Rev. LaKeesha Walrond (PhD) to Give Somerville Lecture 2024
The Vancouver School of Theology is excited to announce that Rev. LaKeesha Walrond (PhD), President of New York Theological Seminary, is the keynote speaker for VST’s 2024 Somerville Lecture. In addition to her leadership role at NYTS, Dr. Walrond is an author, educator, and sought after speaker.
Dr. Walrond’s lecture, titled An Invitation to Stretch: Reconstructing Our Theological Assumptions will carve out a sacred space where attendees have permission to ask the hard questions. Dr. Walrond will focus on beliefs about God, the Sabbath, and the Faith Community in an effort to reconstruct a more accessible and inclusive faith narrative that stretches theological assumptions and expands our invisible yet fortified borders.
This free public lecture provides an opportunity for students, theologians, steadfast church-goers, rigorous questioners, unabashed analysts, and anyone with a bit of curiosity and openness to explore common theological assumptions.
In true Christian spirit and with the verve of a passionate educator, Dr. LaKeesha Walrond will carefully examine our spiritual beliefs and practices to draw up an expansive, love-infused alternative.
The Somerville Lecture will be held at VST’s Epiphany Chapel and online on Thursday, October 17 at 7 pm (Pacific). While this lecture is free and open to the public, registration is required. To register, please visit humanitix.com.
Supported through the generosity of Archbishop David Somerville, a former VST faculty member, the Somerville Lecture Series has become one of VST’s most prominent offerings to the faith community. The series was launched in the early 1990s by a group of students who were eager for VST to be a place for students to learn about the spiritual side of life and pass on to others the insights and methods of seeking God’s presence.
Rev. LaKeesha Walrond (PhD) is an educator, visionary leader, and sought-after speaker with a passion for creating communities of learners. Her career includes eleven years as a teacher in the public education system in North Carolina. She holds degrees from Spelman College, UNC at Chapel Hill, and Union Theological Seminary.
Dr. Walrond answered her call to ministry in 1995 and served as Executive Pastor of First Corinthian Baptist Church in Harlem for 13 years. In 2019, she became the first woman President of New York Theological Seminary. She also launched the Getting to Greatness Women’s Conference to empower women through leadership development and spiritual, mental, and psychological wellness. Dr. Walrond is the author of two books, focused on ending child sexual violence and empowering women, respectively.