Join us on October 15 at 5 p.m. CT for the virtual Victor Obenhaus Lecture featuring Jason R. Smith, “Guarding the Sheep in Cyberspace: Online Boundary Maintenance and the Evangelical Countercult.” The lecture invites reflection on religious identity, belonging, and boundaries in an increasingly digital world.
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How can communities of faith prepare to respond thoughtfully and faithfully if challenges arise around our upcoming election? CTS invites the community to a virtual Election Crisis Scenario Planning session facilitated by Rabbi Dr. Rachel Mikva, Senior Faculty Fellow of the InterReligious Institute. Developed by Interfaith Alliance in partnership with Protect Democracy, this 90-minute facilitated […]
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View the Full Press Release: Yale Divinity School and Chicago Theological Seminary Advance toward a Historic Affiliation
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This year’s C. Shelby Rooks Lecture welcomes back the Rev. Dr. Lee H. Butler, Jr., President and CEO of Iliff School of Theology and former CTS faculty member. During his time at CTS, Dr. Butler founded the Center for the Study of Black Faith and Life and inaugurated the C. Shelby Rooks Lectureship. His return […]
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Wednesday Gatherings return to CTS with Fireside Chat with the President, featuring CTS President Dr. Brad R. Braxton. Drawing on the United Church of Christ theme, “God is still speaking…”, Dr. Braxton will offer reflections on what this message means for CTS in our current moment. Following his remarks, the conversation will open to the […]
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CTS is excited to welcome keynote speaker Rev. Lis Valle-Ruiz, PhD for the 2026 Castañeda-Jennings Lecture: ““Cuerpos Cuir que Cuentan: Preaching Pleasure Amid Peril” In a moment when queer bodies are named a threat and are in peril, Rev. Dr. Lis Valle-Ruiz asks what it would mean to preach pleasure as sacred rather than shameful. […]
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Join us for Fall Convocation! This year’s Convocation Address features Dr. Kameelah Mu’Min Oseguera presenting “Rasikh: Rootedness, Memory, and Faith at America’s Crossroads.” Drawing on the SelebeYoon paradigm, the Black Muslim tradition, and the life and writings of Omar ibn Said, Dr. Oseguera explores what it means to remain spiritually, ethically, and historically grounded in […]
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Chicago Theological Seminary’s lecture series reflect our ongoing commitment to faith, justice, and rigorous theological inquiry. These gatherings bring students, scholars, faith leaders, activists, and community members together to engage the most pressing spiritual and social questions of our time.
Each lecture builds on a legacy of courage, scholarship, and leadership, inviting you not only to reflect, but to take part in carrying this work forward.
At CTS, theology is never abstract. It is lived, contested, embodied, and always in service of a more just and compassionate world.
C. Shelby Rooks was a transformative leader in theological education and the broader faith community, serving as the first African American president of a predominantly white theological school. His leadership helped shape Black religious scholarship and strengthened a generation of leaders committed to justice and community.
The Rooks Lecture continues this legacy, convening scholars, clergy, and community members to engage critical questions of faith, freedom, and justice within the African American experience.
The C. Shelby Rooks Scholar Award recognizes a CTS student whose work reflects this commitment, carrying forward a legacy of leadership, scholarship, and justice.
Sponsored by the CTS Center for the Study of Black Faith & Life.
The Castañeda-Jennings Award was established in memory of Gilberto Castañeda, whose life and leadership reflected a deep commitment to faith, community, and justice.
Rooted in a legacy of ministry among marginalized communities, this lecture and award honor those who embody compassion, courage, and a commitment to creating more open and affirming faith spaces.
Each year, this gathering brings together students, scholars, activists, and community members to engage questions of faith, identity, and belonging, and to continue the work of transforming communities into places of dignity, inclusion, and empowerment.
The Castañeda-Jennings Award is presented to a student who reflects this legacy through leadership, advocacy, and a commitment to supporting LGBTQ individuals and communities.
Major support for the Castañeda-Jennings Lecture was provided by Rev. Dr. Ronna Case (DMin 1977) and Dr. Theodore W. Jennings, Jr.
Each year, CTS hosts a distinguished interreligious leader to engage critical questions shaping faith, scholarship, and public life.
Renamed in honor of Dr. André LaCocque, a longtime advocate for interreligious study, this lecture reflects CTS’s enduring commitment to dialogue, understanding, and collaboration across religious traditions.
The evening also includes the presentation of the Rabbi Herman E. Schaalman Interreligious Leadership Award, recognizing individuals whose work advances interfaith engagement and strengthens relationships across communities.
