Skylight Festival

Traveling the US as a public theologian is never what I thought I would be doing. And, now I’m building resources for folks to live their theology out loud by creating a collaborative project called the Activist Theology Project.

Activist Theology is a vision for a better world, where we build bridges across lines of radical difference and imagine the kind of people we want to be and become. it’s an invitation to join and embody a collective vision not only for liberation, but for a new kind of humanity. Activist Theology is an orientation to thinking about theology and ethics; it is a discourse and a way of being in the world. 
Activist Theology culls from theologies of liberation and radical politics to envision the work. As a collaborative project, we work in the borderlands of church, academy, and movements for justice. We focus on story-telling, because we believe that stories still change hearts and minds, and it is the best technology for deepening a relational awareness and mobilizing people for radical social change. We seek to be innovate in our theories and embodiment practice and work to revolutionize thought and action to create sustainable change.

Join us as we explore how to live our theology and root ourselves in the politics of change.

Creatives and artists are key community members often missing from conversations and collective efforts in the neighborhood. They are critical because they are the ones who discern undercurrents and create commentary on what they intuitively understand or curiously investigate. They are uniquely positioned to communicate with both cognitive and non cognitive means. Brave artists name things that are unseen, but felt, and force us to pay attention. They make us think and feel. 


Imagine what would happen if creatives were invited, empowered and celebrated in our neighborhoods. Let’s talk about place-based art and music!


Artists: what informs our work? What would emerge in our creating if we walk through our neighborhoods, listen to our neighbors, creating in, from, and through our particular place and space? In what ways might we contribute through our creative gifts to the flourishing of our neighborhoods? Bring your experiences and curiosity to the conversation. Let’s inspire and encourage one another in the compelling and vital role as artists in our communities.

Gay marriage might be legal in North America, but that legal permission hasn’t changed the fact that LGBTQ2S+ folks experience discrimination in every area of society.

LGBTQ2S+ Affirming churches still only make up less than 5% of religious communities. What is holding us back from embracing difference and diversity when we can be leaders in what a radically welcoming community can look like? How do we grow beyond tolerance into celebration?

The acronym of PIE (Public, Intentional, Explicit) embodies a guiding map and litmus test for people who want to be more tangibly affirming, whether as an individual, faith leader, or organization. It’s possible for us to be bold and innovative, and we don’t have to do this alone!

We will dive into these topics with conversation, music, comedy, and curiosity!

In order to change the world, we must change ourselves. This is hard work, especially when we are socialized to be opposed to ideas and politics that might be harmful. Bridging is a chance to cross into new relational space that has the power to fiercely hold the complexities of multi-dimensional people.  None of us are single-issue folk who are attempting to do justice work, but oftentimes, we fail to enact relational politics in the work we are doing.  And, so, the work of bridging radical difference is at the cusp of both personal and interpersonal change.  Through the radical act of bridging, we find renewed capacity to our mission for social change and find unlikely comradeship in the process.
Join Robyn and Anna for this conversation.

Come and learn about the art of ritual! This workshop will introduce ritual as a methodology of making meaning and making magic. From the witchy to the religious, sacred to the secular, ritual is for all people along their spiritual path—and anyone can lead it. Participants will walk through potential elements of ritual, and practice creating their own. Some materials will be provided.

Our communities are facing extraordinary challenges: increasing inequality, rising poverty rates, unstable economies, climate change and a raft of other issues. At the same time, technologies are transforming the world in which we live, markets are undergoing massive change, and philanthropists are changing their practices. The speed of change is faster than ever, and the social and environmental need is reaching a frightening crescendo.

Many social change movements are articulating this moment as a time of a great turning or unraveling. We invite you into a conversation to discuss what is emerging and to share where and how we are being called to respond.

A consistent writing practice allows one to narrate one’s life stories, and make sense of their experiences and relationships. Furthermore, taking time to sit, reflect, and write together, and then sharing that writing, creates a sense of community. This workshop will begin with a circle gathering and a short performance of songs by host and singer-songwriter, Kate Reid. Then, participants will be given a series of writing prompts in relation to themes of love, identity, and connection. Participants will be invited to discuss their reflections and share their writings, if they wish. At the end of the workshop, Kate will provide a hard copy of a several writing prompts, which participants may take home with them to enhance their personal writing practices at home. Please bring something to write with: a pen and journal, iPad, or cellphone are acceptable. Weather permitting, we will outside for this workshop.

Jonathan Brooks was raised in the Englewood neighborhood on the south side of Chicago. As soon as he was able, he left the community and moved as far away as he could. But through a remarkable turn of events, he reluctantly returned and found himself not only back in Englewood but also serving as a pastor ("Pastah J") and community leader.

The We Suffer to inspire sessions is an interactive session focused on poetry and self expression. The session will focus on finding the lessons in adversity. Through open discussions, reflection and poetry we will dive into what it means to live an inspired life.

KAACR delegates will offer a workshop that explores a number of different African music, dance and art practices. Julian Omanje will lead a traditional dance clinic – The African Warrior – teaching African dance moves, Harzel Katembe will offer spoken word poetry, with Djembe percussion by Moses Mbiti

Many who work in faith sectors, clergy or laity, understand the work that is asked of them within the walls of their community. We know how to preach and advocate in missional and justice-based ways when we are in our community. But what happens when we are called to do more? How do we gain the words, the confidence, the energy to take our work outside the walls of our faith communities and directly into the work? Seminary teaches us how to use the words we preach to change minds. Our social media feeds are easy ways for us to remain “behind our keyboards” and still speak our truth. But if we aren’t engaged in the realtime, on the ground work of our communities, are we really doing the work we have been called to? This session is designed to broaden our understanding of non-violent resistance and the ways we should be leaving our comfort zones in order to change our world.