Welcome
The Center for the Study of Evangelicalism is a space for developing cutting-edge research on religious movements where scholarship is guided by the needs of our community. We are a bridge for connecting scholars to the rich context of religious life in Colorado Springs, and for bringing local community members to the table as we shape the future of scholarly research through open dialogue and engagement.
Recognizing that the concept of evangelicalism resonates across time and space with different people in different ways we take a nonpartisan, decentralized, and bottom-up approach to its study. By engaging with a diversity of faith communities, spiritual traditions, and scholarly disciplines, we seek to build an understanding of evangelicalism reflective of its global diversity, and people’s everyday experiences.
We welcome scholarly endeavors in conversation with diverse communities that open doors for reflection, collaboration, and inquiry into the question of evangelicalism.
Upcoming Events
- Jimmy’s Faith: Baldwin & Black Religion, an Evening with Chris Hunt
Join the Center for the Study of Evangelicalism on Friday, February the 7th, 2025 in All Souls Unitarian Universalist Church for a discussion of Christopher W. Hunt’s new book, Jimmy’s Faith: James Baldwin, Disidentification, and the Queer Possibilities of Black Religion.
Doors open at 5:30pm, and the lecture starts at 6pm. There will be a public Q&A and a book signing after the event. The event is free and open to the public.
Christopher W. Hunt is Assistant Professor of Religion at Colorado College, and received his PhD from the Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary. Hunt’s work considers the relevance and meaning of Black religion for those on the margins or considered outside of traditional religious spaces.
For inquiries about the event, contact Ben Slightom, [email protected].
- The Election, Religion, & the Future
Join the Center for the Study of Evangelicalism on Thursday, December 5th at 6pm at Grace & St. Stephen’s Church at 631 N Tejon Street for a panel discussion and public Q&A on the election, religion, & the future.
Our panelists include April Mack, Assistant Professor of Religion & Social Justice at Iliff School of Theology; David Gardiner, Associate Professor of Religion & Asian Studies at Colorado College; John Hawthorne, retired Professor of Sociology at Spring Arbor University; and Paul Harvey, Distinguished Professor of History at UCCS. The panel will be moderated by our Director, Jeffrey Scholes, Professor and Chair of Philosophy at UCCS. - Stealing Sacred Things: A Proleptic Review of Black Panther
Join the Center for the Study of Evangelicalism on Thursday, December 12th, at 4:30 PM in University Center 307 for a lecture from S.N. Nyeck, Associate Prof. of Ethnic Studies at CU Boulder.
Abstract: Black Panther, a film directed by Ryan Coogler, has been hailed for its afro-futuristic expressions. It put a different kind of blackness on the big screen worldwide. The amazing technology of Wakanda is unmatched by any other nation. Technological success, however, hides an upending family drama which pits two heirs of the throne against each other. Kind T’Challa against Erik Killmonger. Until he arrived, the existence of Killmonger was a well-guarded secret only the ancestors knew. When Killmonger irrupts in Wakanda, it is to claim the throne and, in the process, destroy the cultural memory that nurtured the imaginary city: the heart-shaped herb that governs life and death flows in Wakanda. While Black Panther has received many reviews, the cataphatic role of religion in the film has not been noted. What does it mean to predicate one’s identity on the death of the sublime? The presentation proposes an alternative ethics affirms Blackness in ways that refashion the self without sacrificing the soul of the folks.
- Evangelicalism, Politics, & The Future: An Evening with Tim Alberta
Join us on Wednesday, October 2nd, at 6pm for a public lecture by Tim Alberta, the critically acclaimed author of The Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory: American Evangelicals in an Age of Extremism.
Tim Alberta is an award-winning journalist, best-selling author, and staff writer for The Atlantic magazine. He formerly served as chief political correspondent for POLITICO.
This event is free and open to the public. It will be hosted in the Ent Center for the Arts at 5225 N Nevada Avenue, Colorado Springs, CO, 80918 in the Shockley-Zalabak Theater.
Attendees must have a ticket at the event for entry. Register with the button below.