Reconciling a Spiritual Hunger with a Womanist Thirst: Growing up Black, Female, Christian, and Black Panther
Berea College welcomes Rev. Dr. Renita J. Weems, a biblical scholar, academic administrator, writer, ordained minister, and public intellectual who will be the convocation speaker on September 28th at 3 p.m., in Phelps Stokes Chapel. She is known nation-wide as a theologian whose learned perceptions into the Bible and the role of spirituality in everyday life has made her a well-respected speaker and author.
Dr. Weems has written numerous books, articles and commentaries discussing the Bible and prophetic religion. Among these works, her 1999 book entitled “Listening for God: A Minister’s Journey Through Silence and Doubt” won the Religious Communicators’ Council’s 1999 Wilbur Award for “excellence in communicating spiritual values to the secular media.” She was the first African American woman to be tenured at the Vanderbilt University School of Divinity. Along with her numerous accomplishments, she was the first African American woman to deliver the prestigious Lyman Beecher Lecture at Yale University in 2008.
Dr. Weems is included in a collection of biographies of some of the most notable and influential religious leaders over the last two centuries. Black Stars: African American Religious Leaders, included many impressive figures such as Elijah Muhammad, Sojourner Truth, Martin Luther King Jr. and many more. Berea College is proud to present Dr. Weems as she discusses her life, journey, and experiences that shaped her into the woman she is today.
The convocation events, which are provided to both the campus and public communities, are a significant part of a student’s educational experience at Berea College. Visit https://legacy.berea.edu/convocations/ for the schedule of all convocations this academic year. All convocations are free and open to the public.