Virtual Conversation to Feature Dr. Alyce McKenzie, Sister Helen Prejean

DALLAS (SMU) – Dr. Alyce McKenzie will host a conversation, “Equity in Religion,” with Sister Helen Prejean on October 27 at 11 a.m. as part of the bigBANG! 2020 conference. They will discuss justice in the Christian tradition, and what light they see from the church that leads toward equity.

Sister Helen Prejean is known around the world for her tireless work against the death penalty. Her book Dead Man Walking ignited a national debate on capital punishment and spawned an Academy Award winning movie, a play and an opera. Sister Helen’s latest book River of Fire: My Spiritual Journey sets the stage for Dead Man Walking – speaking to her own journey in waking up to white privilege in the Deep South, gender inequity in the Catholic Church, and her efforts to transform societal injustices. 

Rev. Dr. Alyce McKenzie is the George W. and Nell Ayers Le Van Professor of Preaching and Worship at Perkins. The conversation is presented by Dodee Frost Crockett (M.T.S. ’03) and Merrill Lynch.

With the theme, Equity in Action: The Next 100 Years!, bigBANG! runs Oct. 26-30 and convenes social innovators, community leaders, and business professionals for transformative dialogue and powerful action in the North Texas region. Other SMU faculty speaking at the event are Sofia Bastidas Vivar from Ignite/Arts – SMU Meadows, who will moderate the Equity in the Arts Panel: Part 1 (October 26 at 12 p.m.) and J.H. Cullum Clark, Director of Bush Institute, SMU Economic Growth Initiative, who will speak on Prosperity by Policy (October 28 at 11 a.m.) 

 View the full schedule and register for the of the event here.