Forum: Christian Voices in the Public Square
Join us in-person or online for a thought-provoking forum about the critical role of Christian values in today’s polarized society. Moderated by Cathedral Dean Randy Hollerith, the panel of prominent guests will explore how Christians can effectively engage in the public square, the dangers of Christian nationalism, and the church’s responsibility during challenging times. Get tickets below.
Participants
The Very Rev. Randolph Marshall Hollerith, Dean, Washington National Cathedral
The Rev. Dr. Kelly Brown Douglas, Canon Theologian, Washington National Cathedral and former dean of Episcopal Divinity School
The Rev. Dr. Kenyatta R. Gilbert, Dean, Howard University School of Divinity
The Rev. Dr. Ian S. Markham, Dean, Virginia Theological Seminary
The Rev. Dr. David McAllister-Wilson, President, Wesley Theological Seminary
”A Better Way” Initiative
This event is part of the ongoing A Better Way initiative – a series of events designed to help Americans live together, learn from each other and find a way forward as a nation in polarized times.
About the Participants
The Rev. Canon Kelly Brown Douglas is the Canon Theologian at Washington National Cathedral. From 2017-2023, she served as Dean of Episcopal Divinity School at Union Theological Seminary in New York City, and in 2019, she was appointed to the Bill and Judith Moyers Chair in Theology at Union. Canon Douglas is considered a leader in the field of womanist theology, racial reconciliation, social justice and sexuality and the Black church. She holds a degree from Denison University and a Master of Divinity and Ph.D. from Union Theological Seminary. Her most recent books are “Resurrection Hope: A Future Where Black Lives Matter,” released in October 2021, and “Stand Your Ground: Black Bodies and the Justice of God,” released in May 2015, both by Orbis Books.
The Rev. Dr. Kenyatta Gilbert is Dean of the Howard University School of Divinity and professor of homiletics. He is a nationally recognized expert on African American preaching. After graduating from Baylor University with a bachelor’s degree in political science in 1996, Gilbert enrolled in Princeton Theological Seminary, where he earned his M.Div. and Ph.D. in practical theology (homiletics). As an ordained Baptist minister, he served congregations in Texas, New York, New Jersey, Maryland, and Kenya before landing at Howard University in 2006. A prolific writer and oft-featured expert on Black preaching, civil rights, and social justice, Gilbert has authored countless sermons and classroom lectures, as well as four books: Exodus Preaching: Crafting Sermons about Justice and Hope; A Pursued Justice: Black Preaching from the Great Migration to Civil Rights; The Journey and Promise of African American Preaching; and Just Living: Meditations for Engaging our Life and Times. His writing has also been featured by such outlets as PBS NewsHour, Sojourners, Word & Way, and The Conversation.
The Rev. Dr. Ian S. Markham is a respected authority within The Episcopal Church and the Anglican Communion in systematic theology, social ethics, and religious diversity, Markham is committed to nurturing critical thinking Christian leaders, both lay and ordained, who will serve as God’s witness to the world. In 2007, Markham was appointed Dean and President of Virginia Theological Seminary. Before being called to VTS, he served as Dean and Professor of Theology and Ethics at Hartford Seminary in Connecticut and as visiting professor of globalization, ethics, and Islam at Leeds Metropolitan University in the United Kingdom. He also served on the faculty of Liverpool Hope University and the University of Exeter.
The Rev. Dr. David McAllister-Wilson assumed the office of President at Wesley Theological Seminary on July 1, 2002. This makes him one of the longest-serving presidents within the Association of Theological Schools. He has served the institution for nearly 40 years, beginning in Wesley’s Development Office as a fundraiser, and later as Executive Vice President. During that period, he was part of a team that made Wesley one of the nation’s largest and leading theological schools, preparing approximately 1,300 men and women for ministry a year. McAllister-Wilson received a Bachelor of Arts in History from California State University, Northridge, in 1983. He earned his Master of Divinity (1988) and Doctor of Ministry (2001) degrees from Wesley Theological Seminary. He has focused his preaching and speaking to help revitalize the Mainline Protestant Church, encouraging men and women to consider God’s call to ministry and preparing them for leadership. With a strong interest and focus on leadership development, particularly in local congregations, he helped to establish the G. Douglass Lewis Center for Church Leadership at Wesley. He regularly teaches Leadership in the Doctor of Ministry program in its specialized tracks of Global Asian and Military Chaplains.
The Very Rev. Randolph “Randy” Marshall Hollerith was named the 11th Dean of Washington National Cathedral in 2016, and has worked to reorient the Cathedral to prioritize hospitality and welcome for all visitors and worshippers. Dean Hollerith believes passionately that every person is worthy of dignity and respect that comes from being a beloved child of God. His mission at the Cathedral, reflected in his first sermon from the Canterbury Pulpit, is for the Cathedral to answer Isaiah’s call to be “repairers of the breach” in our common life, and in our individual walks with God. During his tenure, Dean Hollerith spearheaded the creation of a five-year Strategic Plan that committed the Cathedral to four core priorities: Welcoming, Deepening, Convening and Serving. A $150 million comprehensive campaign, launched in mid-2019, aims to equip the Cathedral with the resources necessary to be fully engaged in mission in the world. Dean Hollerith was called to the Cathedral after serving as rector of St. James’s Episcopal Church in Richmond, Va., for 16 years. He holds degrees from Denison University and Yale Divinity School.