Littleton, Colo. – Racism and Christian faith have intersected in complex and turbulent ways throughout U.S. history. While media cycles reignite these conversations, they often fail to provide clear guidance for constructive dialogue, leaving many to grapple with the Church’s past complicity and future opportunities without agreed outcomes.

On Fri., Oct. 25, from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Denver Seminary’s Gospel Initiative will host Compelling and Credible Witness: The Church and Race, a conference designed to explore the Church’s role in addressing racism and fostering meaningful, constructive conversations on race. The conference is free and open to the public, in person and online. Register and find more information at DenverSeminary.edu/TGI.

Dr. Patty Pell, executive director of The Gospel Initiative, emphasizes the need for the Church to actively engage in addressing racial justice.

“The Church needs to engage in conversations about race,” said Pell. “We are called to be agents of reconciliation, yet too often we fail to fully address the ways racism impacts our communities and witness. This conference offers a chance to have honest, restorative conversations that are long overdue.”

Among the themes to be considered are how the Church may be a hinderance to accomplishing racial equality and the need for self-assessment; embracing justice and righteousness from the heart of the Sermon on the Mount; and the tools and mindset that are needed to navigate tough conversations on race, ethnicity, and culture.

Presenters include:

Dr. Gerardo Marti: William R. Kenan, Jr. professor of Sociology at Davidson College, president of the Society for the Scientific Study of Religion

Dr. John Moreland: Director of Black Church Programs at Denver Seminary, Commander of the 140th Logistics and Readiness Squadron for the Colorado Air National Guard at Buckley Space Force Base

Latasha Morrison: Best-selling author, renowned for her transformative work in fostering racial reconciliation and unity

Dr. Soong-Chan Rah: Robert Boyd Munger professor of Evangelism at Fuller Seminary

Register to attend the conference in-person at Denver Seminary, 6399 S. Santa Fe Dr., Littleton, Colo., 80120, or via livestream, for no charge at DenverSeminary.edu/TGI.

For more information about the conference, contact TGI Director of Public Engagement Jason Woodman at 303.357.5859 or [email protected].

The Gospel Initiative supports the Church’s mission in creating a compelling, compassionate, and credible gospel presence in contemporary society.


Denver Seminary is a non-denominational graduate school of theology located in Littleton, Colo. The Seminary’s mission is to prepare men and women to engage the needs of the world with the redemptive power of the gospel and the life-changing truth of Scripture. Established in 1950, Denver Seminary offers on-campus, fully online, and hybrid degree programs, and has an extension campus in Washington DC and a Korean Global Program. In addition, the Seminary offers programming for lay ministry through its Hispanic Programs and Black Church Programs.

Please direct media questions to Senior Director of Communications Andrea Weyand at 303-762-6948 or [email protected].