February 19–20, 2021, Christ Church Cathedral Episcopal Church in Houston is hosting a conference titled Racial Reconciliation and the Baptismal Covenant: Striving for Justice and Peace Among All People. The conference will include award-winning and inspiring speakers of both local and national note. This virtual conference is hosted by the Cathedral’s Justice & Peace Council, and will be held online via Zoom and Facebook Premiere. It is free, and open to all.
Learn more about the speakers and register to attend at: christchurchcathedral.org/reconciliation
About the conference:
The baptismal covenant includes the promise of Christians to “strive for justice and peace among all people and respect the dignity of every human being.”
Our conference aims to educate us with true stories of slavery, and its 400-year legacy. This year’s nationwide outcry over enduring inequalities in our justice system drove home that our collective work on healing the nation’s racial wounds and systems is unfinished. We hope this conference will help fellow Cathedral parishioners, the congregations in the Diocese of Texas, and our broader Houston community to understand the legacy of slavery and how successive institutions of injustice continue to this day.
Friday, February 19, 7–8:30 p.m.
- Keynote Lecture by Dr. Caleb McDaniel, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of “Sweet Taste of Liberty,” Zoom Webinar and Facebook Premiere
- Following the lecture, join the live conversation via Zoom Webinar between Caleb McDaniel and Christ Church Cathedral Dean the Very Reverend Barkley Thompson.
Saturday, February 20, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
- Three expert panelists, Kathy Culmer, Sam Collins III, and Prof. Sandra Guerra Thompson, will address the history of racial inequality and efforts to effect equitable change.
- Moderator Dr. Will Jones of Rice University will introduce the speakers and conduct a question and answer conversation at the conclusion of each presentation.
Sunday, February 21, 2–3:30 p.m.
- Lecture by Dr. Catherine Meeks, Zoom Webinar and Facebook Premiere
- After the lecture, join a live conversation via Zoom Webinar between Dr. Meeks and Christ Church Cathedral Dean the Very Reverend Barkley Thompson.
Additional events leading up to the conference include a presentation on January 18 titled “Exploring Racial Reconciliation” in partnership with the Episcopal Diocese of Texas for youth grades 6–12, and a January 20 discussion on the award-winning film “Just Mercy,” 6:30–7:30 p.m. hosted by Wall Street Journal reporter and Cathedral parishioner Chris Matthews.
Learn more about the speakers and register to attend at: christchurchcathedral.org/reconciliation
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Christ Church Cathedral is a historic Episcopal church founded in 1839 in downtown Houston. As a cathedral parish, Christ Church Cathedral is the seat of the Bishop of Texas. It is the church home to more than 3,600 Houstonians and a place of hospitality and worship for all Episcopalians in the Diocese of Texas. Christ Church Cathedral is a center of learning and formation for Christians and non-Christians alike. It is the parent of more than 12 outreach organizations— including The Beacon, a daycare center for the homeless — meeting the needs of people in need in the community. For more information, visit Christ Church Cathedral’s website athttp://www.christchurchcathedral.org.
