Dialogue Institute

Join us at Philadelphia’s Christ Church Neighborhood House for a special screening of Episode 4 of the documentary “In Pursuit: Philadelphia and the Making of America.” 🎥

Following the screening, producer Nathaniel Popkin will facilitate a conversation with Dr. David Krueger (Dialogue Institute), Dr. Kirsten Lee (1838 Black Metropolis), and Farah Jimenez (Philadelphia Education Fund) about religion, civic engagement, and the struggle for an inclusive democracy.

Register here: https://religiousfreedomtrails.org/events/in-pursuit-philadelphia-and-the-making-of-america

Episode 4 of “In Pursuit” examines Philadelphia as the young nation’s capital, where the ideals of self-government are tested in everyday life. As political divisions deepen and crises like the Yellow Fever epidemic strain the city, free Black Philadelphians build institutions and assert their rights, with leaders like Richard Allen, Absalom Jones, and James Forten shaping a growing movement for equality and reform.

The episode then follows the rise of abolitionism and public education, as Black and white reformers work together to expand opportunity and challenge injustice. Yet these efforts provoke fierce resistance, culminating in mob violence, the destruction of Pennsylvania Hall, and the stripping of Black men’s voting rights. In a city striving to create shared civic space, this program asks a central question: how can common ground be sustained when democracy itself remains unequal?

Issue 61.1 of the Journal of Ecumenical Studies is now available via Project Muse! For each issue, the Diablogue features one author and makes a full-text PDF version of their article available on Project Muse for 60 days. 📖

In this issue, we feature Geneva Blackmer and Yitnaa Athanasius Akila’s "Aruna Gnanadason: Indigenous Wisdom, Indian Eco-Feminist Theology, and the World Council of Churches—Confronting Violence against Women and Shaping the Future of Ecumenism.”

Get access to the full article and hear from the authors on our blog: https://dialogueinstitute.org/diablogue-blog/2026/5/14/featured-jes-authors-geneva-blackmer-and-yitnaa-athanasius-akila

Featured JES Authors: Geneva Blackmer and Yitnaa Athanasius Akila — Dialogue Institute Issue 61.1 of the Journal of Ecumenical Studies is now available via Project Muse! For each issue, the Diablogue features one author and makes a full-text PDF version of their article available on Project Muse for 60 days. In this issue, we feature Geneva Blackmer and Yitnaa Athanasius

Find our new tour pamphlets at the Independence Visitor Center's information desk! 📣

Located near 6th and Market Streets, the Independence Visitor Center is the official visitor center of Independence National Historical Park and the Philadelphia region.

Interested in taking a tour? Learn more on our website: https://religiousfreedomtrails.org/our-tours