Photo by Mara Lavitt for Yale Divinity School
Curing Whiteness
with Willie James Jennings
Whiteness is a malady that few people even recognize as a malady. It is so pervasive and relentless that it seems like there is no way to imagine life without or beyond its power. Christians have never been able to correctly diagnose it or offer an effective treatment. This social and political moment shows us the need to get clear on both the diagnosis and the treatment. Through prose and a bit of poetry, Jennings will suggest a few therapeutic elements necessary for a cure.
Willie James Jennings is the Andrew W. Mellon Professor of Systematic Theology and Africana Studies at Yale Divinity School, where he teaches in the areas of Christian thought, race theory, and decolonial/environmental studies. His book The Christian Imagination: Theology and the Origins of Race was named the 2010 American Academy of Religion Book of the Year in the Constructive-Reflective Studies category and is now a standard textbook in colleges, seminaries, and universities. Jennings also received the 2015 Grawemeyer Award in Religion for his groundbreaking work on race and Christianity.
THIS IS AN IN-PERSON ONLY EVENT
Friday, September 26, 2025, 7 p.m.
Registration fee: $50
Reception with dessert bar and wine will follow the lecture.
Arts Club of Chicago, 201 E. Ontario, Chicago
Or send a check payable to:
The Christian Century, 900 W. Jackson Blvd., Suite 7W, Chicago, IL 60607
Questions? Call (312) 263-7510 ext. 229 or e-mail us.
Discounted student tickets are available - email or call for details.
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