Pacific School of Religion to Host 125th Earl Lecture Series in Berkeley

The two-day event in Berkeley marks a dual milestone for the institution, coinciding with the 25th anniversary of its Center for LGBTQ+ and Gender Studies in Religion. PSR President Rev. Dr. David Vásquez-Levy emphasized that the gathering serves as a response to the current climate, where he argues religious rhetoric is frequently weaponized to deepen societal fractures. By focusing on expansive belonging, the seminary aims to provide a public witness that challenges exclusionary practices.

Keynote speakers include UCLA professor and author Rev. Dr. Robert Chao Romero, known for his work on the "Brown Church," and Bishop Yvette A. Flunder, a longtime advocate for social justice and founder of the City of Refuge Church. The program features a banquet, plenary sessions, and the debut of the "Fearless" fundraising campaign. These lectures carry forward a legacy established in 1866, maintaining the series’ status as the longest-running public forum of its kind in the Western United States.