Each week, guest speakers from a variety of backgrounds and disciplines join the Reverend Peter Thompson and other St. Bart's clergy for deep and insightful conversations about topics that matter to our lives as responsible citizens and people of faith. Speakers in recent years have included winners of the Tony Award, the Emmy Award, the MacArthur Fellowship, and the Pulitzer Prize, professors from prominent universities like Yale, Harvard, Princeton, and Columbia, and journalists from New York, The New Yorker, and The Atlantic.
Sunday, August 24, 2025 Gendered Islamophobia: Deconstructing 30 Rights of Muslim Women
Dr. Daisy Khan, Founder and Executive Director of Women’s Islamic Initiative in Spirituality & Equality (WISE), discusses how Muslim women’s lives can be improved by connecting them to beliefs that affirm human dignity and gender equality at the core of the Islamic faith.Please post your questions in the comments section on Facebook or YouTube, or email the Reverend Meredith Ward at
Upcoming Speakers at The Forum
August 31 Conversation with Clergy: What Did You Do This Summer?
The Forum is on hiatus for Labor Day weekend. In its place, join the clergy for an in person conversation about summer vacations and the fall season ahead.
September 7 Forum with Former Rector Buddy Stallings
The Reverend Buddy Stallings reflects on the decade since he retired as Rector of St. Bart’s and the state of the world today.
Watch or listen to The Forum from previous weeks below.
In an age of information overload and political polarization, how do we discern what truly serves the common good? CUNY Law professor and St. Bart’s parishioner Ally Coll explores the promises and pitfalls of both evidence-based and...
Parishioner Nick Stuart talked about one of his latest documentaries, Milwaukee 53206, which addresses the issue of mass incarceration in the United States. The film, shown at Congress last year, is now at the heart of a campaign designed to help...
In today’s Forum. Matthew Moretz introduced the spectacular sequence of sixteen capitals carved by the Piccirilli Brothers in our church and discussed these works of art in close-up detail, each their own dramatic sequence featuring vital...
Today we welcomed Dr. Sarah Ruden for a lively discussion on her recent scholarly work. Dr. Ruden is the author of The Face of Water: A Translator on Beauty and Meaning in the Bible, and the translator of a new version of Augustine’s...
Today we welcomed Jonathan F. Cooper, Communications Manager for the National Association of Episcopal Schools (NAES), who explored the wide-ranging world of social media and shared his considerations for health and wellness in that shared space.
“St. Bart’s, The Episcopal Church and the United Nations: Engaging with the Global Community.” Today we welcomed Lynnaia Main, the Officer for Global Relations and Representative to the United Nations for the Episcopal Church...
"Confronting Despair – Together.” Dr. Kelly Murphy Mason of the Psychotherapy and Spirituality Institute explored the current understanding of the role of despair in our lives and how communities of faith can support the world in...
The Rev. Mark Anschutz, former rector of St. Michael and All Angels in Dallas, reflects with us about his life of ministry in the Church and how to practice generosity in our parish's life of faith.
Our iconic dome has been magnificently restored! On September 24th, Project Manager Chris Norfleet of Séamus Henchy & Associates spoke about how they executed this complicated work -- finishing on time and on budget. After 14 months...
Today at the Forum, we introduced Lucy Breidenthal Bernardin, our new Minister for Children, Youth, and Family Formation and learn more about Kairos, our new Sunday morning education program, and other plans for children, youth and family events...