Make a Joyful Noise: The Power of Music in Difficult Times
Ethnomusicologist and St. Bart's parishioner Margaret Farrell reflects on how music can lift spirits in difficult times.
Every Sunday at 10 am
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, July 20, 2025
Fake News: The Most Famous Quotes the Saints Never Said
The Reverend Peter Thompson fact checks quotations purported to derive from famous Christian figures, including St. Francis of Assisi, St. Teresa of Avila, Martin Luther, and John Wesley. Please post your questions in the comments section on Facebook or YouTube, or email the Reverend Peter Thompson at
Upcoming Speakers at The Forum
July 27 Mama: A Queer Black Woman’s Story of a Family Lost and Found
Author Nikkya Hargrove discusses her memoir about her unconventional journey to motherhood.
August 3 Expunge: Restoration after a Criminal Record
Attorney Jeffrey Grant, founder of White Collar Support Group, explains how expunging criminal records can benefit those who have already served their sentences and the society-at-large.
Watch or listen to The Forum from previous weeks below.
Featured
Welcoming Newcomers February 12, 2023
02.15.23 | Articles | by Bailey Regan
The following individuals were fully welcomed into the life of St. Bart's during Welcome Sunday on February 12, 2023. We invite you to send them messages of congratulations. Ackeem Duggan I am 31 years old and I am from Jamaica, West Indies. My...
Uncovering Black History: Manhattan's African Burial Ground
02.12.23 | Articles | The Forum
In the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, as many as 20,000 people of African descent were buried in a cemetery located in lower Manhattan. Historical Consultant Peggy King Jorde speaks about her efforts to preserve that burial ground and the...
The Lunar New Year
02.05.23 | The Forum | Center for Religious Inquiry
As the celebration of the Lunar New Year comes to a close with the Lantern Festival, Ying Yen, Executive Director of the New York Chinese Cultural Center, provides background on the multi-week observance and its place within Chinese culture.
What Are Biblical Values?
01.29.23 | Articles | The Forum
Professor Emeritus at Yale Divinity School John Collins, author of the book "What Are Biblical Values?", tells us what the Bible really says about highly debated ethical issues.
Pilgrimage: Walking the Camino de Santiago
01.22.23 | Articles | The Forum
Rob Radtke, President & CEO of Episcopal Relief & Development, reflects on his recent sabbatical, during which he walked the famous Camino de Santiago in Spain.
The King's Vibrato: The Sonic Life of Martin Luther King, Jr.
01.15.23 | Articles | The Forum
The Reverend Dr. Maurice Wallace, Professor of English at Rutgers, explains how Martin Luther King, Jr.'s voice served as an asset to him in his ministry.
A New Year at St. Bart's
01.08.23 | Articles | The Forum
Tara Marlovits, Bailey Regan, and Veronica Shea talk about their new roles on the St. Bart's staff and share their hopes for the year ahead.
An Endemic Church: Exploring its Perils and Possibilities
12.18.22 | Articles | The Forum
Scott Thumma, Director of the Hartford Institute for Religion Research at Hartford International University, looks at how the church has transformed in the COVID-19 period and contemplates its future.
The Light We Give: Lessons from Sikh Wisdom
12.11.22 | Articles | The Forum
Simran Jeet Singh, Executive Director of The Aspen Institute’s Religion & Society Program, talks about growing up as Sikh in South Texas and reflects on the lessons he continues to learn from the teachings of his tradition...
Understanding Jesus and Paul Means Understanding Jewish Practice and Belief
12.04.22 | Articles | The Forum
Amy-Jill Levine, prolific author and the Rabbi Stanley M. Kessler Distinguished Professor of New Testament and Jewish Studies at Hartford International University for Religion and Peace, places Jesus and Paul within their Jewish context and...