Citizenship in Troubled Times
David Blankenhorn, co-founder of Braver Angels, discusses the problem of political polarization
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, May 25, 2025
Church Tomorrow?: What Nones and Dones Teach Us About the Future of Faith
The Reverend Canon Stephanie Spellers, Assisting Priest, draws on the experiences of those at the Church’s periphery in her effort to chart a future for faith itself.
Upcoming Speakers at The Forum
June 1 The Renewal of the Church for the Healing of the World: Why the Story of Church Decline is Wrong
The Right Reverend Matthew F. Heyd, Bishop of New York, offers his thoughts on the renewal that is already happening within the Church.
June 8 The Reverend Canon Leyla King, Canon for Mission in Small Congregations, Episcopal Diocese of West Texas, on war in Gaza
June 15 Jon Key, author of Black, Queer & Untold, on art, sexuality, and race
June 22 Jacqueline Goldsby, Professor of African-American Studies and English at Yale University, and Charles Cuykendall Carter, Assistant Curator at New York Public Library, on James Baldwin
June 29 The Reverend Mihee Kim-Kort, co-pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Annapolis, Maryland, on queerness and faith
Watch or listen to The Forum from previous weeks below.
Featured
Liz Kineke - Religion is Always in the Room
02.02.20 | Articles | The Forum
Religion is Always in the Room: Liz Kineke on Religion, Politics, and UnderstandingLiz Kineke served for over fourteen years as the producer of CBS’ award-winning Religion and Culture series. As she revisits her transition to religion...
The Uses and Misuses of Civil Rights History - Jean Theoharis
01.19.20 | Articles | The Forum
A More Beautiful and Terrible History: The Uses and Misuses of Civil Rights HistoryWe think we know the story of the Civil Rights Movement: the United States was segregated; Martin Luther King, Jr. fixed it through love and nonviolence; he...
Emma Green on the Intersection of Religion and Politics
01.12.20 | Articles | The Forum
The Not-So-Separation of Church and State: Emma Green on the Intersection of Religion and PoliticsEmma Green, a staff writer at the Atlantic and one of the best journalists working at the intersection of these two hot-button issues, reflects with...
Kenya Water Project Update - Richard Bayles
01.05.20 | Articles | The Forum
Fresh, clean water in sufficient quantity for daily living is transforming in many parts of the world. Nowhere is this more true than in Africa. Eleven years ago the Parish of St. Bartholomew’s Church initiated the funding for a water...
The History of Christmas Lessons and Carols - Peter Thompson
12.22.19 | Articles | The Forum
Once in Royal David’s City: The History of Christmas Lessons and CarolsJust before St. Bart’s first-ever service of Christmas lessons and carols, Associate Rector for Formation and Liturgy Peter Thompson takes a look at how the...
The Crisis of Human Trafficking, Part 2 of 2
11.24.19 | Articles | The Forum
The Crisis of Human Trafficking, Part 2 of 2: Why All Our Children are Vulnerable and How to Protect Them Each year thousands of children, average age of 11-15, are trafficked right here from our own communities in and around NYC. A growing...
Bishop Gene Robinson - What Does the Lord Require?
11.17.19 | Articles | The Forum
What Does the Lord Require?: Bishop Gene Robinson on Faith and JusticeIn 2003, the Right Reverend Gene Robinson made headlines when he was elected the Bishop of New Hampshire, making him the first openly gay person to be elected a bishop in...
Larry Welborn - The Lessons of the Wilderness (Part 5)
11.10.19 | Articles | The Forum
The Lessons of the Wilderness (Part 5—The Struggle Continues: Revelation 12)At the present moment, many Christians feel that they are “in the wilderness”: church membership is declining and talk about Christianity is vanishing...
Que English - Crisis in Human Trafficking (Part 1)
11.03.19 | Articles | The Forum
Larry Welborn - The Lessons of the Wilderness (Part 4)
10.27.19 | Articles | The Forum
The Lessons of the Wilderness (Part 4—Sojourning in the Wilderness: Perseverance with Confidence) At the present moment, many Christians feel that they are “in the wilderness”: church membership is declining and talk about...