Harvard Divinity School

This lecture was part of the 60th anniversary symposium for God is Red at Harvard Divinity School. This lecture series discusses how Vine Deloria Jr.'s landmark text speaks to the field of religious studies, Native American studies, theology, and environmental studies in the twenty-first century. In this lecture Dr. Susan Hill (Mohawk) from the University of Toronto discusses the impact of Deloria's work on studies of religion, land, and the environment . This event took place on Friday, October 7, 2022 Learn more: https://hds.harvard.edu/news/public-events-calendar?trumbaEmbed=view%3Devent%26eventid%3D162305702

This lecture was part of the 60th anniversary symposium for God is Red at Harvard Divinity School. This lecture series discusses how Vine Deloria Jr.'s landmark text speaks to the field of religious studies, Native American studies, theology, and environmental studies in the twenty-first century. In this lecture Dr. Michael McNally from the Carleton College discusses the impact of Deloria's work on religious studies. This event took place on Friday, October 7, 2022 Learn more: https://hds.harvard.edu/news/public-events-calendar?trumbaEmbed=view%3Devent%26eventid%3D162305702

This lecture was part of the 60th anniversary symposium for God is Red at Harvard Divinity School. This lecture series discusses how Vine Deloria Jr.'s landmark text speaks to the field of religious studies, Native American studies, theology, and environmental studies in the twenty-first century. In this lecture Dr. Robert Warrior (Osage) from the University of Kansas discusses the impact of Deloria's work on theology. This event took place on Friday, October 7, 2022 Learn more: https://hds.harvard.edu/news/public-events-calendar?trumbaEmbed=view%3Devent%26eventid%3D162305702

Lecture by Gerald J. Steinacher, James A. Rawley Professor of History, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, who specializes in the history of the Holocaust and its immediate aftermath. Introduction of the speaker by Professor Kevin J. Madigan, Winn Professor of Ecclesiastical History and Faculty Dean, Eliot House, Harvard College. This event took place on September 29, 2022 Learn more: https://hds.harvard.edu/news/public-events-calendar?trumbaEmbed=view%3Devent%26eventid%3D162432492

Associate Dean for Ministry Studies Teddy Hickman-Maynard talks about preparing future leaders, innovative teaching, and trauma theology. Faculty Focus is a special new podcast series from Harvard Divinity School, where we speak with HDS professors about their courses and research interests. Learn more about HDS: https://hds.harvard.edu/ Full episode transcript: https://hds.harvard.edu/news/2022/10/17/faculty-focus-teddy-hickman-maynard-preparing-future-leaders-peace-justice

This Leading Toward Justice webinar features panel discussions spotlighting alumni impact in the world and the ways alumni leverage their HDS training while working in secular or public professions. This session will discuss the critical importance of ethical practices and religious literacy in government and public service fields. Moderated by Susan O. Hayward, MDiv ’07, associate director for the Religious Literacy and the Professions Initiative (RLPI) at Harvard Divinity School Panelists: Gary Burrill, MDiv ’91: Parliamentary Member, Nova Scotia House of Assembly Jacqueline Y. Collins, MPA ’01, MTS ’03: State Senator of Illinois, Assistant Majority Leader Usra Ghazi, MTS ’15: Foreign Service Officer, U.S. Department of State Kelly Raths, MDiv '05: Former Assistant Director, Oregon Department of Corrections This event took place on October 3, 2022 Learn more: https://rpl.hds.harvard.edu/news/leading-toward-justice-hds-alums-discuss-intersections-religion-ethics-and-government

Writer and human rights activist Simran Jeet Singh, MTS '08, discusses his new book, The Light We Give, and his ongoing work as a public scholar and educator on Sikhism and religious pluralism. Event participants discussed the intersections between Singh’s work, public understanding about Sikhism, and Religion and Public Life approaches to teaching and learning about religion. This discussion focused on educators working with students from 7th grade through college. This event took place on September 29, 2022. Learn more: https://rpl.hds.harvard.edu/

Harvard Divinity School and the Center for the Study of World Religions host this panel discussion to inaugurate the second year of the CSWR's “Transcendence and Transformation” initiative, hosted by Director Charles M. Stang. The panel features the initiative's newest post-doctoral fellows and research associates as well as discussions of the history of “shamanic” healing practices in Central Asia; how best to teach embodied contemplative practices in the classroom; early Christian controversies over allegorical interpretation of the Bible, and universal salvation; the neuroscience of contemplative Christian prayer; and the "Great Resurrection" in Nizari Isma'ilism. This event took place on October 3, 2022. Learn more: https://cswr.hds.harvard.edu/

Presented by the Women’s Studies in Religion Program, these five new and one returning research associates for 2022-23 shared their thoughts on the ethical responsibility of scholars to be engaged in the study of gender. This event was held August 24, 2022. A full transcript can be found on the WSRP website: https://wsrp.hds.harvard.edu/news/2022/10/06/video-ethical-scholarship-gender-religion-difference-womens-studies-religion-panel Learn more: https://wsrp.hds.harvard.edu/

In this first episode of Faculty Focus, HDS Professor Charles M. Stang discusses psychedelics and spirituality, early Christianity and demonology, and why Dune makes for good academic inquiry. Faculty Focus is a special new podcast series from Harvard Divinity School, where we’ll speak with HDS professors about their courses and research interests. Full transcript of this episode available on the HDS website: https://hds.harvard.edu/news/2022/10/3/faculty-focus-charles-stang-why-dune-makes-good-academic-inquiry Learn more about HDS: https://hds.harvard.edu/

Harvard Divinity School and the Swartz Hall Art Committee celebrate the unveiling of "Earth Bound," an original creation by artist and Mashpee Wampanoag tribal member Ramona Peters. The ceremony included remarks by HDS Dean David N. Hempton, Peters, Mashpee Wampanoag Historic Preservation Officer David Weeden, and others. "Earth Bound," is an ahkuhq or cooking vessel, which will have a permanent home on display inside Harvard Divinity School’s Swartz Hall. The work was commissioned by HDS and the Swartz Hall Art Committee, with support from the Harvard Culture Lab Innovation Fund. This event took place September 19, 2022. Learn more: https://hds.harvard.edu/about/history-and-mission/ramona-peters-earth-bound

Harvard Divinity School marked the opening of the 2022-23 academic year with its 207th Convocation. Harvard Radcliffe Institute Dean Tomiko Brown-Nagin delivered the address, titled "Legacies of Slavery: Bondage and Resistance." Brown-Nagin chaired the Presidential Initiative on Harvard and the Legacy of Slavery, which issued its report earlier this year. The ceremony included a welcome from HDS Dean David N. Hempton, an introduction by Tracey E. Hucks, Victor S. Thomas Professor of Africana Religious Studies at HDS and Suzanne Young Murray Professor at Harvard Radcliffe Institute, music by Aric Flemming, MDiv ’19, and Christopher Hossfeld, director of music and ritual at HDS, and readings by HDS students Ahmaad Edmund and Siana Monet. The event was held September 1, 2022. Learn more: https://hds.harvard.edu/

Curiously, the English language lacks a word for “the belief that human beings only live once.” In this talk, Professor Steven Arrigg Koh discussed this long-held belief in the United States, prevalent amongst those with both sacred and secular views. “Univitalism” (the term coined by Professor Koh to describe this phenomenon) is so common that it is assumed by American Jews, Christians, Muslims, atheists, and agnostics alike—and is thus implicitly or explicitly integral to the reasoning of many U.S. legal and political decisionmakers. By contrast, a significant minority of Americans and many in Eastern societies subscribe to a “multivitalist” worldview, wherein individuals are reborn. This event took place February 18, 2022. Learn more: https://rpl.hds.harvard.edu/home

What is the role of Palestinian universities in the struggle for freedom and justice? Rana Khoury, Religion, Conflict, and Peace Initiative Fellow and Vice President for Development at Dar Al-Kalima University, shares her exploration of developing a dedicated curriculum and the experience of Dar Al-Kalima University in shaping Palestinian students as cultural activists. Khoury is in conversation with Hilary Rantisi: Associate Director of the Religion, Conflict, and Peace Initiative at Harvard Divinity School. This event took place April 26, 2022. Learn more: https://rpl.hds.harvard.edu/programs/religion-conflict-peace

In conversation with Daniel Boyarin, Rabbi Brant Rosen interrogated the ways that Zionist hegemony is expressed through the Yom Ha’atzmaut (Israeli Independence Day) that has become a staple on the American Jewish holiday calendar, projecting themes of militarism, colonialism, and empire on to sacred religious tradition. He also presented an alternative framing of this day as a religious observance – one that expresses remembrance, repentance, and reparations. Presenters: Brant Rosen: Topol Fellow at RCPI; Rabbi, Tzedek Chicago In conversation with: Prof. Daniel Boyarin: Caroline Zelaznik Gruss and Joseph S. Gruss Visiting Professor in Talmudic Civil Law at Harvard Law School (2021-2022) Moderator: Atalia Omer: Professor of Religion, Conflict, and Peace Studies at the Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies at University of Notre Dame and T. J. Dermot Dunphy Visiting Professor of Religion, Violence, and Peacebuilding and Senior Fellow in Conflict and Peace at Harvard Divinity School This event took

Sixty years ago on Good Friday, a famous experiment took place at Boston University's Marsh Chapel conducted by Harvard Divinity School student Walter Pahnke, where he tried to answer the question: Do psychedelic drugs occasioned mystical experiences? In 2022, conversations about the connections between psychedelics, science and medicine, and spirituality are again top of mind, from Harvard and the academy to research hospitals and beyond. In this episode, Harvard Divinity School student Paul Gillis-Smith speaks to scholar J. Christian Greer about the impact of the “Marsh Chapel Miracle,” what role psychedelics might play in the future of religion, and why, he says, there’s potential for great harm, but reasons to be hopeful, too. Full transcript: https://hds.harvard.edu/news/2022/05/12/psychedelics-spirituality-culture-seekership

Our year-long, intentional engagement with our Common Read text, "Red Nation Rising: From Bordertown Violence to Native Liberation," by Nick Estes, Melanie K. Yazzie, Jennifer Nez Denetdale, and David Correia, concluded with a powerful session with all four authors who engaged in conversation with HDS faculty, staff, and students. Dean Teddy Hickman-Maynard, Dean Steph Gauchel, and MDiv candidates Rebecca Mendoza Nunziato and Emma Thomas explored the themes of this urgent text with the authors and discussed ways our community can respond to their call to advance the work of decolonization and Native liberation at Harvard and beyond.

Jocelyne Cesari, J. Dermot Dunphy Visiting Professor of Religion, Violence, and Peacebuilding, discussed her recent publication, "We God's People: Christianity, Islam and Hinduism in the World of Nations" with David F. Holland and Ousmane Kane. This event took place on April 21, 2022. Learn more: https://cswr.hds.harvard.edu/

Each spring, the Office of Ministry Studies organizes the Billings Preaching Prize Finals, an annual preaching competition open to second- and third-year MDiv students. Congratulations to MDiv candidate Mauricio Bruce, the 2022 Billings Preaching Prize Competition winner, and to finalists Sharon Christner and Erica Williams for their incredible talents. The finals were held during Noon Service on April 20 in Williams Chapel. The event also featured a reading from Carolyn Beard, the Massachusetts Bible Society scripture reading winner, and jessica young chang, the non-scripture reading winner.

Spiritual leader, human rights activist, and grassroots organizer Erica Williams’ project for the MRPL was to launch the “Set It Off Movement” which is aimed at ending the dehumanization, destruction, and death-dealing of poor Black women in America. The movement was inspired by the 1996 film Set It Off, which follows four Black women friends in Los Angeles, California, who plan to execute a bank robbery—each doing so for different reasons—to achieve better for themselves and their families. This event took place on April 26, 2022. Learn more: https://rpl.hds.harvard.edu/