Join us over Zoom in January and February for “March Towards Freedom,” an engaging and enlightening teaching series focused on faithful movements for freedom and liberation over the past 100 years. Learn from a variety of presenters from Candler School of Theology, Yale Divinity School, Vanderbilt Divinity School, and more. These presenters will explore how people of faith over the past century have understood that God is still making a way for a more just and equitable future for all persons. This is an amazing opportunity to grow in your faith and understanding with top tier presenters, all for free! 

The year 2020 saw a renewed awareness of and need to address a multitude of social inequities. The protests for racial justice in the summer and fall were a reminder that there is much work left to be done. The COVID pandemic and the attendant debates over shutdowns and “essential workers” highlighted ongoing socio-economic inequities. You might have asked, “Where is God in all of this?” or even, “What does God have to do with this?” If so, this series is for you. 

Over the past 100 years, various forms of liberation theology have informed the work of generations of faithful Christians striving for justice. From the work of Howard Thurman, the pastor and teacher who laid the theological framework for the Civil Rights movement, to more contemporary forms of liberation theologies emerging from Black, Latinx, and LGBTQIA+ communities, a multitude of voices are broadening our understanding of the scope and purpose of faithful living. This series will include the following presenters and foci: 

• The Theology of Howard Thurman – Dr. Luther Smith (Emory University, Candler School of Theology) 
• The Nashville Movement for Civil Rights – Erin Tocknell (McCallie School, Chattanooga) and Guests 
• Civil Rights, MLK Jr., and the Black Power Movement – Dr. Juan Floyd-Thomas (Vanderbilt Divinity School) 
• Liberation Theology in Latin America – Dr. Erika Helgen (Yale Divinity School) 
• Womanist, Mujerista, and Queer Theology – Dr. Ellen Armour (Vanderbilt Divinity School) 

We hope you’ll join us for this unique opportunity for spiritual growth as we listen for how God is calling West End to work for justice and liberation in our community. Please register below.