order to build a broader basis of communal power that forms the heart of democracy? The panel will also engage some of the proposals of the research presented in Unified We Are a Force: How Faith and Labor Can Overcome America’s Inequalities, coauthored by Joerg Rieger and Rosemarie Henkel-Rieger (St. Louis: Chalice Press, 2016).
This panel is part of "Constructing a New Social Compact: A Public Forum on Empowering the Post-Pandemic Working Class," a public, virtual conference on building a new social compact for social, racial, and economic justice hosted by Georgetown University’s Kalmanovitz Initiative for Labor and the Working Poor.
Transformative Partnerships With Faith Leaders & Unions
DATE: MAY 4, 2021
How can faith leaders, racial justice groups, and unions, can go beyond the “rent-a-collar” model to build transformative partnerships that can organize for the common good at the bargaining table and beyond? Join us for a conversation with faith and union leaders from around the country on organizing effective, long-term campaigns with faith communities and the labor movement. This event will be hosted by Bargaining for the Common Good.
Engaging Christianities and Socialisms Part III: What is to be Done?
Date: May 17, 2021
Moderator: Aaron Stauffer
Contributors: Jessica gordon-Nembhard, Andrew Wilkes, Ed Whitfield, and Micah Uetricht
Christian Socialisms today have to be active and engaged. For too long, the majority of Christian denominations have produced modes of theology, economics, and politics that fail to contest dominant flows of power and to promote the formation of religious, economic, and political democracies.
This final webinar in the Engaging Christianities and Socialism series, sponsored by the Wendland-Cook Program in Religion and Justice and the Institute for Christian Socialism, will counter these trends by facing the challenges of our time head on: How can Christian socialists today join all working people to build religious, economic, and political democracies, and what are the unique strengths that Christian socialists might bring to these action-oriented movements? Bringing together world-renowned scholars and organizers, this final panel will equip and educate participants in how they can join up with specific movements for change and take action.
Recent Presentations from Dr. Joerg Rieger
“The Archbishop of Canterbury’s Roundtable on Postcolonial Theology.” May 26, 2021.
“Covid, Colonialism, Capitalism, and Religion.” Presentation to the readers of Perspectives, Kerala, India, June 11, 2021.
“Being an Anti-Racist Church in a Capitalist World.” First Church, Cambridge, Mass. (UCC), June 13 and 20, 2021.
Faith, Cooperatives, and Labor: Toward a Just Economy For All
Date: Monday, August 23
In this pre-Labor Day webinar hosted by the Wendland-Cook Program in Religion and Justice, we will feature a panel conversation of the Collaborative Inquiry Team (CIT) that convened over the last year in a project entitled “Transforming Churches and Communities: Cooperative Developments in a World of Growing Inequality.” The CIT has put together a series of resources for congregations and others that are interested in exploring the intersections of faith and economic justice from a worker-centered perspective, focused on three core areas: (1) economic justice and theology; (2) worker co-ops and social enterprises, and (3) a new economy focused on worker empowerment. Join us as we highlight some of the key themes and resources that will be available to congregations and communities this Fall!
Occupy Religion: 10 Years On
DATE: October 6, 2021
10 years ago, a movement of working class people occupied our cities protesting the previous decades of austerity, inequality, and neoliberal policies. Join us as we gather a group of scholars and activists reflecting on the legacy of the Occupy Wall Street movement on the occasion of its tenth anniversary. What role has religion played in the movement? What lessons have we learned and what has changed? How has the spirit of Occupy remained with us, and what kind of solidarities are both needed and possible in this moment? Joerg Rieger and Kwok Pui Lan's book Occupy Religion: Theology of the Multitude (2012) will serve as a backdrop for the conversation.
Featuring:
Obery Hendricks, Visiting Professor of Systematic Theology, Union Theological Seminary
Kwok Pui Lan, Dean's Professor of Systematic Theology, Candler School of Theology
Nathan Schneider, Professor of Media Studies, University of Colorado Boulder
Moderated by Joerg Rieger, Founding Director, Wendland-Cook Program in Religion and Justice and Distinguished Professor of Theology, Vanderbilt University Divinity School
Shifting Climates, Shifting People: Iliff Center for EcoJustice Conference 2021
DATES: October 21 & 22, 2021
The Center for EcoJustice at the Iliff School of Theology hosted its next conference virtually on Thursday, October 21 and Friday, October 22. The conference focused on the intersection of environmental racism and immigration. What impact does shifting climate have on populations whose lands are being devastated? Forced to leave, what impact does shifting people have upon overstrained world resources? Learn more about the conference and the list of presenters here.
Strike While the Iron is Hot: How IATSE and Others are Using This Moment to Stand for Labor
Date: Wednesday, November 3
Time: 7:00 pm central
Lights, camera, Strike-tober!
With employees striking at several companies concurrently - Kellogg, John Deere, Kaiser Permanente - join us for a panel discussion that will explore the intersection of religion and labor as well as economic justice. Co-sponsored by the Wendland-Cook Program in Religion and Justice and the Religion in Arts and Contemporary Culture program, our panelists will discuss why workers are choosing this particular moment in political and economic history to take a stand for labor.
We will focus on the now-averted IATSE strike with special guest Peter Kurland, the business agent for IATSE Local 492 (Studio Mechanics of Tennessee and Northern Mississippi) and Oscar-nominated sound mixer (Walk the Line, No Country for Old Men, True Grit, Inside Llewyn Davis). He will explain the events that led to the threat of a strike and where negotiations stand now for union workers outside of Los Angeles.
Panelists:
Peter Kurland (IATSE Local 492) - Oscar-nominated Sound Mixer, Union Business Agent
Dr. Melissa Snarr (Vanderbilt Divinity School) - E. Rhodes and Leona B. Carpenter Associate Professor of Ethics and Society
Dr. Alexandre Frenette (Vanderbilt College of Arts & Science) - Assistant Professor of Sociology; Associate Director, The Curb Center for Art, Enterprise and Public Policy
Francisco Garcia, Jr. (Vanderbilt Divinity School) - Graduate Research Fellow at the Wendland-Cook Program in Religion and Justice
Churches and Cooperatives: Building a New Economy
DATE: Wednesday, November 17
TIME: 6:30 pm Central
Can churches and faith communities be a part of creating a new economy? Can participating in a new economy revitalize and transform churches and faith communities? On November 17 at 6:30 pm CT, join the Wendland-Cook Program and the Southeast Center for Cooperative Development in a conversation on how clergy and faith leaders of religious institutions can join the solidarity and cooperative economy. Working for a more just economy is not an optional charity project: it is at the heart of many faith traditions. But even faith itself can be distorted as the hallmarks of our current economic system find their way into our faith communities and theology. This webinar will launch the Churches and Cooperatives toolkit. We believe that worker cooperatives can be an approach to build power for economic structural change that will transform both churches and the community at large.
Want to get involved? The webinar will also feature an explanation of how churches can connect up with this work through a new program called Solidarity Circles. Solidarity Circles are virtual peer-networks for faith leaders, organizers, and clergy committed to the cooperative and solidarity economy. Over a 5-month period (February - June 2022), participants will engage in education, dialogue, and coaching on a specific project at their organization, church, or institution. Efforts will be made to help bring about participants’ plans of action, including developing plans for fundraising.
Join us to explore the Churches and Cooperatives toolkit and explain how you can get involved in this work through the Solidarity Circles project.
Academic Fellow Forum with Dr. Jin Young Choi
Date: Monday, February 28, 2022
Jin Young Choi, Ph.D., is the Baptist Missionary Training School Professor of New Testament and Christian Origins at Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School. Choi is the author of Postcolonial Discipleship of Embodiment: An Asian and Asian American Feminist Reading of the Gospel of Mark (Palgrave Macmillan, 2015) and coeditor of the volumes such as Minoritized Women Reading Race and Ethnicity: Intersectional Approaches to Constructed Identity and Early Christian Texts (Lexington Books, 2020) and Faith, Class, and Labor: Intersectional Approaches in a Global Context (Pickwick Publications, 2020).
Shades of Green: Faithfully Financing Climate Justice
DATE: TUESDAY, MARCH 1, 2022
TIME: 6:30 PM CENTRAL
Methodist Theological School in Ohio will host a virtual theological discussion of the role of banking in climate change. “Shades of Green: Faithfully Financing Climate Justice” will provide an introduction to the financial decisions made by large banking interests that support fossil fuels.
Among the speakers will be Dr. Joerg Rieger, distinguished professor of theology and the founding director of the Wendland-Cook Program in Religion and Justice at Vanderbilt Divinity School.
Academic Fellow Forum with Dr. Charlene Sinclair
Date: Monday, March 28, 2022
TIme: 11:30 am Central
Dr. Charlene Sinclair is the founding director of the Center for Race, Religion, and Economic Democracy (C-RRED) and the program coordinator for the Interfaith Organizing Initiative. Previously, she served as program director for Engaging the Powers at Union Theological Seminary and campaign director for the Center for Community Change. A community organizer for over 20 years, Charlene has helped national and local organizations develop grassroots organizing and political strategies. One of her main areas of interest is dismantling mass incarceration by uniting faith conviction and spirituality in social activism. She serves as a lay minister at the Church on the Hill AME Zion Community. Charlene received her PhD in social ethics from Union Theological Seminary in New York City.