On behalf of Theos and CCLA, this year’s Theos Annual Lecture is ‘Reimagining Western Education in a Time of Racial Crisis’, by Dr. Willie Jennings.

You can watch the recording here: 

Dr. Willie Jennings is one of the leading thinkers on race in the modern world. A theologian and associate professor of systematic theology and Africana studies at Yale University, he’s an ordained Baptist minister and the author of the award–winning ‘The Christian Imagination: Theology and the Origins of Race’. His book ‘After Whiteness: An Education in Belonging’ was published last year, and he has also recorded an episode for Theos’ podcast The Sacred.

His lecture will explore the past, present and future of race in the Western world. Promoting belonging, equity, and inclusion have become crucial goals in the academy and western society more broadly. Yet, he argues, we are in need of a new vision of intellectual and moral formation that brings these goals into the heart of our educational systems and our social practices. Such a vision requires we confront the image of formation that has dominated the educated imagination – that of a white self–sufficient man. In this lecture, Willie will propose a different image and a new vision around which to imagine societies that promote equity, inclusion, and belonging.

Theos is the UK’s leading religion and society think tank. We exist to tell a better story about Christianity in particular and faith in general, both in the sense of more accurate and honest but also more appealing and attractive. We passionately believe that religious faith is a gift and not a threat, and properly understood has the potential to inform and enrich our societies.

We are delighted again to partner with CCLA for this lecture. CCLA is the UK’s leading fund manager for charities, faith and public sector organisations with  a long history of managing assets for Christian organisations. They also provide the Secretariat for the Church Investors Group, that helps Christian investors world–wide develop and implement investment policies based on their faith.

The event will take place via Zoom on Wednesday 10th November at 7.30pm GMT, 2.30pm EST.

This event is free but there is an option to make a donation with your ticket, which will help support the work of Theos.