Harvard Divinity School

Major religious traditions call on their adherents to respond to the causes of suffering, those who suffer, and the prevention of suffering. The ways we respond and serve can take many forms including activism and holding political office. How does spiritual practice support the difficult work of speaking truth to power as well as being in positions of power without losing focus on the relief of suffering? In this book talk and conversation, Lori E. Lightfoot, Esq., 56th Mayor of Chicago, and Pamela Ayo Yetunde, J.D., Th.D., author of Casting Indra's Net: Fostering Spiritual Kinship and Community, reflected on the role of political officeholders and public theologians in the divisive social contexts we live in today. This event was live-streamed on the HDS Youtube channel, and took place October 24, 2023. Bios Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot is a graduate of the University of Michigan and the University of Chicago Law School. She was an Assistant United States Attorney who also served in other governmental positi