Special Course: Stranger No More
2025-07-08 19:00 - 21:00 (America/New_York) | NC
A Special Course instructed by Dr. Safwat Marzouk: Stranger No More
Dates: June 3 – July 8, Tuesdays from 7-9pm via Zoom.

Dr. Safwat Marzouk is an associate professor of Old Testament. As a Christian Egyptian and migrant to the U.S., he interprets the Bible in ways that are interreligiously and interculturally sensitive seeking God’s shalom and justice for the vulnerable and the marginalized. Dr. Marzouk is author of Egypt as a Monster in the Book of Ezekiel and Intercultural Church: A Biblical Vision in an Age of Migration.
Course Description:
The experience of forced migration, being on the move, seeking refuge or asylum, displacement, and living in diaspora is a fundamental part of the human story. Throughout history and in many parts of the world, humans, individuals, or communities, because of wars, natural disasters, economic crises, have crossed domestic or national boundaries seeking safety and a better life. Given the recent waves of forced migration and internal displacement, and given the intensification of xenophobia in political discourse, the church, and communities of faith, are confronted with vital questions about their witness in these critical times. In this course, students will study closely diverse texts from the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament that have been shaped by the realities of migration, exodus, conquest, exile, and diaspora. As they engage these texts in their historical and literary contexts, students will reflect on how these texts wrestled with welcoming the stranger and how host and migrant communities negotiated cross-cultural relations. As future faith leaders in a polarized world, students will reflect on how to discern a faithful response to the issue of migration in light of the diverse biblical perspectives on the issue. Students will articulate a theological perspective that takes seriously the culture of fear of the other, that nurtures empathy towards the stranger, and that leads the church and the society to move beyond the politics of assimilation and segregation so that migrant and host communities experience God’s shalom.
Offered by the Leadership Institute at Union Presbyterian Seminary

Registration closes on May 29, 2025. Late registration ends on June 6, 2025.
If you are UPSem faculty or staff or are in financial need of a discounted registration fee, please contact Deborah Keyes.

Special Telugu Course: Creeds and Confessions
2025-07-10 19:00 - 21:00
Course Description:
This course surveys and examines the historical and contemporary creeds and confessions of the Christian faith as the core theological compass and lenses to help understand, evaluate, and evolve current interpretations of the Christian faith.

Instructed by Rev. Dr. James Taneti
James is an ordained minister in the Presbyterian Church in the USA and currently teaches World Christianity at Union Presbyterian Seminary in Richmond, Virginia. He directs the seminary’s Synghman Rhee Global Mission Center. Having completed his theological education at the United Theological College in India, he earned master’s degrees from Princeton Theological Seminary, Western Theological Seminary, and Virginia Commonwealth University, and a doctorate from Union Presbyterian Seminary. He has authored three books on Christianity in South Asia, along with numerous essays and book reviews.
Dates: June 5 – July 10, 2025 / Thursdays from 7-9pm via Zoom
Offered by the Leadership Institute at Union Presbyterian Seminary

If you are UPSem faculty or staff or are in financial need of a discounted registration fee, please contact Deborah Keyes.

CE: Reformed Theology
2025-08-05 00:00
Christian Education Certification Course instructed by Elizabeth Hinson-Hasty
Course Description:
Reformed Theology is designed to provide Presbyterian Christian educators with a clear understanding of the theology of the Reformed Tradition, especially as it is expressed in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Book of Confessions. Courses explore the content of those confessions, the historical contexts out of which they arose, and the contemporary significance those confessions have for the life of the church today. By means of varied teaching methods and learning activities (e.g., lectures, small group exercises, discussions, and personal research), students will be able to gain a personal understanding of the Reformed theological tradition. Courses will also allow participants to gain a balanced understanding of the broad landscape of Reformed theological understandings today.
View the Syllabus HERE
Meet the instructor

Elizabeth Hinson-Hasty is the J. Roy Davis Family Chair of Theology and History at Union Presbyterian Seminary in Charlotte. With over two decades of experience in higher education and social justice ministry, she is known for her leadership in academia, church, and advocacy work. Her research focuses on freedom in the U.S., poverty, and the intersection of theology with social inequality and disability justice. She is the author of Authentic Christian Freedom (2025) and The Problem of Wealth (2017), and has received several honors including a Fulbright Scholarship and a Louisville Institute Sabbatical Grant. Outside of work, she enjoys running, beach walks, and time with her family.
Dates: 11am – 1:30pm EST, August 5 – September 2, 2025. View the syllabus above to see detailed meeting plans and times.
Registration closes 2 business days before the first class meeting on August 1, 2025.

Offered by the Leadership Institute at Union Presbyterian Seminary
UPSem faculty, staff, and students can register for this class for free. If you are a UPSem faculty, staff, or student, you can register here using your UPSem email address. If you are in financial need of a discounted registration fee, please contact Deborah Keyes, subject line “CECERT: Financial Aid.

25-26 Pathways: Polity & Administration
2025-08-12 19:00 - 21:00, 2025-08-19 19:00 - 21:00, 2025-08-26 19:00 - 21:00, 2025-09-02 19:00 - 21:00, 2025-09-09 19:00 - 21:00, 2025-09-16 19:00 - 21:00
Course Description:
This course will examine the Presbyterian Church (USA) Book of Order, its underpinnings, and its implication for mission and ministry. As part of the course, participants will review administrative tasks which grow out of the Book of Order (e.g., session meetings, committee meetings, stewardship season, personnel matters and policies, financial matters, presbytery meetings, annual statistical reports).
Meet the Instructor

Rev. H. Carson Rhyne Jr. served as the general presbyter and stated clerk of the Presbytery of the James for over 21 years, retiring in 2019. Known for his visionary leadership, Carson established mentorship programs, stewardship and evangelism ministries, and a mission co-worker in Haiti. He is recognized for his deep knowledge of the Presbyterian Church’s polity and his ability to apply it with grace and humor. Carson’s dedication to the church and community is celebrated by colleagues and congregations alike. He holds degrees from Presbyterian College and Union Theological Seminary and has taught polity and practical theology at Union Presbyterian Seminary since 2005.
Dates: Tuesdays, 7-9pm EST, August 12 – September 16, 2025
Registration closes 2 days before the first class meeting on August 10, 2025.
Offered by the Leadership Institute at Union Presbyterian Seminary

If you are in financial need of a discounted registration fee, please contact Deborah Keyes, subject line “PWPA:Financial Aid”.
UPSem faculty, staff, and students can register for this class for free. If you are a UPSem faculty, staff, or student, you can register here using your UPSem email address.

25-26 Pathways: Introduction to Pastoral Care
2025-08-28 19:00 - 21:00, 2025-09-04 19:00 - 21:00, 2025-09-11 19:00 - 21:00, 2025-09-18 19:00 - 21:00, 2025-09-25 19:00 - 21:00, 2025-10-02 19:00 - 21:00
Course Description:
An introduction to the theories of pastoral care and counseling. The course offers various theological and psychological perspectives and tools to help participants develop confidence in responding to circumstances of pastoral care and counseling in the context of parish ministry and other institutional settings. Topics include the art of listening, loss and grief, pastoral care with couples and families, and the pastoral function of worship and the sacraments.
Meet the Instructor

Dr. Joshua Morris is an ordained minister with the United Church of Christ and a Board-Certified Chaplain. He served in pediatric healthcare for 11 years, most recently as Assistant Director of Spiritual Services at Children’s Mercy Hospital. Dr. Morris has 15 years of experience as an army chaplain in the United States Army Reserve, including a deployment to Afghanistan. He has taught at Phillips Theological Seminary, Claremont School of Theology, and Saint Paul School of Theology. Dr. Morris is the author of “Moral Injury Among Returning Veterans” and numerous peer-reviewed articles. He speaks nationally and internationally on moral injury, reintegration, and spiritual care. Passionate about cultivating compassionate ministers, he integrates theory and practice to promote love for God and humanity.

Dates: Thursdays, 7-9pm EST, August 28 – October 2, 2025
Registration closes 2 days before the first class meeting on August 26, 2025.
Offered by the Leadership Institute at Union Presbyterian Seminary

If you are in financial need of a discounted registration fee, please contact Deborah Keyes, subject line “PWIPC : Financial Aid”.
UPSem faculty, staff, and students can register for this class for free. If you are a UPSem faculty, staff, or student, you can register here using your UPSem email address.

25-26 WLI Course: Womanist Leadership & Innovation
2025-09-08 19:00 - 21:00, 2025-09-15 19:00 - 21:00, 2025-09-22 19:00 - 21:00, 2025-09-29 19:00 - 21:00, 2025-10-06 19:00 - 21:00, 2025-10-13 19:00 - 21:00
Course Description:
Join a transformative learning experience that blends womanist ethics, Afro-futurist imagination, and strategic innovation. This course centers Black women’s wisdom as a force for visionary leadership and sustainable change.
Featuring core texts by Alice Walker, Katie Cannon, and Renita Weems, participants will explore how to lead with purpose, resilience, and radical imagination in a rapidly changing world.

Ideal for professionals in ministry, nonprofits, education, entrepreneurship, and the arts.
Grounded in justice, creativity, and collective care.
Innovation redefined—not just tech, but systems of care and cultural visioning.

#WomanistLeadership #Innovation2025 #BlackWomenLead #ContinuingEducation #LeadershipDevelopment
Meet the Instructor

Rev. Dr. Gabby Cudjoe Wilkes is a pastor, public theologian, innovation strategist and author. She is the founding-co lead pastor of The Double Love Experience Church in Brooklyn, New York and The Inaugural Director of The Technology, Innovation & Digital Engagement Lab Fellowship at Union Theological Seminary. Dr. Gabby has a heart for God’s people and prioritizes creating experiences of connection and love through the physical church, the digital space and local community engagement.
Her work has been featured in Essence, Forbes & The New York Times. She is the co-author of the best-selling book, Psalms for Black Lives: Reflections for the Work of Liberation. The book has sold over 10,000 books and counting. She is the recipient of numerous awards and citations including the 2024 National Action Network Woman of Excellence Award from Rev. Al Sharpton, the Guy R Brewer Religious Leadership Award from their Queens Democratic Club, The Yale University Charles S Mersick Preaching Prize as well as the Outstanding Graduate Student Award from The Yale Af-Am House.
Dr. Gabby’s voice echoes in the public square. In 2023 she was a featured guest in the HBO Max/Own Docu-Series, A Time of Essence. She and her church were featured in the 2024 GOSPEL documentary by Skip Gates on PBS & she was a guest speaker in the first documentary film of The Smithsonian National Museum of African American History & Culture, GODTalk. She’s also a frequent guest on the nationally syndicated radio show: Get Up Mornings With Erica Campbell.
Dr. Gabby holds a doctorate from Duke University, a Masters of Divinity from Yale University, a Masters of Arts from NYU and a Bachelors from Hampton University. She is the current President of the Yale Divinity School Alumni Board and a member of the prestigious Morehouse College Martin Luther King Jr. Board of Preachers.
Dr. Gabby is a proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated and is committed to the work of love and justice. She resides in Brooklyn, New York with her husband, Rev. Dr. Andrew Wilkes.
Dates: Mondays, 7-9pm EST, September 8 – October 13, 2025
Registration closes 2 business days before the first class meeting on September 4, 2025
Offered by the Leadership Institute at Union Presbyterian Seminary

If you are in financial need of a discounted registration fee, please contact Deborah Keyes, subject line “WLIWLI: Financial Aid”.
UPSem faculty, staff, and students can register for this class for free. If you are a UPSem faculty, staff, or student, you can register here using your UPSem email address.

Compassion Across Borders: A Call for Solidarity and Justice
2025-09-16 15:15 - 2025-09-18 12:00
The Leadership Institute at Union Presbyterian Seminary invites you to Compassion Across Borders: A Call for Solidarity and Justice.
Click here to view schedule
Subject to change before September 1, 2025
Conference description:
Migration shapes world history and tests our capacity to respond with compassion or fear. People migrate due to colonialism, wars, climate disasters, persecution, and economic oppression, yet in current political discourse they are demonized, detained, and deported.
Faith communities are called to respond with ethics of compassion, hospitality, and empowerment. These times demand that we transform anger with oppressive systems into actions of love, inclusion, and generosity.
This conference brings together religious leaders, community organizers, biblical scholars, theologians, artists, and activists committed to migrant empowerment. We seek to connect networks of solidarity during these critical times.
The conference will feature plenary sessions exploring how biblical and theological discourse has been both misused to oppress migrants and used to inspire compassionate, just responses. Participants will learn about legal rights and processes to protect migrants, while workshops offer opportunities to share expertise and equip one another with knowledge and wisdom for faithful action.

Register below!

Lectures
Migrant God – Isaac Villegas
This lecture will center on immigrant justice activism as Christians put hope into action, bearing witness to the work of solidarity among people with and without US citizenship. Isaac’s biblical, theological, and political reflections help prod our imagination as we consider a holistic vision for life in solidarity with migrants.
This lecture will be livestreamed on September 16, 2025, from 4:45-5:45pm EST

Isaac Villegas is an ordained Mennonite minister and the author of Migrant God: A Christian Vision of Immigrant Justice. He has served as the president of the North Carolina Council of Churches and on the governing board of the Mennonite Church USA. He is also columnist and contributing editor for The Christian Century magazine.
Citizenship and the Book of Life – Yii-Jan Lin
American citizenship has a long and torturous history that is surprisingly linked to the heavenly citizenship described in the Book of Revelation. This lecture explores how the contradictions of U.S. citizenship echo those of the Book of Life and the Book of Deeds from Revelation.
This lecture will be livestreamed on September 17, 2025, from 3:30-4:30pm EST

Professor Yii-Jan Lin is an Associate Professor of New Testament at Yale Divinity School. She holds a Ph.D. in New Testament and Religious Studies from Yale University, an M.A. in New Testament from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, and an M.A. and B.A. in English Literature from the University of Chicago and Pomona College, respectively. She specializes in immigration, textual criticism, race and gender, and the revelation of John. Her publications include Immigration and Apocalypse: How the Book of Revelation Shaped American Immigration (Yale University Press, 2024) and The Erotic Life of Manuscripts (Oxford, 2016).

FAQs
Do I have to attend the whole conference?
If you cannot attend the whole conference, you can select the times you will attend on the registration form above.
Will anything be offered virtually?
Both lectures by Isaac Villegas and Dr. Yii-Jan Lin will be livestreamed, and four of our six workshops will be available virtually. You can register for the workshops a la carte on the registration form above. Please be sure to check the schedule of workshops on our schedule to check virtual availability and timing.
How will I receive the Zoom link to attend the workshops virtually?
You will receive a link to the workshop Zoom sessions during the first week of September. The link(s) will be sent to the email you use to register on the form above.
Are meals included?
All refreshments and meals are included in your registration.
I have dietary restrictions.
Please note your dietary restrictions in the appropriate section of the registration form.
I have questions about the schedule.
Here is a link to the schedule, subject to change before September 1, 2025. This schedule and this website will be kept up to date.
I need to cancel my registration.
Please email Deborah Keyes, Administrative Assistant at the Leadership Institute.
I have more questions about the conference.
More details will be released as they become available, and this website will be kept up to date.

BTSR Legacy Celebration
2025-09-23 16:00 - 2025-09-25 12:00
Join us in celebrating the legacy of the Baptist Theological Seminary of Richmond at the Union Presbyterian Seminary campus in Richmond, Virginia!
The event will provide opportunities for reunion and fellowship, activities at the former BTSR campus, and will highlight a keynote lecture along with a chance to share your past and present experiences in Baptist Ministry.
Please register for the event at the bottom of this page. This event is entirely free and we hope you will join us!
FAQs

What’s included in registration? Attendance and meals are included in registration, except for the first dinner of the event.
What’s not included in registration? The first dinner will be held at Hardywood Park Craft Brewery. Dinner and drinks during the first dinner are not included in registration. Accommodation and transportation are also not included in registration.
How do I register? You can register using the form at the bottom of this page.
I have dietary restrictions or preferences. There is a space in the registration form to indicate your dietary restrictions or preferences.
I have more questions about the details of the event. Once you register, your email will be added to the list of people to receive updates about the event. Here is a link to the schedule, subject to change before September 1, 2025. More details will be released as they become available, and the schedule and this website will be kept up to date. If you have any pressing questions, you can contact Deborah Keyes, Administrative Assistant at the Leadership Institute, with subject line: “BTSR:Question”
I’d like to share my past and present experiences in Baptist Ministry during the event. We hope you will “sign up” to share your past and present experiences during one of our mealtimes! There is a section in the registration form where you can indicate your interest.

You will receive more information about this opportunity in your email updates about this event after you register.

I need somewhere to stay during the event. Accommodation is not included in registration, but if you’d like to reserve a room in Thompson Hall on the UPSem campus, or would like more information about Thompson Hall, please contact Deborah Keyes, Administrative Assistant at the Leadership Institute, with subject line: “BTSR:TH”. These rooms are limited and first-come, first-serve.

What if all the rooms in Thompson Hall are taken? We suggest the following three hotels close to campus:

Courtyard Richmond Scott’s Addition, 3800 W Broad St, Richmond, VA 23230 (7m from campus)
Holiday Inn Express Richmond- Midtown, 2000 Staples Mill Rd, Richmond, VA 23230 (9m from campus)
SpringHill Suites Richmond North/Glen Allen, 9701 Brook Rd, Glen Allen, VA 23059 (15m from campus)

On the registration page it says I can “make a donation.” Who am I donating to? All donations will help cover the cost of the event.

Register below:

Senderos: Motivos Pastorales en el Antiguo Testamento
2025-09-23 19:00 - 21:00, 2025-09-30 19:00 - 21:00, 2025-10-07 19:00 - 21:00, 2025-10-14 19:00 - 21:00
Descripción del Curso
Curso introductorio del Antiguo Testamento desde una perspectiva pastoral. El curso busca proporcionar herramientas exegéticas y pastorales a ministros y personas laicas, dentro de los parámetros estipulados en el programa de educación continua.
Fechas: Martes, 7-9pm (tiempo de Nueva York, en línea) 23 de septiembre – 28 de octubre, 2025
Conoce al Instructor

Edesio Sánchez Cetina, mexicano
Reside en Coatzacoalcos, Veracruz, México

Maestría y Doctorado (PhD) en el Union Presbyterian Seminary de Richmond, Virginia, Estados Unidos
Grado Honorífico de Doctor en Letras Bíblicas (DLB) del Instituto Internacional de Estudios Superiores, Ciudad de México.
Es consultor emérito de traducciones bíblicas con las SBU (Sociedades Bíblicas Unidas) en las Américas. He participado en las siguientes traducciones de la Bíblica como Consultor: Maya de Yucatán, México; ´Tzotzil de Chiapas, México; Guaraní de Paraguay; Miskitu y Sumo de Nicaragua; Poqomchí de Guatemala; Kuna de Panamá; Biblia de Estudio de la Dios Habla Hoy; Coordinación general de la Traducción en Lenguaje Actual. Responsable del Departamento de Traducciones para todas las publicaciones para niños, Editor con Esteban Voth de los Comentarios para la Exégesis y la Traducción. Ha editado y publicado los siguientes libros y comentarios: Descubre la Biblia, Enseñaba por Parábolas, Sabiduría para Vivir (estudios en el libro de Proverbios), Qué es la Biblia, Antiguo Testamento y América Latina; Comentarios a: Deuteronomio, Josué, Jueces y Malaquías, 1y 2 Reyes, Proverbios. Autor de muchos artículos sobre exégesis y teología bíblica, formación y desarrollo de la Biblia y traducción de la Biblia.
Miembro de la Society of Biblical Literature (USA e internacional)
Miembro de la Fraternidad Teológica Latinoamericana.

Regístrese abajo

Las inscripciones cerrarán el 19 de septiembre, 2 días laborables antes de la primera clase.
Ofrecido por el Leadership Institute de Union Presbyterian Seminary
Si necesita ayuda financiera adicional, por favor contacte a Deborah Keyes e indique “Senderos: Ayuda Financiera” en el título del correo.
Miembros de la facultad, empleados y estudiantes de UPSem pueden inscribirse para esta clase de forma gratuita. Si usted es maestro empleado o estudiante de UPSem, puede inscribirse aquí con su email de UPSem.

25-26 Christian Educator Certification Course: Presbyterian Polity, Program, and Mission
2025-10-08 12:00 - 14:00
CECE Course instructed by Joyce MacKichan Walker and Jenna Campbell: Presbyterian Polity, Program, and Mission
Course Description:
This course provides knowledge of current resources and mission emphases of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and integrates the study of the Presbyterian Constitution (Book of Confessions and Book of Order) and the Program and Mission of the PCUSA into the context of the educator. Scripture, polity, and the structure, mission, and program of the PCUSA, as it is described and resourced by presbyteries, synods, and the General Assembly, usually provides the content for this certification course. Critical examination, guided exploration, and careful integration of those key resources provide educators an opportunity to draw upon the richness of the Presbyterian tradition as they take leadership roles in their congregations and ministries. The course will provide opportunities for educators to explore how the polity, program, and mission of the PCUSA will impact, guide, and influence their educational programs and events.
Meet the instructors

Joyce MacKichan Walker is a Certified Christian Educator who has served the larger church as a keynote speaker and workshop leader. She was honored as the Educator of the Year by the Association of Presbyterian Church Educators in 2008. She taught Presbyterian Polity at Princeton Theological Seminary for eight years and continues to teach the polity certification course for the PCUSA educator certification process, and “Teaching for Transformation” for POAMN (Presbyterian Older Adult Ministry Network). Joyce served the Nassau Presbyterian Church in Princeton NJ as Director of Christian Education and then, following ordination to the Ministry of Word and Sacrament in 2007, as Minister of Education and Mission until her retirement in July 2018. A 1979 graduate of the Presbyterian School of Christian Education (now Union Presbyterian Seminary) in Richmond VA, she lives in Princeton, NJ where she continues to write and teach online and travel at every opportunity!

Jenna Campbell is a Certified Christian Educator and serves as the Director of Children and Youth Ministry at First Presbyterian Church of Stillwater, OK. She earned her master’s degree in Christian Education from Union Presbyterian Seminary, Richmond. She is passionate about engaging children, youth, and their families in a faith that actively pursues justice and compassion in the world. Jenna is the 2023 Association of Partners in Christian Education (APCE) ENRICH Educator of the Year. She enjoys life with her husband Casey and their two teenage daughters.
Dates: 9 synchronous online course meetings from 12-2pm EST on Wed. Oct 8, Fri. Oct 10, Mon. Oct 13, Wed. Oct 15, Fri. Oct 17, Wed. Oct 22, Wed. Oct 29, Wed. Nov 5, and Wed. Nov 12.
Offered by the Leadership Institute at Union Presbyterian Seminary

Registration closes on October 5, 2025, 2 business days before the first class meeting.
UPSem faculty, staff, and students can register for this class for free. If you are a UPSem faculty, staff, or student, you can register here using your UPSem email address. If you are in financial need of a discounted registration fee, please contact Deborah Keyes, subject line “CEPPM: Financial Aid.

25-26 Pathways: Teaching the Bible
2025-10-16 19:00 - 21:00
Course Description:
This interdisciplinary course examines selected approaches to Bible teaching from the perspectives of biblical scholarship and Christian education. The purpose of this course is to equip participants to develop planning, implementation, and evaluation skills for teaching the Bible.
Meet the Instructor

Dr. Rebecca L. Davis is the Sarah Belk Gambrell Professor of Christian Education, Director of the MACE program and the Center for Excellence in Christian Education at Union Presbyterian Seminary. She is a Teaching Elder and a Certified Educator in the PCUSA. For over thirty years, her teaching ministry was embodied in congregations and beyond. She now teaches those preparing for leadership and advocacy in the church and world. Her passion for child advocacy led her to serve on staff of the Children’s Defense Fund and the National Council of Churches’ working for justice for children and their families. She was the founding chair of the Presbyterian Child Advocacy Network and served on the National Committee for the Self-Development of People foe the denomination. She was named APCE’s 2018 Educator of the Year.

Dates: Thursdays, 7-9pm EST, October 16 – November 20, 2025
Registration closes 2 days before the first class meeting on October 14, 2025
Offered by the Leadership Institute at Union Presbyterian Seminary

If you are in financial need of a discounted registration fee, please contact Deborah Keyes, subject line “PWTTB : Financial Aid”.
UPSem faculty, staff, and students can register for this class for free. If you are a UPSem faculty, staff, or student, you can register here using your UPSem email address.

25-26 WLI Course: Womanist Pedagogy
2025-10-21 19:00 - 21:00
Course Description:
Focusing on Rev. Dr. Katie G. Cannon’s idea of “unshouted courage,” this course considers the question: What does it mean to teach for courage in various contexts of leadership and ministry? The course will consider three key theoretical and practical components of womanist pedagogy that yields courageous students who work for the humanity of all people, particularly Black humanity.
Meet the Instructor

Dr. Evelyn Parker is a distinguished visiting professor and accomplished scholar in practical theology, with degrees from Lambuth College, Prairie View A&M University, Southern Methodist University, and Northwestern University. She has authored and edited several influential works on adolescent spirituality, race, and gender, including Between Sisters and Trouble Don’t Last Always. A leader in theological education and advocacy, Parker has served as academic dean at Perkins School of Theology and held prominent roles in organizations such as the Association of Practical Theology and the Society for the Study of Black Religion. Deeply rooted in the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church, she has represented the denomination globally through the World Council of Churches, contributing to policy, education, and humanitarian efforts. Dr. Parker most recently published Tangible Grace, Ministry Interventions for Teen Dating Violence, Fortress Press 2025. The Amazon.com link is here.

Dates: Tuesdays, 7-9pm EST, October 21 – November 25, 2025
Registration closes 2 business days before the first class meeting on Friday, October 17, 2025.
Offered by the Leadership Institute at Union Presbyterian Seminary

If you are in financial need of a discounted registration fee, please contact Deborah Keyes, subject line “WLIWP: Financial Aid”.
UPSem faculty, staff, and students can register for this class for free. If you are a UPSem faculty, staff, or student, you can register here using your UPSem email address.
