Events
RELIGION, COMMUNITIES OF COLOR & SOCIAL JUSTICE SYMPOSIUM
The Center for Civil Rights and Civil Justice
October 27, 2023
Emory University School of Law
“I know of no way to separate God from the noble work that the NAACP is doing. Religion at its best is a two-way road. On the one hand it seeks to change the soul of the individual so that he can be one with himself and with God. On the other hand, it seeks to change environmental conditions so that the soul can have a chance once it is changed. Therefore, any religion that professes to be concerned about the souls of men and is not concerned about economic conditions that cripple them and the social conditions that damn them is a dry as dust religion in need of new blood."
– Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Ebony, September 1958
Religion and religious identity strongly influence law, society, and politics. During the Civil Rights Movement, religious leader and activist Dr. Martin Luther King based much of his advocacy on the believe that Christian values were inseparable from pursuit of an egalitarian society free of hierarchies defined by race, class, and other forms of disempowerment. During King’s life, however, religion also served as an instrument of repression, as certain belief groups invoked religious doctrine to justify racism, sexism, and other social harms. The intersection of law, social justice, and injustice has a long historical footprint in the United States, reaching as far back as the period of enslavement. This symposium brings together a diverse group of speakers to discuss the interaction of religion, society, and justice from historical and contemporary perspectives.
October 27, 2023 at the Emory University School of Law
9:30 – 10:45 a.m. | Panel Discussion One: Religion, Gender and Society Panelists will examine womanist and feminist values in a law and religion context. Potential topics of exploration include the contributions of women to racial justice movements, how women religious leaders can help transform society for disadvantaged communities, and religious identity and gendered social relations. Speakers: Rosetta Ross, Renee Harrison, and Almeda Wright |
11:00 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. | Panel Discussion Two: Religious Identity and Subordination This panel examines the intersection of religious identity and subordination, focusing on matters such as racism, Christian fundamentalism, and antisemitism. Speakers: Khaled Beydoun, Samuel Cruz, Tracey Hucks, and Nicole R. Phillips |
12:30 p.m. | Lunch (Keynote Speaker to be announced) |
2:15 – 3:30 p.m. | Panel Discussion Three: Sexuality, Gender Identity, and Religion Participants on this panel will discuss works related to religion, sexuality, and gender identity. Topics will include religion, homophobia, and transphobia, progressive theology and religious practices in the context of LGBTQIA communities, contemporary legal policy toward sexual and gender minorities and religious values. Speakers: Ahmad Greene-Hayes, Berta Esperanza Hernandez-Truyol, and Mahruq Khan |
3:45 – 5:00 p.m. | Panel Discussion Four: Religion, Social Justice, and Countermovements Panelists will examine the historical and contemporary relevance of religion to movements seeking broad progressive social change. They will offer insights on abolition, the Civil Rights Movement, and modern political activism like Black Lives Matter, resistance to Islamophobia, womanism and feminism, wealth and income inequality, and LGBTQIA rights. Speakers: Yara Gonzales-Justiniano, Kevin Murriel, Nicole Myers Turner |
5:15 p.m. | Closing Reception |