Iliff School of Theology

Pulpit+ Exchange: What Just Happened? Religion and the 2024 Election
2024-11-11 17:00 - 19:00 (America/Denver) | Iliff School of Theology, 2323 East Iliff Avenue, Denver, CO, 80210, United States
November 2024 // “What Just Happened? Religion and the 2024 Election”
with
Rev. Dr. Amanda Henderson
Director of the Institute for Religion, Politics and Culture
Iliff School of Theology

About the Evening’s Lecture
Join us for a meaningful gathering as we unpack the results of the 2024 election together. This event offers space to reflect on the role religion plays in shaping public opinion and the ways it has influenced this election season. We’ll discuss what these outcomes mean for our communities and explore constructive paths forward, considering the future of civic engagement, faith’s influence on social and political change, and how we can respond thoughtfully and proactively. Whether you’re looking to share insights or simply listen, this session will help us navigate the questions that lie ahead.
Register HERE.
Livestream Link

About Pulpit+ Exchange
Iliff’s Pulpit+ Exchange Series (supported by the Pathways for Tomorrow Initiative from Lilly Endowment Inc.) provides space for a diverse array of ordained clergy and lay leaders to gather for a meal and grapple with challenging issues. One of the main goals of the Pulpit+ Exchange is to build congregations of people who will authentically study, worship, walk, and act together across differences to create a just and equitable world.
About the Evening’s Agenda
Join other clergy and lay leaders for a light meal from 5:00 pm to 5:30 pm (MST). The lecture will begin at 5:30 pm. An opportunity to ask Dr. Henderson questions and engage in discussions with colleagues will follow.
In person & online
Light meal: 5:00 – 5:30 PM (MST)
Lecture: 5:30 PM
Q&A and discussions with Dr. Henderson & colleagues to follow
The Evening’s Lecturer
Rev. Dr. Amanda Henderson
Director of the Institute for Religion, Politics and Culture

Rev. Dr. Amanda Henderson is the Director of the Institute for Religion, Politics, and Culture at the Iliff School of Theology, where she leads research exploring the relationship between religion and politics. With a focus on informing public leaders, the Institute works for transformative action rooted in deep understanding. Amanda has a Ph.D. in religion, politics, and rhetoric from the University of Denver, served for seven years as the Executive Director of The Interfaith Alliance of Colorado, and is ordained clergy in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). She is the author of “Holy Chaos, Creating Connections in Divisive Times” and hosts the Complexified podcast. Amanda lives in Littleton, Colorado, is a parent to three young adults, enjoys adventures with her husband, and finds joy running trails and growing things: dogs, chickens, gardens, and creative projects of all kinds.

"We Advocate Freedom!" Teach-In Series | Session 5 (Part I)
2024-11-07 18:00 - 20:00 | Iliff School of Theology, 2323 East Iliff Avenue, Denver, CO, 80210, United States
Join us for an impactful session of the “We Advocate Freedom!” Teach-In Series, hosted by Iliff President, Dr. Lee H. Butler, Jr., as we welcome Dr. Rami Nashashibi for a compelling discussion on Freedom is a Constant Struggle: Ferguson, Palestine, and the Foundations of a Movement by renowned activist and scholar, Angela Davis. This is part one of a two part conversation. Save the date for December 4 at 6pm when Presiedent Butler will discuss the same book with Rabbi Joe Black.
Angela Davis’s Freedom is a Constant Struggle challenges us to examine connections between global movements for justice and the shared struggles for freedom and human rights. This text initiates a generative dialogue for understanding systemic oppression, resistance, and solidarity across borders.
Our guest, Dr. Rami Nashashibi, brings a wealth of insight to this discussion. Dr. Nashashibi is a MacArthur Fellow and the founder of the Inner-City Muslim Action Network (IMAN), an organization dedicated to healing and justice on Chicago’s South Side and Atlanta’s west end. Known for his bridge-building efforts across racial, religious, and socioeconomic lines, Dr. Nashashibi has made a profound impact on community organizing and social transformation. He also brings an artistic perspective as a musician and advocate for initiatives like Cariol’s Law, a police accountability measure in Buffalo, NY. Together, we’ll explore themes of resilience, solidarity, and collective action, as Dr. Nashashibi and President Butler examine the pressing questions raised in Davis’s work. This teach-in will be a hybrid event, with options to join in person at Iliff or remotely via Zoom.
Session 5: (Part 1) Book Discussion: Angela Davis, Freedom is a Constant Struggle: Ferguson, Palestine, and the Foundations of a Movement
November 7, 2024 6:00 pm MST – Refreshments & Registration at Iliff / Zoom room opens 6:30-8:00 pm MST – Teach-in Facilitator: Lee Butler Guest Speaker: Rami Nashashibi
In-person at Iliff and on Zoom
Can’t attend in person? Register to join on Zoom!
Don’t miss this chance to engage in a conversation that transcends boundaries and addresses the foundations of movement-building and justice in today’s world. Reserve your spot now for an evening of reflection, discussion, and inspiration.

Pulpit+ Exchange: AI and the intersection of Theology, Religion and Race
2024-10-23 17:00 - 19:00 | Iliff School of Theology, 2323 East Iliff Avenue, Denver, CO, 80210, United States
October 2024 // “AI and the intersection of Theology, Religion, and Race”
with
Rev. Dr. Andy Dunning, Senior Pastor of University Park UMC
&
Dr. Philip Butler, Assistant Professor of Theology, Black Posthuman Artificial Intelligence Systems, Iliff School of Theology

About the Evening’s Lecture
Join us for “Pulpit+ Exchange: AI and the Intersection of Theology, Religion, and Race,” a thought-provoking conversation between Rev. Dr. Andy Dunning, Senior Pastor of University Park UMC, and Dr. Philip Butler, Assistant Professor of Theology and expert in Black posthuman artificial intelligence systems. This event will explore the evolving relationship between technology, spirituality, and race, with a focus on AI’s impact on religious thought and practice. Engage with these two distinguished scholars as they discuss the ethical, theological, and social dimensions of AI in shaping our future.
Register HERE.

About Pulpit+ Exchange
Iliff’s Pulpit+ Exchange Series (supported by the Pathways for Tomorrow Initiative from Lilly Endowment Inc.) provides space for a diverse array of ordained clergy and lay leaders to gather for a meal and grapple with challenging issues. One of the main goals of the Pulpit+ Exchange is to build congregations of people who will authentically study, worship, walk, and act together across differences to create a just and equitable world.
About the Evening’s Agenda
Join other clergy and lay leaders for a light meal from 5:00 pm to 5:30 pm (MST). The lecture will begin at 5:30 pm. An opportunity to ask Dr. Lee questions and engage in discussions with colleagues will follow.
The Evening’s Lecturers
Rev. Dr. Andy Dunning
Senior Pastor of University Park UMC

Rev. Dr. Andy Dunning is the Senior Pastor at University Park United Methodist Church, located near the University of Denver. With over three decades of experience, Andy has served United Methodist churches throughout Colorado and has extensive expertise in nonprofit leadership, strategic planning, and community development. He holds a Ph.D. from Southern Methodist University, an M.Div. from Iliff School of Theology, and a B.A. from the University of Redlands.In addition to his pastoral leadership, Andy has played a key role in initiatives focused on domestic violence prevention, poverty alleviation, and faith-based community engagement. His work in the nonprofit sector has included roles in project management, fundraising, and strategic direction for various organizations. Andy’s commitment to thoughtful leadership and community-focused service continues to guide his efforts at University Park UMC and beyond.
Dr. Philip Butler
Assistant Professor of Theology, Black Posthuman Artificial Intelligence Systems
Iliff School of Theology

Philip Butler is an international scholar whose work primarily focuses on the intersections of neuroscience, technology, spirituality and Blackness. He uses the wisdom of these spaces to engage in critical and constructive analysis on Black posthumanism, artificial intelligence and pluriversal future realities. He is also the founder of the Seekr Project, a distinctly Black conversational artificial intelligence with mental health capacities. Philip has theorized artificial cognitive architectures for synthetic evolving life forms (SELF), presented on emotionally regulating and spiritual experience inducing brain computer interfaces, and has constructed block chain protocols and conceptual logistics infrastructures for a world leader in the industrial hemp space.
Dr. Butler is Partner Director of Iliff’s AI Institute where he leads the 8020 project, where the institute works to change how computers see people, relate to culturally iterative languages and build the bones for a data ownership model that hopefully creates a relational framework for the way AI is made around the globe.
He is also the author of Black Transhuman Liberation Theology: Spirituality and Technology and most recently the editor of Critical Black Futures: Speculative Theories and Explorations. He has published in journals such as The Black Scholar, Journal of Posthuman Studies and the Journal of Future Studies. He is currently working on his second monograph Still Black Posthuman: A Theory of Uncertainty and Disorder.

Showing Up & Showing Out
2024-10-22 18:00 - 19:30 | Iliff School of Theology, 2323 East Iliff Avenue, Denver, CO, 80210, United States
Showing Up & Building Out!
A night of student stories and action to build inclusive leadership in local politics

Be inspired. Gain fresh perspectives, motivation, and a renewed sense of purpose as we round out this election year.

Deepen bonds with a vibrant community of current learners. Connect with current students who share your passions.

Show your support.Become a contributor and thought leader in our work.

Tuesday, October 22, 20246:00 – 7:30 p.m.Iliff School of Theology, Bartlet Hall

Register Now

I can’t attend, but want to support

To learn more about the Institute for Religion, Politics, and Culture, CLICK HERE.

Imagine

What does it look like to support LGBTQ young people in rural and suburban communities? Ten Iliff students showed up for two weeks in July to find out. Join us on the evening of October 22nd to hear their stories and learn about how to support the next leg of their journey.

Influence

Remember the time when school Board meetings were boring? Unfortunately, this hasn’t been the case as ideological debates over gender and sexuality devolve into bathroom restrictions, sports bans for trans kids, and “don’t say gay” bills that evoke fear, anger, frustration, and sometimes violence. Learn how Ilff is leading in these issues.

Include

Religious organizations and leaders have the opportunity to engage and ensure LGBTQ+ inclusion, especially in small towns, is part of the Colorado fabric. Come and hear about Iliff’s work in rural and suburban Colorado, where Iliff students learned with local community stakeholders, including LGBTQ+ people, churches and religious communities, school board members, and local government officials.

Impact

Impact: Students came away from the transformative experience with new skills, insights, and inspiration to “show up” in the name of inclusive leadership. Can you “show-up” for them as well?

Inspire

Support students as they share what they have learned with national advocates and public leaders at a convening set for Spring 2025. All donations received during the gathering and until Dec 31, will be matched 2:1 by the Carpenter Foundation. We need your help to make it happen!

Looking forward to you joining us!

Register Now

The Rise in Christian Nationalism
2024-10-17 16:00 - 18:00 | Iliff School of Theology, 2323 East Iliff Avenue, Denver, CO, 80210, United States
The Rise in Christian Nationalism
WITH Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush,
President & CEO of Interfaith Alliance
October 17, 2024
4-6PM
Shattuck Hall
REGISTER HERE
Join us for an interfaith, in-depth analysis of how Christian nationalism has evolved and its implications on our world, led by Interfaith Alliance national CEO, Rev. Paul Raushenbush, with an introduction from Interfaith Alliance of Colorado CEO, Shara Smith.
Speakers

Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush is an ordained Baptist minister and longtime leader in the interfaith movement working to protect an inclusive vision of religious freedom for people of all faiths and none.
Shara Smith is the CEO of the Interfaith Alliance of Colorado. She is a highly experienced nonprofit leader and is a specialist in faith-based social justice initiatives.

Renewal: Looking into The Future // The Future of Democracy
2024-10-16 12:00 - 13:30 | CO
October Renewal Session | The Future of Democracy
Wednesday, Oct 16th
12 Noon to 1:30 pm MST
Panel Discussion
Register HERE.
Registration Fee: $5 | Free for all students and Iliff faculty and staff
An additional donation is welcome.
If the registration fee is a barrier to your attendance at the event, please reach out to alumni@iliff.edu.
Session Description
As we get closer to November and the 2024 Presidential election, many questions weigh on the minds of communities in the United States. Who will be leading our country in a matter of months? What changes will happen, and who will be most affected? What is our democracy going to look like after this election, or a year from now, or a decade from now?
For our October Renewal session, we are asking three expert panelists what they think the future of democracy will look like and how we can work toward ensuring that future is one of increasing justice and equity. Join us on Wednesday, October 16th for “The Future of Democracy.”
Series Description
We are always considering the future. As individuals, as members of groups, as citizens, we are often asking, What will tomorrow bring? How will our world, our country, our institutions look in the coming years? And how can we shape that future to make it better? In the midst of so many uncertainties, this Renewal season will focus on the question of what is coming next and how we can work for a better future. We will discuss topics ranging from artificial intelligence to religious institutions to politics and government. What can we expect as we watch these spaces change over the weeks, months and years, and what can we do? Join us for the 2024-2025 Renewal season as we learn about what tomorrow may hold and what we can do to enact justice today.

Panelists
Nicole Hensel
Nicole Hensel is the executive director of New Era Colorado, a nonpartisan grassroots nonprofit that leads the nation in turning out and engaging young people in the political process. Founded in 2006, New Era is the nation’s premiere youth organizing groups in the country. They have registered over 250,000 young people to vote and turn their members out at rates as high as 86 percent in the 2020 election. Nicole was previously a teacher and education policy expert before coming into community organizing and politics.
Daniel Ramos
Daniel Ramos is the Executive Director of a Colorado-based nonprofit focused on protecting democracy and expanding the civic engagement ecosystem in Colorado. Before taking on this role in 2020, he served as the Executive Director for One Colorado – the state’s leading advocacy organization for LGBTQ Coloradans and their families. Ramos is an active member of the Colorado community and has served on the Board of Directors for New Era Colorado, Community Shares and the Equality Federation, and as a Commissioner on the Colorado Supreme Court Nominating Commission. He currently serves on the LGBTQ Victory Fund Campaign Board, the Healthier Colorado Board, and as a Trustee for Colorado Mesa University and the Rose Community Foundation. Ramos is also an adjunct professor at the University of Denver, teaching courses on Public Policy & Advocacy and Community Engagement & Empowerment. As a first-generation college student, he received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Colorado Boulder and his Master of Public Administration from the University of Colorado School of Public Affairs.
Ian Silverii
Over the course of his 15 years in politics, Ian Silverii has played many roles in shaping and advancing the progressive movement in Colorado. Silverii proudly served as the Director of the Colorado House Majority Project and Chief of Staff to the Colorado House Democrats from 2014-2016, playing an instrumental role in building durable legislative majorities and securing the passage of key policy priorities including Colorado’s gold standard Vote by Mail and election laws. He went on to run ProgressNow Colorado, the state’s largest and most notorious progressive communications and advocacy organization. After five years at the helm of ProgressNow Colorado, Silverii started The Bighorn Company which serves clients across the country. Silverii has also taught at the Scrivner Institute of Public Policy at the University of Denver and co-hosts the weekly Colorado politics show, The Get More Smarter Podcast. His writing has appeared in The Colorado Springs Gazette, Colorado Politics, The Denver Post (where he was a resident columnist for 3 years), The Colorado Times Recorder, and the Harvard Law & Policy Review and he has appeared on MSNBC, 9News, The Denver Channel, KGNU, Colorado Public Radio, City Cast Denver, Rocky Mountain PBS and KDNK.
Moderator
Rev. Dr. Amanda Henderson
Rev. Dr. Amanda Henderson is the Director of the Institute for Religion, Politics, and Culture at the Iliff School of Theology, where she leads research exploring the relationship between religion and politics. With a focus on informing public leaders, the Institute works for transformative action rooted in deep understanding. Amanda has a Ph.D. in religion, politics, and rhetoric from the University of Denver, served for seven years as the Executive Director of The Interfaith Alliance of Colorado, and is ordained clergy in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). She is the author of “Holy Chaos, Creating Connections in Divisive Times” and hosts the Complexified podcast. Amanda lives in Littleton, Colorado, is a parent to three young adults, enjoys adventures with her husband, and finds joy running trails and growing things: dogs, chickens, gardens, and creative projects of all kinds.

"We Advocate Freedom!" Teach-In Series // Session 4
2024-10-10 | Iliff School of Theology, 2323 East Iliff Avenue, Denver, CO, 80210, United States
In these times of significant division and conflict, we bear the responsibility to find meaningful ways to engage in conversations about challenging and complex issues. Iliff is responding to the current moment with the “We Advocate Freedom!” Teach-in Series, a five-session series starting on Thursday, June 27th. This series aims to create a space where we can come together in-person and remotely to discuss and navigate these important topics together.
Session 4: UMC Social Principles and the Impact of Socially Responsible Investments
Wealth management requires focused and sustained attention to follow market trends and to determine the levels of risk one wants to engage in when managing one’s financial portfolio. Knowing where, when, and how to invest to achieve generational financial security is rarely a matter of choosing one company with a single product in which one buys stock. This session has been designed to present the fundamentals of investing and financial management. As a theological school of the United Methodist Church, we do not simply rely on our moral conscience when planning our investment strategies. We are guided by a policy of social principles that encourages us to do no harm. Guest speakers will review the fundamentals of endowments, investing, and social responsibility for managing our financial portfolio. After a time of presenting Trustees’ fiduciary responsibilities and accountabilities, our speakers will engage in Q&A.
In addition to the in-person event at Iliff, which you can register for using this link, attendees can participate via Zoom by registering at this link.
Date & Time

October 10, 2024
6:00 pm MST – Refreshments & Registration at Iliff / Zoom room opens
6:30-8:00 pm MST – Teach-in
In-person at Iliff, Shattuck Hall, and on Zoom

Facilitated By
Dr. Lee H. Butler, Jr.
Speakers
Barbara Boigegrain
Treasurer of the Iliff School of Theology Board of Trustees

Barbara Boigegrain serves as Treasurer of the Iliff School of Theology Board of Trustees. Before retirement, she served the United Methodist Church for 27 years as the CEO of Wespath Benefits & Investments, the nation’s largest faith-based pension and investment organization. As CEO and General Secretary of Wespath, Barbara oversaw all fiduciary services and administrative operations of the General Board, which has approximately $20 billion in assets under management. She set business and growth strategy, oversaw the implementation of the organization’s business plan and annual budget, and maintained the denominational and board of directors’ relationships. Prior to joining the General Board, Barbara enjoyed an 11-year consulting career with Towers Perrin (now Towers Watson), a global human resources management consulting firm. She established the company’s San Diego office in 1990 and managed a broad client base, including many of the area’s leading corporations and nonprofit organizations.
Meredith Wilson Parfet
Vice-Chairperson of the Iliff School of Theology Board of Trustees.
Meredith Wilson Parfet serves as Vice-Chairperson of the Iliff School of Theology Board of Trustees. An accomplished investor, entrepreneur, and philanthropist, she has nearly two decades of asset management and hedge fund experience, including acting as the Chief Operating Officer for two alternative investment funds. She also co-founded Denali Venture Philanthropy, an investment organization that funds entrepreneurs who are committed to social change. Meredith has led organizations of all sizes, from small start-ups to complex, global operations. Meredith holds an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management, an MA in Spiritual Care from the Iliff School of Theology, and a BA in Political Science from Northwestern University. She is a certified End of Life Doula as well as a practicing Hospice Chaplain.
Lucas Schoeppner
Manager, Wespath Benefits and Investments
Lucas Schoeppner is a manager at Wespath Benefits and Investments, the nation’s largest faith-based pension and investment organization. Wespath works in the service of the United Methodist Church. He manages the investment stewardship and engagement activities of Wespath. Along with Wespath subsidiaries’ investment programs, Lucas supports their efforts to integrate environmental, social and governance (ESG) risk consideration into the investment selection and decision-making process. Before Wespath, Lucas served as a director on the Catholic Responsible Investments team at Christian Brothers Investment Services. There, he was responsible for projects focused on quantitative ESG scoring models, screening and sub-adviser due diligence. Prior to Christian Brothers Investment Services, Lucas was sector manager and lead analyst of Sustainalytics’ oil and gas research. Lucas earned a B.A. in journalism from Northeastern University. In 2013, he was selected for the Fulbright “U.S. Young Journalists” research grant.

2024 Fall Gathering Days
2024-10-08 - 2024-10-12 | CO
Gathering Days is a quarterly event where all Iliff students come together on campus for a week of intensive, in-person classes. It’s a fantastic chance to finally meet face-to-face with your classmates and build on the connections from your hybrid courses. It’s a time for building relationships, diving deep into study, and having fun!
Students can visit the Iliff Students course in Canvas for details about lodging, food, accessibility and more!
https://iliff.instructure.com/courses/2220541

Pulpit+ Exchange: Introducing Africana Pastoral Theology
2024-09-30 17:00 - 19:00 | Iliff School of Theology, 2323 East Iliff Avenue, Denver, CO, 80210, United States
September 2024 // “Introducing Africana Pastoral Theology” with Rev. Dr. Lee H. Butler, Jr.
About the Evening’s Lecture
This lecture will introduce a new field approach called Africana pastoral theology. Pastoral theology frames the ministries that guide the care and cure of souls. It is grounded in the belief that God desires human beings to live in loving relationships. Typically divided into the three distinctive practices of pastoral care, pastoral counseling, and pastoral psychotherapy, pastoral theology guides the reflections that inform the practices. The reflection will overview Africana pastoral theology as a liberation theology framed by a resistance culture. Africana pastoral theology will be presented as a care and counseling approach to Black faith and life issues.
Register for event HERE.
About Pulpit+ Exchange
Iliff’s Pulpit+ Exchange Series (supported by the Pathways for Tomorrow Initiative from Lilly Endowment Inc.) provides space for a diverse array of ordained clergy and lay leaders to gather for a meal and grapple with challenging issues. One of the main goals of the Pulpit+ Exchange is to build congregations of people who will authentically study, worship, walk, and act together across differences to create a just and equitable world.
About the Evening’s Agenda
Join other clergy and lay leaders for a light meal from 5:00 pm to 5:30 pm (MST). The lecture will begin at 5:30 pm. An opportunity to ask Dr. Lee questions and engage in discussions with colleagues will follow.
About the Evening’s Lecturer – Rev. Dr. Lee Butler, Jr.
Born in Central Pennsylvania, the Rev. Dr. Lee H. Butler, Jr. is a lifelong Baptist and a first-generation beneficiary of the Post-Civil and Human Rights struggle in the United States.
Dr. Butler comes to Iliff School of Theology from Phillips Theological Seminary where he served as the Vice-President of Academic Affairs and Academic Dean, and the William Tabbernee Professor of the History of Religions and Africana Pastoral Theology since July 1, 2020. He is the first African American tenured full professor and the first person of color to hold the office of VPAA and Academic Dean and serve as Acting President at Phillips. As VPAA, his responsibilities included oversight and supervision of the Associate Dean, Registrar, Recruitment, Admissions and Financial Aid, Director of Theological Field Education, Director of the Doctor of Ministry Program, Director of Black Church Traditions Program, Dean of the Chapel, Faculty, and Dean of the Library.
During the shelter-in-place phase of the pandemic, he launched a COVID-19 task force, “The Living Together Task Force,” to establish protocols for reopening the seminary for on-campus classes and welcoming the larger community. He designed 2021 virtual annual ministry conference to focus on terror and violence against Native Americans and African Americans. Whereas 2021 was the centennial anniversary of the Tulsa Race Massacre, he developed programming to commemorate the event. He organized book talks, lectures, a Tulsa Race Massacre course taught by a visiting scholar, facilitated acclaimed artists performances, including Emmy Award winning actor, Mr. Keith David, who on two occasions performed selections from God’s Trombones, invited the President and Executive Director of the Children’s Defense Fund to give an address, and facilitated Mr. John W. Franklin, son of renowned historian, the late Dr. John Hope Franklin, to receive an honorary doctorate at the May 2021 Commencement. To invite an intercultural community to the work of critical race conversations, he inaugurated the Tulsa Race Massacre Lectureship creating a public forum on the dynamic history of the massacre and the lessons to be learned. In November 2022, he organized a Native American Heritage Month event to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the book God Is Red, by the late Vine Deloria, Jr. The evening included a greeting and brief reflection from Dr. Philip Deloria, son of Vine. Dr. Tink Tinker was present as the elder at the roundtable. He was also instrumental in bringing art exhibitions by acclaimed artists, Benjamin Harjo, Jr. (Absentee Shawnee-Seminole), Harvey Johnson (visual poet), John Biggers, Delita Martin (visual storyteller), and Kermit Oliver.
Before Phillips, he was the Distinguished Service Professor of Theology and Psychology at Chicago Theological Seminary (CTS). He joined the CTS faculty as assistant professor of theology and psychology in 1996. In 2006, he was promoted to the rank of full professor and became the first African American to achieve this rank at CTS. In 2017, he was installed in his endowed academic chair. He was a former director of the CTS Master of Divinity program, a former Acting Vice-President for Academic Affairs and Academic Dean, and the founder of the Center for the Study of Black Faith and Life at CTS. Through the work of the Center, he established the C. Shelby Rooks Lectureship as a tribute to the first African American to become president of a predominantly European American seminary and hosted the “Sisters with Sons in the Wilderness Roundtable,” a first of its kind major conference that gathered womanists and womanist collaborators to discuss the escalation of unarmed Black people killed in America. A LGBTQIA+ ally, he has served a mentor, advisor, colleague, and collaborator related to theological education and gender justice. He has facilitated and led study tours to Bahia, Brazil; to Ghana, West Africa; and to South Africa. In 2018, he gave a series of pastoral theology lectures in Seoul, South Korea at a professional counseling conference and four theological universities (Presbyterian Theological University, Methodist Theological University, Hanshin University, and Seoul Theological University).
Prior to his joining the faculty of Chicago Seminary, he was assistant professor of pastoral theology at Lancaster Theological Seminary from 1992-1996. An ordained minister of the American Baptist Churches in the USA since 1988, his professional development includes experience in pastoral ministry, chaplaincy, pastoral counseling, denominational and seminary administration.
Dr. Butler is a past president of the Society for the Study of Black Religion, a member of the American Academy of Religion, the Society for Pastoral Theology, the Institute for Signifying Scriptures, Society for Process Consulting, the Association of Black Psychologists, and a Board Member of the John Hope Franklin Center for Reconciliation.
He is an active publishing scholar. He is the co-editor of The Edward Wimberly Reader: A Black Pastoral Theology (Baylor University Press, 2020); author of Listen, My Son: Wisdom to Help African American Fathers (Abingdon Press, 2010), Liberating Our Dignity, Saving Our Souls (Chalice Press, 2006), A Loving Home: Caring for African American Marriage and Families (Pilgrim Press, 2000), and numerous articles published in many books and professional journals on the subject of pastoral care and pastoral psychology.
Dr. Butler received his PhD and Master of Philosophy in Psychology and Religion from Drew University. He holds a Master of Theology in Pastoral Theology from Princeton Theological Seminary, a Master of Divinity with a concentration in Pastoral Care and Counseling from Eastern Baptist Theological Seminary (now Palmer Theological Seminary), and a BA in Religion from Bucknell University.

"We Advocate Freedom!" Teach-In Series // Session 3
2024-09-26 | Iliff School of Theology, 2323 East Iliff Avenue, Denver, CO, 80210, United States
Session 3: Spirited and Spiritual Resistance: Community Chaplaincy and Religious Leadership

Series DescriptionIn these times of significant division and conflict, we bear the responsibility to find meaningful ways to engage in conversations about challenging and complex issues. Iliff is responding to the current moment with the “We Advocate Freedom!” Teach-in Series, a five-session series starting on Thursday, June 27th. This series aims to create a space where we can come together in-person and remotely to discuss and navigate these important topics together.
Session DescriptionChaplains are interfaith/interreligious leaders who work to support human dignity and advocate spiritual integrity within institutional and community settings. This session will bring together spiritual leaders and chaplains to discuss the challenges of navigating entrenched, complicated issues that provoke individual and collective disintegration. The conversation will invite reflections on topics like the spirituality of violence and the spirituality of resistance. With commitments to ending isolation while being sensitive to the dynamics of moral injury, chaplains mediate across religious differences and advocate commonality.
In addition to the in-person event at Iliff, attendees can participate via Zoom by registering at the link below:
ZOOM WEBINAR LINK

September 26, 2024
6:00 pm MST – Refreshments at Iliff / Zoom room opens6:30-8:00 pm MST – Teach-in Roundtable Discussion
Facilitated ByDr. Lee H. Butler, Jr.
Speakers
Chaplain Leenah SafiAssistant Muslim Chaplain, Yale University
Rabbi Stephen Booth-NadavChaplain
Rev. Dr. Zachary MoonProfessor of Theology & Psychology, Chicago Theological Seminary

Speaker Information

Chaplain Leenah Safi
Assistant Muslim Chaplain, Yale University

Chaplain Leenah Safi is an Assistant Muslim Chaplain at Yale University. She joined the Yale Chaplain’s Office after previously serving as a chaplain at the University of Michigan and Wayne State University with a non-profit organization serving the Muslim community. Chaplain Safi is a Muslima with a passion for interreligious and interfaith theological reflection. Chaplain Safi has both hospital and university chaplaincy experience. Her guild work involves her in the Society for Pastoral Theology, the Association of Muslim Chaplains, and the Moral Injury and Recovery unit of the American Academy of Religion.
She is a graduate of Zaytuna College with a B.A. in Islamic Law and Theology. She earned a MDiv with an emphasis in Interreligious Engagement and Chaplaincy from Chicago Theological Seminary. She is now a PhD/ABD in Practical Theology at Chicago Theological Seminary. Within her doctoral studies, she is focused on developing a Muslim practical theology to inform the work of chaplaincy for Muslims and interfaith spiritual care providers. When writing Chaplain Safi is inspired by the angelic voice of Ella Fitzgerald and listens carefully when Toni Morrison (and when mothers more generally) speak and educate. She is renewed by conversations about the meaning(s) of life, having the opportunity to hear people talk about those they love, and the consumption of coffee prepared every which way. Her dissertation project is entitled “Sh?r?: A Practice of Relational Care in the Formation of Muslim Selves.”

Rev. Dr. Zachary Moon
Professor of Theology & Psychology,Chicago Theological Seminary

Professor Moon is Professor of Theology and Psychology at Chicago Theological Seminary. A leading voice in the study of moral injury and moral distress, he publishes and consults widely on the topic, especially with the military. His broader research interests include pastoral and practical theologies, psychology, and trauma studies. He is the author of four books, Coming Home: Ministries That Matter with Veterans and Military Families (Chalice Press, 2015), Warriors between Worlds: Moral Injury and Identities in Crisis (Lexington Books, 2019), Goatwalking: A Quaker Pastoral Theology (Brill, 2021), and Doing Theology in Pandemics: Facing Viruses, Violence, and Vitriol (Pickwick, 2022). His articles have been published in the Journal for Pastoral Theology, Journal of Pastoral Care and Counseling, Journal of Religious Education, Journal of Pastoral Psychology, International Journal of Narrative Therapy and Community Work, Christian Century, Christianity Today, Huffington Post, Religion Dispatches, among others. He has served as a chaplain in multiple contexts, including having served as a chaplain in the US Navy assigned to the Marines. He specializes in working with military veterans and their families, training faith communities in post-deployment reentry and reintegration, and building sustainable social movements for justice through holistic compassionate care. Moon is a graduate of the Iliff-DU Joint PhD program. He was raised in the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) and is currently ordained in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).

Rabbi Stephen Booth-Nadav
Chaplain

Rabbi Steve served as a congregational rabbi for 14yrs, where he especially enjoyed facilitating hundreds of life cycle events from birth to death. He was trained as a Jewish Mindfulness Teacher by a Mindfulness Leadership Training program for Rabbis, and by the Institute for Jewish Spirituality. He is a trained Jewish Wilderness Spirituality Guide and a “Death Educator” for The Jewish Association for Death Education. He directs The Multifaith Leadership Forum of Metro Denver. He has been the chaplain at Kavod Senior Life for twelve years. Kavod is a “Jewishly Hosted Multifaith Affordable Housing Community for Seniors.” It is an amazingly rich and diverse community of over 400 people with many stories and wisdom to share.
Rabbi Steve is a 1992 graduate of the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College in Philadelphia. He is a former board member of the Reconstructionist Rabbinical Assn. and is also a founding member of Ohalah: The Alliance of Rabbis for Jewish Renewal. As a seminary student living in Jerusalem during the first intifada (1987-88), Rabbi Steve embraced two “adopted families.” One Jewish family who immigrated from South Africa in the 1950’s, and there raised three children; the other a family from the lower Galilee, Palestinian Citizens of Israel. Their two oldest daughters are his “God-daughters.” One works for Al Jazeera. The other, Nura, is married with two lovely children and teaches English in the village of Tarshiha, six miles from the Lebanon border.

Session 4 • October 10, 2024

UMC Social Principles and the Impact of Socially Responsible Investments

Session 5 • November 7, 2024

Book Discussion: Angela Davis, Freedom is a Constant Struggle: Ferguson, Palestine, and the Foundations of a Movement

Everding Lecture: Reclaiming the Jewishness of Jesus
2024-09-23 19:00 - 20:30 | Iliff School of Theology, 2323 East Iliff Avenue, Denver, CO, 80210, United States
Reclaiming the Jewishness of Jesus: Implications for Jewish-Christian Relations
Join Iliff School of Theology and St. John’s Cathedral Denver for the 2024 Everding Lectureship featuring Adam Gregerman, Ph.D., Professor of Jewish Studies, Dept. of Theology and Religious Studies & Associate Director, Institute for Jewish-Catholic Relations, Saint Joseph’s University in Philadelphia.
Livestream Link: https://www.youtube.com/live/t5Y5B3u6HSY
Dr. Gregerman teaches Jewish Studies at Saint Joseph’s University, a Jesuit school, and is a scholar of Jewish-Christian relations. He focuses on Christian theologies of Judaism in diverse settings, from antiquity to the present, and has a commitment to continuing the slow process of rapprochement between these long-estranged traditions that began only half a century ago. Like Iliff’s respected Professor Pamela Eisenbaum, Dr. Gregerman studies the New Testament (he is a contributor to The Jewish Annotated New Testament) and later Christian writings on Jews and Judaism, covering topics such as mission and conversion, theologies of the land of Israel, and covenant. His many papers can be accessed here: https://sju.academia.edu/AdamGregerman.
The Everding Lectureship has been generously sponsored each year by the late Lee Everding in honor of Iliff’s first Dean of the Faculty, Dr. Ed Everding. It is our pleasure to continue her legacy so that the public may hear from scholars who explore the many dimensions of interfaith relationships between major traditions, particularly those that trace their roots to the patriarch Abraham

Renewal History and Memory // The Future of AI
2024-09-18 12:00 - 13:30 | CO
Session Description
Artificial intelligence has already changed our lives in innumerable ways. From detecting wildfires to providing language translation to making classroom learning more effective, AI has become integral to many processes and systems. But AI has also brought many new anxieties. What effect will AI have on the job market, on law enforcement, on our children and our future? For our first Renewal session of the 2024-25 academic year, Dr. Ted Vial will talk about the possible future of AI and how we can be part of the efforts to make sure AI is used ethically and responsibly.
Series Description
This year, our Renewal sessions will focus on History and Memory. How can we remember well in a time when it seems history is repeating itself, when we are fighting the same fights for justice over and over again? How can we learn from history and avoid making the same mistakes? How do we remember as a community, and how do we prepare a legacy that is worth remembering? During this year’s Renewal series, we will delve into topics ranging from national memory and how we hold onto history in good and bad ways, to how we remember one another and how we want to be remembered.
Register HERE.
Speaker Bio
Dr. Ted Vial
Potthoff Professor of Theology & Modern Western Religious Thought, Iliff School of Theology
Vice President of Innovation, Learning, and Institutional Research
Ted Vial is the Potthoff Professor of Theology and Modern Western Religious Thought at the Iliff School of Theology, and Vice President of Innovation, Learning, and Institutional Research. His current research is in two areas: The interaction of Artificial Intelligence and humans, and the construction of Judaism and gender in the modern world. His B.A. is from Brown University and both M.A. and Ph. D. from The University of Chicago. Vial has served as the Chair of the Publications Committee, American Academy of Religion, Chair of the AAR task force on the future of publishing, and Chair of the task force on evaluation digital scholarship. He is currently on the steering committee of the Artificial Intelligence and Religion Seminar.
The Renewal Conference is Iliff’s annual community gathering to share our work, hear timely messages from a variety of experts, and spend time in fellowship.
This year, our Renewal sessions focus on Looking to the Future.
We are always considering the future. As individuals, as members of groups, as citizens, we are often asking, What will tomorrow bring? How will our world, our country, our institutions look in the coming years? And how can we shape that future to make it better?
In the midst of so many uncertainties, this Renewal season will focus on the question of what is coming next and how we can work for a better future. We will discuss topics ranging from artificial intelligence to religious institutions to politics and government. What can we expect as we watch these spaces change over the weeks, months and years, and what can we do? Join us for the 2024-2025 Renewal season as we learn about what tomorrow may hold and what we can do to enact justice today.

"We Advocate Freedom!" Teach-In Series // Session 2
2024-09-12 18:00 - 20:00 | Iliff School of Theology, 2323 East Iliff Avenue, Denver, CO, 80210, United States
Session 2: Why does this feel so complicated?: Protests, Cease-fire, and Two-States

During the Spring of 2024, numerous college and university campuses became hubs of protest, with various calls for freedom and justice for Palestine. Demonstrators urged for economic pressure on Israel and a statement calling for a ceasefire. Today, we are also witnessing large Israeli protests calling for agreements to release the remaining hostages. This session aims to foster discussion that considers the complex dynamics of Israel-Palestine by exploring the diverse histories, theologies, and experiences that influence positions that create impasse. As a community of learners, we will engage with experts in political and biblical history and social strategy to examine a spectrum of dynamics associated with protests, ceasefire, and the two-states proposal.

September 12, 2024
6:00 pm MST – Refreshments & Registration at Iliff / Zoom room opens
6:30-8:00 pm MST – Teach-in
In-person at Iliff and on Zoom
Format: Roundtable

Register in person HERE.In addition to the in-person event at Iliff, attendees can participate via Zoom by registering at this link
Facilitator: Rev. Dr. Amanda Henderson
SpeakersDr. Karim Mattar Scott Wasserman Dr. Mark George
Series Overview
In these times of significant division and conflict, we bear the responsibility to find meaningful ways to engage in conversations about challenging and complex issues. Iliff is responding to the current moment with the “We Advocate Freedom!” Teach-in Series, a five-session series starting on Thursday, June 27th. This series aims to create a space where we can come together in-person and remotely to discuss and navigate these important topics together.

Speaker Bios

Karim MattarAssociate Professor of EnglishUniversity of Colorado at Boulder
Karim Mattar is an Associate Professor of English at the University of Colorado at Boulder. A descendant of survivors of the Palestinian Nakba of 1948, he works at the intersection of Palestine studies, the humanities, and higher education. He is currently at work on two book projects, titled The Ethics of Affiliation and Reflections on Palestine: Exile, Privilege, Responsibility. Also a dedicated community organizer, Karim works at the local, state, and national levels to enhance public awareness and understanding of Palestinian literature, history, and politics and to advocate for free speech and academic freedom in the Palestinian case. Karim received his D.Phil. in English at the University of Oxford in 2013, and writes and teaches more broadly on comparative Middle Eastern literatures and cultures, the history of the novel, media and technology, and critical theory.

Scott Wasserman Political Strategist
Over 10 years of experience in policy craft and public affairs, managing complex campaigns focused on strategic positioning and real world outcomes for the people I represent. Focused on new ideas and solutions that transcend the stubborn barriers of the past.
Strategy: Immediate understanding of climate, context, and sensitivities inside and outside the organization. A valuable and experienced grasp of the multiple disciplines that make a successful campaign.
Communication: Excellent spokesperson and writer. Experienced at jumpstarting and facilitating dialogue, both within the media and behind the scenes. A knack for creative, tasteful, and effective communication over any medium.
Management: Proven ability to manage multi-million dollar budgets and comfortable with the responsibility that comes with raising and spending resources. Experienced manager of people, resources, vendors, and organizational structures.
Relationships: An earned reputation for trust, integrity, and accountability.
Specialties: strategic leadership, communication, public affairs, government relations, political campaign

Dr. Mark George Professor of Bible and Ancient Systems of Thought
Mark K. George is Professor of Bible and Ancient Systems of Thought and Director of the University of Denver/Iliff School of Theology Joint PhD Program in the Study of Religion. He works primarily with the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament and, within that corpus, the Pentateuch and narrative texts. The focus of his work is ancient systems of thought operating within this literature and the societies that produced it, whether they be social systems and structures expressed through the practices and conceptions of space, or how they make possible specific ways for individuals and communities to conduct their lives.
George teaches courses on the Bible. These include critical studies of specific books, such as Deuteronomy, and examinations of larger issues, such as The Bible and Contemporary Issues or The Bible in the Digital Age. Fundamental to his teaching is the conviction that each generation must find new ways to make the Bible relevant for themselves. This is especially important as we live through the current digital revolution. His publications include books, encyclopedia entries, scholarly articles, and occasional pieces in publications including The Conversation. His current book project, Conduct Becoming Israel: Deuteronomy’s Subject and the Creation of “Israel,” is an analysis of how Deuteronomy presents an idealized system for becoming Israel.
A member of both the Society of Biblical Literature and American Academy of Religion, George regularly presents his work in the US and internationally. He frequently speaks and makes presentations to local organizations and religious communities, including at Denver’s Brew Theology gatherings.

Fall Quarter Begins
2024-09-09 | CO

"We Advocate Freedom!" Teach-In Series // Session 1
2024-06-27 18:00 - 20:00 | Iliff School of Theology, 2323 East Iliff Avenue, Denver, CO, 80210, United States
Session 1: Strategies Toward Effective Social Change: Personal and Institutional Commitments
This 1st in a series of 5 sessions will invite dialogue on the multiple paths advocates for change can work within or outside dominant systems to advocate inclusion and freedom. We will hear from veteran leaders and have the opportunity to wrestle with the moral, ethical, and spiritual realities of advocacy on complex and uncertain issues. The conversation will explore the issues of protest and consequences; non-violent and violent resistance; community organizing, and internal/external approaches.
Register in person HERE.
In addition to the in-person event at Iliff, attendees can participate via Zoom by registering at this link.
When: Jun 27, 2024
6:00 pm MST Refreshments & Registration at Iliff / Zoom room opens
6:30-8:00 pm MST Teach-in
Facilitator: President Lee H. Butler, Jr.
Speakers:
Dr Teresa Smallwood
Dr. Kristina Lizardy-Hajbi
Bro. Daniel Klawitter
Session 2: US Political Leaders Conversations on Israel-Palestine: Protests, Cease-fire, and Two-States
When: September 12, 2024
Session 3: Spirited and Spiritual Resistance: Community Chaplaincy and Religious Leadership
When: September 26, 2024
Session 4: UMC Social Principles and the Impact of Socially Responsible Investments
When: October 10, 2024
Session 5: Book Discussion: Angela Davis, Freedom is a Constant Struggle: Ferguson, Palestine, and the Foundations of a Movement
When: November 7, 2024

TIER Summer Courses
2024-06-10 - 2024-09-02 | CO
Graduate Theological Education for Everyday People
Iliff School of Theology has offered graduate level education for more than 125 years through a range of degree programs. Now, through TIER, Iliff is bringing its unique approach to theological education to the public with a series of summer courses that offer our world-class teaching outside of a traditional degree program.
TIER is designed for people considering a graduate degree, people in ministry and community leadership who want to dive deeper into study, or anyone who is ready to transform their understanding of religion and spirituality. TIER allows you to innovate your approach to your life’s biggest challenges and to realize the truths that matter most to you.

The TIER Learning Experience

Fully online, 3-week intensives
Build your study into your weekly schedule

Summer 2024 Course Dates
June 10th – September 2nd
Register for Courses

Value Incentives
All students who successfully complete a TIER course receive a microcredential badge through Credly which can be placed on your LinkedIn or other social profiles.
Clergy who complete a TIER course receive 3 CEU’s.

What to Expect:

Weekly engagement from the instructor

Graduate-level readings

Video and/or other media

Weekly discussions with classmates in an online discussion board

1 culminating assignment to demonstrate what you have learned

Time Requirement:
Each course is designed to be a 30-hour course.
Students should set aside 10-hours per week for study, reflection, and engagement in discussion. The deeper you engage, the more you will get out of TIER classes.

Cost
Each TIER course costs $200.

Retirement of Professor Carrie Doehring, Ph.D. Celebration
2024-05-31 16:00 - 19:00 | Iliff School of Theology, 2323 East Iliff Avenue, Denver, CO, 80210, United States
You are invited to celebrate Professor Carrie Doehring’s retirement on Friday, May 31 at 4:00 pm, in the Chapel of Iliff School of Theology.
Livestream directly from Iliff’s homepage, iliff.edu.
Tributes celebrating Professor Doehring’s scholarship, leadership, teaching, and dissertation advising will be given by:

President Lee H. Butler, Jr.
Professor Emeritus Ken Pargament
Professor Kristina Lizardy-Hajbi
Professor Sandra Dixon
Dr. Kelly Arora and Rev. Jeff Zust

Choirmaster Tim Krueger will conduct a chamber choir singing choral works by Ola Gjeilo, Tim Krueger, Frank Ticheli, and Eric Whitacre.
A reception with light refreshments will follow.
Gifts of celebration may be made to the Larry Kent Graham Scholarship, established by Professors Larry Kent Graham, Carrie Doehring, and Professor Emerita Sheila Davaney. This scholarship is awarded to Masters and doctoral students whose scholarship and leadership focuses on moral injury.

RSVP for Celebration

Donate to Scholarship

Read Dr. Doehring's Bio

Commencement 2024
2024-05-31 09:00 - 11:00 | St. Andrew United Methodist Church, 9203 S. University Blvd., Highlands Ranch, CO, CO, 80126, United States
Join us on May 31, 2024 at St. Andrew United Methodist Church in Highlands Ranch, CO, as Rev. Joanne Rodríguez delivers remarks to the graduating class of 2024.

Honors Convocation 2024
2024-05-30 16:00 - 18:00 | Iliff School of Theology, 2323 East Iliff Avenue, Denver, CO, 80210, United States
Honors Convocation is on Thursday, May 30 at 4:00 pm at Iliff School of Theology in the Chapel, followed by a reception at 5:00 in Shattuck Hall.

Michelle Coltrane LIVE! Celebrating 2nd Annual Vincent Harding Day
2024-05-19 16:30 - 18:30 | Iliff School of Theology, 2323 East Iliff Avenue, Denver, CO, 80210, United States
2nd Annual Vincent Harding Day Celebration

Dr. Vincent Harding served for 23 years as Professor of Religion and Social Transformation at the Iliff School of Theology in Denver. He was much loved by his students, colleagues, and the community.
As a friend, advisor, and speechwriter to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Professor Harding penned the highly pivotal sermon “Beyond Vietnam” that was delivered by the civil rights icon at the Riverside Church in New York. On May 19th, 2024, Iliff School of Theology will host its second annual Vincent Harding Day Celebration, held on the anniversary of Dr. Harding’s passing.

Special Guest, Michelle Coltrane

Michelle Coltrane, daughter of Alice and John Coltrane, is a world-renown vocalist who serves as the Chief Creative Officer for The Coltrane Home, an organization dedicated to bringing music education and awareness while providing services and learning tools for young people and adults to help them develop a love and understanding of jazz and the Coltrane legacy.

Reserve your spot now!

Renewal History and Memory // How Hidden History Shapes the Future
2024-05-15 12:00 - 13:30 | CO
Session Description
Our history is always shaping our future, including–and perhaps especially–the stories that have been pushed aside and kept from the spotlight. How do we learn about buried and hidden history, and how do we work to remember the important stories that have been left out? For our final session of the History and Memory Renewal season, Fran Campbell, President and CEO of the Asian Chamber of Commerce (ACC), will share the history of several Asian American communities in Denver and how she and the ACC as a whole work to bring these stories to light and educate Coloradans about these important histories.
Series Description
This year, our Renewal sessions will focus on History and Memory. How can we remember well in a time when it seems history is repeating itself, when we are fighting the same fights for justice over and over again? How can we learn from history and avoid making the same mistakes? How do we remember as a community, and how do we prepare a legacy that is worth remembering? During this year’s Renewal series, we will delve into topics ranging from national memory and how we hold onto history in good and bad ways, to how we remember one another and how we want to be remembered.
Registration Link: https://interland3.donorperfect.net/weblink/weblink.aspx?name=E345509&id=105
Speaker Bio
Fran Campbell
Fran Campbell is a Denver native born to Filipino immigrants. She started her career as a Pediatric LPN and, before moving to the position of President/CEO of the Asian Chamber of Commerce, she was Sr. Clinical Support at Jefferson Center for Mental Health and a certified Mental Health First Aid Instructor.
Concurrently, for over 30 years, Fran was the Operating Co-Manager of Simsiman Family Enterprises, a minority owned small business in Denver. The business included a dry cleaning service; management of apartment property; and operation of a food truck/catering business.
Fran also served 14 years as a Denver Commissioner for both the Asian American Pacific Islander Commission and the Immigrant & Refugee Commission. As a DAAPIC Commissioner, she helped initiate the door-to-door discussions with business owners on South Federal; starting a dialogue between them and the Denver Urban Renewal Authority and the Office of Economic Development with the purpose of revitalizing this commercial retail area.
She has been an active leader in the Denver APIA community throughout her life. She voluntarily served as an elected Director and Officer of the Filipino-American Community of Colorado. She served on the Governors Asian Advisory Council; And she is currently on the Cultural Advisory Board of Heritage Camps for Adoptive Families; as well as a facilitator/coordinator at all nine of the Camps.
Fran was awarded the Denver Foundation Minoru Yasui Community Volunteer Award 2011; the Martin Luther King Social Responsibility Award 2014; and Asian American Hero / Asian Avenue Magazine 2015.

Women’s Alliance Event: Dying Well
2024-05-08 18:00 - 20:00 | Iliff School of Theology, 2323 East Iliff Avenue, Denver, CO, 80210, United States
A facilitated conversation about the physical, emotional and spiritual challenges that confront us as we face our own mortality and as we seek to support others as they approach the end of their lives. This conversation will focus on the intentional dying phase of our life journeys and explore issues of meaning making, legacy, and preparation for active dying. It will explore, as well, what spiritual and other caregivers bring to this process and the unique challenges to spiritual care in a diverse world.
We will explore these and related questions with the help of Dr. Kelly Arora, Dr. Carrie Doehring, Rev. Dr. Val Jackson, Beth Eliot, and Tonya Hunt. The session will offer an interactive portion, and participant questions will be invited.
If you do not have an existing Iliff parking permit or exception, please park in the visitor lot on the left as you drive north onto campus. There is a payment kiosk on the north side of the visitor lot. This is an in-person event only.
Registration Link: https://interland3.donorperfect.net/weblink/weblink.aspx?name=E345509&id=104

Moderator/Presenter Information

Dr. Kelly Arora
Kelly Arora, PhD is Assistant Professor in the Interprofessional Graduate Certificate and Master of Science in Palliative Care (MSPC) Programs at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. She is also the John Wesley Iliff Senior Adjunct Lecturer in Spiritual Care at Iliff School of Theology. Her book Spirituality and Meaning Making in Chronic Illness: How Spiritual Caregivers Can Help People Navigate Long-Term Health Conditions was published in 2020. Dr. Arora serves as President of the Board for Centus Counseling, Consulting & Education, and she maintains a private practice in spiritual direction.

Panelist Information

Dr. Carrie Doehring
Dr. Carrie Doehring, the Clifford Baldridge Professor of Pastoral Care and Counseling, has been on the faculty of Iliff School of Theology since 2003. She is ordained in the Presbyterian Church, USA. Her scholarship focuses on interreligious, socially just and research literate spiritual care of trauma, moral stress, and spiritual struggles.

Beth Elliot
Beth Elliot has a B.S. in Intercultural Communication and a Master’s in Interpersonal Communications. She is currently pursuing her Master of Divinity at Iliff School of Theology and seeking ordination in the Unitarian Universalist tradition. Beth currently serves as a contract minister at Prairie Church in Parker Colorado and is one of the founding members of the non-profit, ABQ FaithWorks Collaborative. She ran her own Death Doula business, Ease LLC, for over 8 years.

Rev. Dr. Val Jackson
Rev. Dr. Val Jackson is a visionary, prophetic faith and community leader; Womanist homiletician; author; and advocate for the sacred worth and potential of all human beings. She specializes in cross-racial and cross-cultural ministry and is an ordained elder in full connection in the United Methodist Church, ordained in 2018 in Ogden, Utah. She currently serves as the Senior Pastor at Park Hill United Methodist Church in Denver, CO.

Tonya Hunt
Tonya Hunt is currently the Director of Clinical Services for Berkley Palliative Care and Hospice. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree in 2004. Her nursing career has included Medical-Surgical care, Women’s and Children’s health, Hospital Case Management, and Hospice and Palliative Care. She earned her Master of Science in Nursing-Education degree in 2014. In May of 2024, she will be graduating with her Doctor of Nursing Practice degree. Her study focuses on improving three quality hospice indicators of pain, respiratory, and bowel management in end-of-life care.

Spring Gathering Days
2024-04-21 - 2024-04-26 | Iliff School of Theology, 2323 East Iliff Avenue, Denver, CO, 80210, United States

Renewal // Searching for Forgotten Stories
2024-04-17 12:00 - 13:30 | CO
Session Description
While some pieces of history may be forgotten accidentally, other stories of the past have been intentionally hidden. Histories of oppression are often pushed to the background in favor of stories that are more comfortable. But how can we build a better future when we are hiding the past? For our April Renewal Session, Dr. Loring Abeyta, Iliff’s John Wesley Iliff Senior Adjunct Lecturer in Religion and Society, will share about her work to bring to light a hidden piece of Iliff’s history, the Iliff Book. She will be joined by Iliff’s User Experience Librarian Ruben Figueroa and current Iliff MDiv student Bry Brannan who have helped to uncover the history of this object and the painful truth that was kept hidden for so long.
In preparation for this session, we suggest attendees view the Rocky Mountain PBS documentary episode, Colorado Voices: A New Chapter, which provides a brief history of the Iliff Book and further information about Iliff’s efforts in light of this revealed story.
Registration Link: https://interland3.donorperfect.net/weblink/weblink.aspx?name=E345509&id=103
Series Description
This year, our Renewal sessions will focus on History and Memory. How can we remember well in a time when it seems history is repeating itself, when we are fighting the same fights for justice over and over again? How can we learn from history and avoid making the same mistakes? How do we remember as a community, and how do we prepare a legacy that is worth remembering? During this year’s Renewal series, we will delve into topics ranging from national memory and how we hold onto history in good and bad ways, to how we remember one another and how we want to be remembered.
Speaker Bios
Dr. Loring Abeyta, Iliff’s John Wesley Iliff Senior Adjunct Lecturer in Religion and Society
Through her teaching and writing, Dr. Loring Abeyta has shared her expertise in critical race studies, critical security studies, environment and security, and her specialized research focus on worldview. For much of her career in education she regularly taught at the college and graduate school level, and was a head administrator for the interdisciplinary honors program at Colorado School of Mines. Recently Dr. Abeyta embarked on a new career path in elementary education for special needs students, particularly those impacted by autism. She has discovered the joy of teaching students who range in age, as she says, “from the cradle to the grave.” In addition, she has focused on improving how indigenous peoples and communities are included in K-12 public school curriculum. She has found all of her scholarly pursuits to be of deepening value in a world that is increasingly endangered by environmental disruptions that threaten our most vital natural resources, including water. In 2021, she published her chapter, “Worldviews, Water, and Justice: Sustainability in a Time of Scarcity” in the volume, Gonna Trouble the Water: Ecojustice, Water, and Environmental Racism. Dr. Abeyta’s current work is focused on the history of the “Iliff book,” a story that is told in the Rocky Mountain PBS Colorado Voices documentary, “A New Chapter.” She recently taught a course at Iliff on the history of the Iliff book, and continues her efforts to hold the Iliff School of Theology accountable as the institution reckons with its own historical injustices, especially toward Native peoples.
Bry Brannan, Iliff MDiv student
Bry Brannan is pursuing a Master of Divinity at Iliff and is active in the Iliff Reckoning Study Group (IRSG). IRSG is a student and alumni group focused on deepening the Iliff Book institutional reckoning efforts through archival research and oral history while simultaneously expanding decolonial/anti-Indigenous reckoning work to each of our own contexts. Bry is a faith community organizer focused on accompanying congregations to reckon with racism through learning the Land stories where their congregation is rooted. Iliff has prompted Bry to begin to examine the legacy and memories of their familial and religious ancestors through a framework of “radical genealogy.”

Society of Race, Ethnicity and Religion Biennial conference
2024-04-04 - 2024-04-07 | Iliff School of Theology, 2323 East Iliff Avenue, Denver, CO, 80210, United States
The Society of Race, Ethnicity and Religion will hold its biennial conference at Iliff! Confirmed speakers include Juan Floyd-Thomas, Tink Tinker, Deb Ortega, David Gushee, Boyung Lee and Mitri Raheb (Raheb will appear virtually). Miguel De La Torre will give the presidential address. Registration fee is waived for Iliff students, faculty and staff (although consider joining the Society for $50 to help underwrite expenses).
All Iliff staff, faculty, and students are welcome to attend for free.

Presidential Installation
2024-04-04 18:00 - 19:30 | New Hope Baptist Church, 3701 Colorado Blvd., Denver, CO, 80205, United States
The Board of Trustees
requests the honor of your presence to attend and participate in the Installation of
The Rev. Dr. Lee H. Butler, Jr.
as President of the Iliff School of Theology on Thursday, the fourth of April, 2024 at 7:00 p.m.
at New Hope Baptist Church
3701 Colorado Blvd., Denver, CO 80205
Festivities begin on Inauguration Eve,
Wednesday, the third of April, 2024 at 7:00 p.m.
with the
Celebration of a New Era of Leadership:An Artistic Evening,
at Iliff School of Theology
Please RSPV by emailing installation@iliff.edu.

Celebration of a New Era of Leadership: An Artistic Evening
2024-04-03 18:00 - 19:30 | Iliff School of Theology, 2323 East Iliff Avenue, Denver, CO, 80210, United States

March Pulpit+ Exchange: Adult Faith Formation Beyond the Church "Walls"
2024-03-18 17:00 - 19:00 | Iliff School of Theology, 2323 East Iliff Avenue, Denver, CO, 80210, United States
March 2024 // Pulpit+ Exchange with Rev. Dr. Boyung Lee
Adult Faith Formation Beyond the Church “Walls”
NEW! Livestream link: https://youtube.com/live/fzFYVeul8Uk?feature=share
About the Evening’s Lecture
Church educators often noted that traditionally, only about 10% of those attending Sunday services engaged in the church’s educational or formational activities. This group primarily consisted of dedicated, long-standing members and a significant proportion of retirees. Even before the Pandemic, there was a noticeable decline in this participation rate. The onset of the global Pandemic further exacerbated this trend, leading to increased pastor burnout and congregants seeking meaning both within and beyond the church’s walls. Dr. Boyung Lee, combining her expertise as a religious education scholar, practical theologian, ordained clergy, and clergy spouse, extends an invitation to delve into these existential challenges commonly faced by mainline churches. She aims to share insights from her research, which is enriched by her ministry experiences, with a particular emphasis on expanding adult faith formation beyond the church’s traditional programmatic boundaries.
About Pulpit+ Exchange
Iliff’s Pulpit+ Exchange Series (supported by the Pathways for Tomorrow Initiative from Lilly Endowment Inc.) provides space for a diverse array of ordained clergy and lay leaders to gather for a meal and grapple with challenging issues. One of the main goals of the Pulpit+ Exchange is to build congregations of people who will authentically study, worship, walk, and act together across differences to create a just and equitable world.
About the Evening’s Agenda
Join other clergy and lay leaders for a light meal from 5:00 pm to 5:30 pm (MST). The lecture will begin at 5:30 pm. An opportunity to ask Dr. Lee questions and engage in discussions with colleagues will follow.
About the Evening’s Lecturer
Rev. Dr. Lee has served as the Senior Vice President of Academic Affairs and Dean of the Faculty since July 2017. As a feminist communitarian practical theologian, her theological and scholarly pursuit is fueled by her commitment to social justice. She works hard to embody her commitment in her leadership and pedagogical practices. Before Iliff, Rev. Dr. Lee taught for 15 years at the Pacific School of Religion (PSR) and the Graduate Theological Union (GTU) in Berkeley, CA, where she became the first woman of color tenured faculty in 2007. Dr. Lee is also an ordained United Methodist elder who served churches in Korea and the United States.
Her current research projects include co-editing a Louisville Institute grant-funded book, Embodying Anti-Racism: Asian American Christianity and Feminist Theologies; investigating “Sexual Violence in Asian American Ethnoreligious Communities,” a Religion and Sexual Abuse project of the University of California, Riverside, funded by the Henry Luce Foundation.
She is the immediate past president of the Religious Education Association and the incoming board chair of PANAAWTM (Pacific, Asian, North American Asian Women in Theology and Ministry). She also serves as the co-chair of the Women and Religion Unit of the American Academy of Religion.
Representative courses include:

Women and Theologies from the Global South
D.Min. Proposal Seminar
Decolonizing Bible Studies: A Postcolonial Biblical Pedagogy
Postcolonial and Decolonial Feminist Theologies and Pedagogies

Read more about Dr. Lee, HERE.
Register for event HERE.

Renewal // Mourning Across Traditions
2024-03-13 12:00 - 13:30 | Iliff School of Theology, 2323 East Iliff Avenue, Denver, CO, 80210, United States
At one time or another, we will all experience the grief of losing a loved one. But how we express that grief and how we mourn the loss of a member of our community can vary widely. While the pain of loss is universal, the actions and traditions of celebrating life and grieving death are not. For our March Renewal session, panelists from different faith traditions will discuss how their communities view the end of life, what they do to hold the memory of those who have passed, and how they support one another in times of grief.
Series Description: This year, our Renewal sessions will focus on History and Memory. How can we remember well in a time when it seems history is repeating itself, when we are fighting the same fights for justice over and over again? How can we learn from history and avoid making the same mistakes? How do we remember as a community, and how do we prepare a legacy that is worth remembering? During this year’s Renewal series, we will delve into topics ranging from national memory and how we hold onto history in good and bad ways, to how we remember one another and how we want to be remembered.
Registration Fee:
$5 | Free for all students and Iliff faculty and staff
An additional donation is welcome.
Register HERE.
If the registration fee is a barrier to your attendance at the event, please reach out to alumni@iliff.edu.

February 2024 // Pulpit+ Exchange
2024-02-26 17:00 - 19:00 | Iliff School of Theology, 2323 East Iliff Avenue, Denver, CO, 80210, United States
February 2024 // Pulpit+ Exchange with Rev. Dr. Lee Butler
African American History and Heritage Month. Come for nourishing food, an insightful lecture, and robust conversations. Leave inspired to work for justice.

About the Evening’s Lecture
“Black Church History and Heritage: From the Invisible Institution to the Visible Church” with Rev. Dr. Lee H. Butler, Jr., President and CEO of Iliff School of Theology
About Pulpit+ Exchange
Iliff’s Pulpit+ Exchange Series (supported by the Pathways for Tomorrow Initiative from Lilly Endowment Inc.) provides space for a diverse array of ordained clergy and lay leaders to gather for a meal and grapple with challenging issues. One of the main goals of the Pulpit+ Exchange is to build congregations of people who will authentically study, worship, walk, and act together across differences to create a just and equitable world.
About the Evening’s Agenda
Join other clergy and lay leaders for a light meal from 5:00 pm to 5:30 pm (MST). The lecture will begin at 5:30 pm. An opportunity to ask President Butler questions and engage in discussions with colleagues will follow.

Shattuck Hall
Register for event HERE.
