Dr. Iva Carruthers and Dr. Carmen Nanko-Fernandez to Speak at McCormick Theological Seminary

03-06-2012

By B. Vaughan

McCormick Theological Seminary’s Center for African American Ministries and Black Studies and the Center for the Study of Latin@ Theology and Ministry present Lenten Lectures featuring Dr. Iva Carruthers, General Secretary of the Samuel DeWitt Proctor Conference (SDPC) and Dr. Carmen
Nanko-Fernandez, Associate Professor of Pastoral Ministry at Catholic Theological Union. The lectures will take place on Monday, March 19 beginning at 4:00 P. M. in the McGaw Common Room on the first floor.

Dr. Sharon Ellis Davis, Director of the African American Ministries and Black Studies said, “We are delighted that Dr. Carruthers’ has agreed to speak.  Her distinguished background as a noted educator and social advocate includes the fact that through the SDPC she has created a national interdenominational organization within the African American faith tradition focused on social justice issues.

Further Dr. Carruthers continues to foster interfaith dialogue in the United States, Caribbean, South America and Africa. She currently serves as a Life Time Trustee for the Chicago Theological Seminary and trustee for The Kwame Nkrumah Academy, Chicago and Shared Interest, New York. 

Dr. Carruthers’ presentation “Sisters of the Rock: Carrying the Call for Justice in our Wombs,” will explore the ways in which African women of the Diaspora have appropriated and continue to draw upon African concepts of spirituality and religion.”

Dr. Daniel Rodriguez, Director of the Center for the Study of Latin@Theology and Ministry said, “Dr. Nanko-Fernandez brings to McCormick extensive experience in ministry, teaching, and administration. Her scholarship reflects an appreciation for contextual and postcolonial theologies and has focused on areas of U. S. Hispanic/Latino/a theologies, Catholic social teaching, interreligious and intercultural relations, youth, and on the intersections between faith and popular culture.

Her presentation, “A Hybrid God in Motion: Mujeres Diasporicas Re-Imaging the Face of God” looks at the intersecting impact of gender, race, ethnicity, class and citizenship. 

This event is free and open to the public.  A reception will follow the lecture.

One of the nation’s urban seminaries, McCormick Theological Seminary encourages, embraces, celebrates and prepares women and men from all denominations and backgrounds for Christian ministry and service, advancing a model of education that is urban, cross-cultural, ecumenical and Reformed.