On January 19, Martin Luther King Day, Hope College’s annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Civil Rights Lecture will feature Dr. Jemar Tisby. The event is at 7 p.m. at Dimnent Memorial Chapel and will be livestreamed. Dr. Tisby is a professor, historian, and author who, according to Hope College, “explores racial-justice solutions and cultural conversations that compel listeners to action.” Monday’s lecture is entitled, “Lead Like a King: Jesus, Justice and the Courage to Confront.
Pastor Gordon Wiersma says, “In recent years, Hope Church has drawn on the writings of Jemar Tisby as a core resource for our racial justice learning and commitments.” Dr. Tisby’s books include How to Fight Racism, The Color of Compromise: The Truth about the American Church’s Complicity in Racism, and The Spirit of Justice: True Stories of Faith, Race and Resistance, published in September 2024.
Pastor Gordon explains, “Hope Church initiated the idea of bringing Dr. Tisby to our community, pooling our resources with other community partners for a combined MLK event.” In addition to Hope Church, sponsors include I AM Academy, Maple Avenue Ministries, and First United Methodist Church, partnering with the college’s Center for Diversity and Inclusion, Culture and Inclusive Excellence, multicultural student organizations, and Campus Ministries.
“This event is offered as a resource and encouragement for all in our community,” Pastor Gordon says, “and organizing the event has strengthened Hope Church’s relationships and mutual appreciation with all of the groups involved. This event honors the legacy of Dr. King, who in the midst of the challenging landscape of his time spoke a message to unite all people in the abundance of Beloved Community.”
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