On Tuesday, April 28th, Palmer Seminary and the Kerygma Initiative will host “Prophetic Preaching Today: Technology, Ecology, and Liberating Theologies.”
This event takes place at the American Baptist Home Mission Societies’ Leadership and Mission Building (LAMB; 1075 1st Avenue, King of Prussia, PA 19406) from 8:30am-4:30pm.
There is no cost (free!) and lunch and refreshments provided.
Speakers
The morning includes opening preaching by Dr. Marsha Brown Woodard and plenary speakers Dr. HyeRan Kim-Cragg and Dr. Irie Session.
Additional participants include Dr. Rebecca Irwin-Diehl and Dr. David M. Stark and others.
Special panelists will be Obed Arango, Rev. Carolyn C. Cavaness, and Shane Claiborne, along with Q & A.
The event culminates with music and an engaging message from Rev. Brian C. Ellis-Gibbs.
Rev. Dr. HyeRan Kim-Cragg
The Rev. Dr. HyeRan Kim-Cragg, is Principal and Professor of Preaching at Emmanuel College, University of Toronto. She was appointed the 14th principal of Emmanuel College in 2022 and is the first racialized person to lead the institution and to be promoted to full professor in 2021 in its nearly 100-year history.
As a leading postcolonial scholar in homiletics, Kim-Cragg is committed to an interdisciplinary approach to homiletics. Her current research focuses on connecting the ecological crisis with preaching. She is working on a manuscript on “Preaching Ecologically” and will be published in T & T Clark Library of Homiletics Series.
Rev. Dr. Irie Lynne Session
Irie Lynne Session is an award-winning minister, womanist pastor, church planter, author, and spiritual entrepreneur. Raised in the South Bronx and in the New York City Housing Projects, she began her service to humanity by ministering to persons marginalized in society due to incarceration, addiction, commercial sexual exploitation, prostitution, and HIV/AIDS histories.
She holds an undergraduate degree in Social Work from Oklahoma Christian University; a Master of Divinity with Certificate in Black Church Studies from Brite Divinity School; and a Doctor of Ministry in Transformative Leadership and Prophetic Preaching from Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School, in Rochester, New York. In 2025, Dr. Irie received a Certificate in Artificial Intelligence and Career Empowerment from the University of Maryland.
Reverend Dr. Marsha Brown Woodard
The Reverend Dr. Marsha Brown Woodard is a graduate of Ottawa University (Ottawa, Kansas), Eden Theological Seminary (Webster Groves, Missouri), and Lancaster Theological Seminary (Lancaster, Pennsylvania), from which she received the Doctor of Ministry degree.
She is a Senior Lecturer in Christian Ministry, Director of Supervised Ministries, and an Academic Advisor at Palmer Theological Seminary, the Seminary of Eastern University, in St. Davids, Pennsylvania. Her teaching has been extensive; among the courses she has taught are African American Women in Church History—1800 to the Present, Preaching Practicum, Personal Growth & Transformation through Movies, and Seminar in Prophetic Preaching and Teaching.
Rev. Carolyn C. Cavaness
On November 9, 2024, Rev. Cavaness was appointed the 53rd Pastor of Mother Bethel AME Church, the first woman to lead the birthplace of African Methodism, which sits on the oldest parcel of land continuously owned by African Americans in the United States purchased by the founder of the AME Church, Bishop Richard Allen.
Rev. Cavaness is a graduate of Barnard College of Columbia University in New York City, with a major in Urban Studies with a concentration in Economics. Prior to her historic appointment, she served for ten (10) years as the Pastor of Bethel AME Church of Ardmore, PA the first female pastor in that church’s 130 year history.
Rev. Obed Arango Hisijara
Obed Arango Hisijara is a Mexican/Latinamerican photographer, social anthropologist, author, social leader, and university professor.
In addition, he is the founder and executive director of the Centro de Cultura, Arte, Trabajo y Educación (CCATE), a Latinx non-profit organization that was founded in 2012, and which is located in Norristown in the metropolitan area of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and whose mission is: “to promote change and social transformation from the talents of the Latino community, at the intersection with education, art, culture, technology, health and environmental sciences.”
Shane Claiborne
Shane Claiborne is a prominent speaker, activist, and best-selling author. Shane worked with Mother Teresa in Calcutta, and founded The Simple Way in Philadelphia.
He heads up Red Letter Christians, a movement of folks who are committed to living "as if Jesus meant the things he said."
Shane is a champion for grace which has led him to jail advocating for the homeless, and to places like Iraq and Afghanistan to stand against war.
Now grace fuels his passion to end the death penalty and help stop gun violence.
Rev. Dr. Brian Ellis-Gibbs
Rev. Dr. Brian C. Ellis-Gibbs serves as national coordinator for Healing and Transforming Communities at American Baptist Home Mission Societies. I
n this role, he engages with community partners to advance healing, justice and liberation.
With more than two decades of pastoral leadership and over 10 years of experience in faith-rooted social justice organizing, he brings a deep commitment to transformational ministry grounded in compassion, inquiry and relationship.