“This country is in a fight for its very soul” | Lewis Brogdon at

During the 2022 Festival of Faiths session Lessons of Old Stories in a New Context , Lewis Brogdon talks about finding hope in hard times. “This country is in a fight for its very soul,” he says, citing tragic and tumultuous events such as the killings of Ahmaud Arbery, George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, and the racial justice protests that followed. Brogdon believes America is at a crossroads, and he envisions a future “where all our stories can be told.
Brogdon serves as director of the Institute for Black Church Studies and associate professor at the Baptist Seminary of Kentucky. He’s served in positions at Simmons College of Kentucky, Claflin University, Bluefield College and Louisville Seminary, and authored several books. Brogdon delivers lectures on Martin Luther King Jr., the debate about reparations, and recent racial justice protests.
This session - co-curated with the University of Virginia Department of Religious Studies - also featured Anam Thubten, Shmuly Yanklowitz and moderator Martien Halvorson-Taylor. Watch the session in its entirety: • Lessons of Old Stories...
About the Festival of Faiths
Based in Louisville, Kentucky, the Festival of Faiths is a nationally acclaimed interfaith event of music, poetry, film, art and dialogue focused on a contemporary theme and featuring a diverse lineup of spiritual leaders, teachers and practitioners.
The 2022 Festival of Faiths, Sacred Stories: Contemplation and Connection , celebrated the power of narratives to inspire purpose, instill a sense of belonging and define our lives. The festival investigated old and new stories through the lens of faith and explored how our identities are shaped by associations with religion, culture, politics, heritage and more. Sessions engaged participants in the sacred work of sharing stories to illuminate both our complexity and our interdependence.
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