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
Living Well: The Bible & Our Lives
09.01.24 | Articles | The Forum
On the day her new book, Living Well: Inspired by the Story behind the Bible, is released, Starr Tomczak reflects on how the Bible can help us make sense of our own lives.
A Pedagogy of Faith: The Theological Vision of Paulo Freire
08.25.24 | Articles | The Forum
Irwin Leopando, St. Bart’s parishioner and Chair of the English Department at LaGuardia Community College, explores the work of educational philosopher Paulo Freire, paying particular attention to its theological implications. His book on...
Faith and Religious Diversity in Colonial America
08.18.24 | Articles | The Forum
Brooks Ishler, Assistant Professor of Political Science at Touro University, examines the immense religious diversity of colonial America.
Mental Disabilities and the Criminal Justice System
08.11.24 | Articles | The Forum
Attorney and St. Bart's parishioner Elizabeth Kelley reflects on years of experience helping people with mental disabilities navigate the criminal justice system.
Celebrating the Ordination of Women
08.04.24 | Articles | The Forum
As both the Episcopal Church and the Church of England mark important anniversaries related to the ordination of women, the Reverend Lucy Winkett, Rector of St. James's Piccadilly in London and one of the first women ordained in The Church of...
Was Martha of Bethany Added to John's Gospel?
07.28.24 | Articles | The Forum
Dr. Elizabeth Schrader Polczer discusses her groundbreaking research on Martha of Bethany in the Gospel of John and intriguing new insight on the identity of Mary Magdalene.
An Epidemic of Loneliness
07.21.24 | Articles | The Forum
The Right Reverend Dean Wolfe and The Reverend Meredith Ward discuss the Surgeon General’s report on the epidemic of loneliness in our nation and what steps we can take to build more connection.
Reflections on General Convention
07.14.24 | Articles | The Forum
The Right Reverend Dean E. Wolfe and St. Bart’s staff members Bailey Regan and Teagan Sage reflect on their time at the 81st General Convention of The Episcopal Church.
Come Forth: The Transformative Impact of the Lazarus Story
07.07.24 | Articles | The Forum
Jesuit priest Father James Martin, SJ offers powerful insights from the story of the raising of Lazarus. His book Come Forth: The Promise of Jesus' Greatest Miracle was released in fall 2023.
Pride Sunday: Following Jesus in an Age of Fear
06.30.24 | Articles | The Forum
Writer Jonathan Merritt, who often reflects on topics at the intersection of sexuality and religion, discusses the relationship between his Christian faith and his identity as an openly gay man. Merritt is the author, most recently, of the...