Willie James Jennings, Y'all.

One goes looking for the real ones. And yes, perhaps everyone is…deep down…in some sense…a real one. But there are are those who, in view of their public content, seem less estranged from their moral center than others. I speak of Willie James Jennings, pastor, artisan of moral seriousness, mentor to many, and Associate Professor of Systematic Theology and Africana Studies at Yale Divinity School.

He’s speaking at Vanderbilt tonight (see below) and that’s what compelled this post, but I’m seizing this occasion as an opportunity to praise him and his words.

In his Acts commentary, he speaks of the movement to which Luke bears witness as “the revolution of the intimate.” Isn’t that something? What a way of conceiving community? What a way of conceiving a church?

Here he is again: “Worlds have been won by serious, rigorous, & scholarly thinking, but even more worlds have been lost through the narrowing of what those words mean and look like.”

Hear this: "If you want people to hate deeply, hate down to the bone, then suggest that someone or something threatens their financial stability and their theological beliefs."

And more: "To have a careful process does not mean that an institution is careful with people. It just means that they don't want to be sued."

I also have this report of an exchange Dr. Jennings had with Father Danny Bryant. Bryan had a question:“Is this United States Christian enterprise already dead—walking around like a zombie mindlessly consuming everything in its path? Or is it dying?"

Dr. Jennings: “It’s got enough money to pretend it’s alive.”

Here’s more on that from Father Bryant himself.

Are you persuaded? I am.

So come out. Or…if you can’t. Behold the situation online here.

Praising Dr. Jennings in front of my son today, I noted that he’s one of those figures who reminds me that “Christianity” can refer to something beautiful. If you do tune in, I’d love hear what you make of his words.