About The Event
Mercer University's 13th Annual Building the Beloved Community Symposium
February 28-March 1, 2017
"Bridge to a New America"
Keynote Speaker: The Rev. Jim Wallis, Editor of Sojourners Magazine,
author of America's Original Sin: Racism, White Privilege, and the Bridge to a New America
[The Rev. Jim Wallis]
Jim Wallis is president and founder of Sojourners in Washington, D.C., a non-profit faith-based organization, network, and movement whose mission statement calls for “putting faith into action for social justice.”
He is editor-in-chief of Sojourners Magazine and website which has a combined print and electronic media readership of more than a quarter-million people with several million unique visitors to the website, sojo.net, each year.
Wallis is a bestselling author, public theologian, national preacher, social activist, and international commentator on ethics and public life. His latest book, America's Original Sin: Racism, White Privilege, and the Bridge to a New America, released in January. Wallis has written ten previous books, including The (Un)Common Good and the New York Times bestsellers God’s Politics and The Great Awakening.
He is a frequent speaker in the United States and abroad, has written for major newspapers, does regular columns for Huffington Post and TIME.com, and appears frequently on ABC, CNN, MSNBC, Fox News, and NPR; on shows from Jon Stewart’s The Daily Show to The O’Reilly Factor and Sunday shows like This Week and Meet the Press.
Wallis also teaches at Georgetown University and has taught at Harvard University. He served on President Obama’s first White House Advisory Council on Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships and as chair of the Global Agenda Council on Values of the World Economic Forum.
Symposium Schedule:
Tuesday, Feb. 28:
6:30 p.m.
Banquet in President’s Dining Room (University Center)
Music by Central High School Chorus (Isaac Gibson, Director)
Keynote Address No. 1: "America’s Original Sin" by The Rev. Jim Wallis
Wednesday, March 1:
8:30 a.m.
Breakfast in Centenary United Methodist Church Fellowship Hall
Speaker: The Rev. Dr. Chanequa Walker-Barnes, Mercer’s McAfee School of Theology
10 a.m.
Keynote Address No. 2 in Penfield Hall: "Bridge to a New America” by The Rev. Jim Wallis
11 a.m.
Panel moderated by the Rev. Wallis in Penfield Hall
Featuring: Dr. Keith Howard (Professor of Mathematics, CLA), the Rev. Julie Long (First Baptist Church of Christ), Ms. Bekah Fulton (Undergraduate Student), Ms. Natalia Daies (Student, McAfee School of Theology)
12 p.m.
Light lunch
6:30 p.m.
The Rev. Wallis preaches at Ash Wednesday Service at Centenary Fellowship Hall.
(Fellowship supper at 6 p.m. For reservations, call (478) 742-8926, ext. 101)
Admission to all sessions is free, but reservations are required for meals.
Call or email Trish Dunaway at (478) 475-9506 or trishdunaway3@gmail.com by Feb. 24.
For information on another special event coming in January 2018, click here.