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Three Present and Former Duke Chapel Deans to Discuss Preaching in the Public Square

Revs. Sam Wells, Will Willimon and Luke Powery will be interviewed by Frank Stacio.
By Duke Today Staff

Three deans of Duke Chapel -- one current and two former – will hold a public conversation about the role of preaching in public discourse at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 27 in the chapel.

Fewer people are coming to church to hear sermons and yet religious language and elements of the sermonic style continue to be present in various types of public speech. In this context, are preachers being heard and heeded? What is the place of the pulpit in the public square? And, how are sermons changing?

Three prolific preachers, with experience on two continents, address those questions and others in a Duke Chapel Bridge Panel conversation moderated by Frank Stasio, the host of WUNC Radio's "The State of Things." The panelists are:

* The Rev. Dr. Luke A. Powery, dean of Duke Chapel since 2012 and an associate professor of homiletics at Duke Divinity School

* The Rev. Dr. Samuel Wells, vicar of St Martin-in-the-Fields and former dean of Duke Chapel from 2005 to 2012

* Bishop William Willimon, professor of the practice of Christian ministry at Duke Divinity School and former dean of Duke Chapel from 1984 to 2004

Admission is free and no tickets are required. Free parking is available on a first-come-first-served basis in the Bryan Center Garage at 125 Science Drive. ADA parking is available in surface lot next to the garage.

The event will also be streamed online here.

Following the event there will be an open reception in the Alumni Memorial Commons Room in the Divinity School.