The Perry Gresham Lecture at Central Woodward
with Beau Underwood, co-author of Baptizing America: How Mainline Protestants Helped Build Christian Nationalism
Saturday, November 16, 2024, 10am-2pm
The threat posed by Christian Nationalism is garnering more attention in our public life. In many conversations American evangelicals get saddled with the blame for this problematic fusion of religious and national identities. Yet, mainline Protestants have their own troubling track record advancing this ideology. This year’s lecture will focus on understanding the complicity of mainliners in perpetuating Christian Nationalism and what mainliners (and others) can do to offer a more faithful witness going forward.
Beau Underwood is the senior minister of Allisonville Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Indianapolis, Indiana. He is also a contributing editor to Word&Way. He completed his undergraduate studies at Eureka College, earned graduate degrees in both religion and public policy at the University of Chicago, and is currently pursuing his doctorate in public affairs at the University of Missouri.
Underwood is the co-author of a book on Christian fatherhood called, Dear Son: Raising Faithful, Just, and Compassionate Men that is also published by Chalice Press. His writing has appeared in Sojourners, The Christian Century, Religion & Politics, Sightings, and other places.
In addition to pastoring and writing, Underwood has worked on political campaigns, in progressive faith-based advocacy, and as a hospital chaplain. He has also held a variety of denominational leadership roles, including serving as the 1st Vice-Moderator of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) from 2017-2019 and chair of the Eureka College Board of Trustees from 2021-2024.
For more info about the lecture, please email office@centralwoodwardchristian.com. A downloadable pdf flyer is available here.
