Warren W. Willis Lecture in Religion guest speaker, Dr. Dwight N. Hopkins, Professor of Theology at the University of Chicago Divinity School.

LAKELAND, Fla. (Oct. 20, 2008) — Florida Southern College’s Department of Religion presents the 2008-2009 Warren W. Willis Lecture in Religion on Monday, Nov. 3 in the William M. Hollis Room on campus. Guest speaker Dr. Dwight N. Hopkins will speak on "Race, Religion, and the Presidential Election.” The lecture takes place at 10 a.m., followed by discussion. After a lunch break, discussion will continue at 1 p.m. and adjourn at 3:30 p.m. The event is free and open to the public. Registration begins at 9:30 a.m. Lunch is $5. One Continuing Education Unit is available for attending the day’s workshop. For more information, please contact Beverly Johnson at (863) 680-4180 or bjohnson@flsouthern.edu.

Hopkins, Professor of Theology at the University of Chicago Divinity School, is a constructive theologian working in the areas of contemporary models of theology, black theology, and liberation theologies and has been a leading voice in black theology for many years. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Harvard University, his master’s degrees in divinity and philosophy and his doctoral degree from Union Theological Seminary in New York City, and a second doctoral degree from the University of Cape Town, South Africa. Hopkins’s interests include multidisciplinary approaches to the academic study of religious thought, especially cultural, political, economic and interpretive methods. A prolific writer of scholarly articles and books, his book titles include “Being Human: Race, Culture, and Religion;” “Walk Together Children: Black and Womanist Theologies, Church and Theological Education;” “Another World Is Possible: Spiritualities and Religions of Global Darker Peoples;” “Loving the Body: Black Religious Studies and the Erotic” (coeditor); “Heart and Head: Black Theology-Past, Present, and Future;” “Introducing Black Theology of Liberation; Down, Up and Over: Slave Religion and Black Theology;” “Black Faith and Public Talk: Essays in Honor of James Cone’s Black Theology and Black Power” (editor); “Black Theology USA and South Africa: Politics, Culture, and Liberation;” “Shoes That Fit Our Feet: Sources for a Constructive Black Theology;” and “We Are One Voice: Essays on Black Theology in South Africa and the USA” (coeditor). He has recently been interviewed on National Public Radio on the nature of black liberation theology and the recent controversy over statements by the Reverend Jeremiah Wright, for which he attempted to offer context and understanding. He is an ordained American Baptist minister, and is a member of Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago, where he also teaches courses in theology for the community outreach program.