The Forum at Grace Cathedral

Recorded live at San Francisco's Grace Cathedral, The Forum is a series of stimulating conversations about faith, ethics and culture in relation to the important issues of our day. Host and Dean of Grace Cathedral Malcolm Clemens Young invites artists, inventors, philosophers, pop culturists, elected officials and other inspiring guests to share in a civil, sophisticated discourse that engages hearts and minds to think in new ways about the world.

Do Dogs Go to Heaven? 11/10/2025

Jenny Odell: How To Do Nothing 11/04/2025

Jenny Odell: How To Do Nothing In a world where addictive technology is designed to buy and sell our attention, and our value is determined by our 24/7 data productivity, it can seem impossible to escape. But in this inspiring field guide to dropping out of the attention economy, artist and critic Jenny Odell shows us how we can still win back our lives. Odell is an artist, writer, and educator whose work focuses on close observation of the everyday world. She is the author of the New York Times bestsellers Saving Time: Discovering a Life Beyond the Clock and How to Do Nothing: Resisting the Attention Economy. Odell about sees our attention as the most precious—and overdrawn—resource we have. How to Do Nothing is an action plan for thinking outside of capitalist narratives of efficiency and techno-determinism. Provocative, timely, and utterly persuasive, this book will change how you see your place in our world. Join Malcolm Clemens Young, Dean of Grace Cathedral, for a conversation with Odell about paying a new kind of attention, undertaking bolder forms of political action, reimagining humankind’s role in the environment, and arriving at more meaningful understandings of happiness and progress. “She struck a hopeful nerve of possibility that I hadn’t felt in a long time.”—Jia Tolentino, THE NEW YORKER “This book will change how you see the world.”—Malcolm Harris, author and Forum guest! . About the Guest is an artist, writer, and educator whose work focuses on close observation of the everyday world. She is the author of the New York Times bestsellers How to Do Nothing: Resisting the Attention Economy and Saving Time: Discovering a Life Beyond the Clock. Her other writing has appeared in The New York Times, The Atlantic, and the Paris Review. Odell has been an artist in residence at the San Francisco Planning Department, the Internet Archive, and Recology SF (otherwise known as the dump), and her work has been exhibited internationally. From 2013 to 2021, she taught digital art at Stanford University. About the Moderator  is the dean of Grace Cathedral. He is the author of The Spiritual Journal of Henry David Thoreau and The Invisible Hand in Wilderness: Economics, Ecology, and God, and is a regular contributor on religion to the Huffington Post and San Francisco Examiner. About The Forum The Forum is a series of stimulating conversations about faith and ethics in relation to the important issues of our day. We invite inspiring and illustrious people to sit down for a real conversation with the Forum’s host and with you. Our guests range from artists, inventors and philosophers to pop culturists and elected officials, but the point of The Forum is singular: civil, sophisticated discourse that engages minds and hearts to think in new ways about the world.   You can help us bring the arts to life at Grace . /episode/index/show/gracecathedralforum/id/38904265

Rebecca Lyman: Early Christian Traditions 10/28/2025

Rebecca Lyman: Early Christian Traditions Rebecca Lyman is the Samuel Garrett Professor of Church History emerita at The Church Divinity School of the Pacific, at the ecumenical and interfaith Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, California. She is also an Episcopal priest in the Diocese of California. Rev. Lyman is an historian of ancient Christianity, focused particularly on the use and abuse of the category of “heresy” in antiquity. In her book, Early Christian Traditions, she introduces us to the world of the early church. Beginning with the Jewish, Greek, and Roman cultures in which the first followers of Jesus lived and worshiped, she traces the growth of the Christian church’s theology, worship, leadership, and ethics through its first six centuries. Join Malcolm Clemens Young, Dean of Grace Cathedral, for a conversation with Lyman about the often thin line between orthodoxy and heresy, true and false teachers, and the early church’s “family quarrels.” About the Guest The Rev. Rebecca Lyman is the Samuel Garrett Professor of Church History emerita at The Church Divinity School of the Pacific, at the ecumenical and interfaith Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, California. She is also an Episcopal priest in the Diocese of California. She is a historian of ancient Christianity, focused particularly on the use and abuse of the category of “heresy” in antiquity. She has a B.A. in Religion and History from Western Michigan University, an M.A. in Medieval and Byzantine Studies from The Catholic University of America, and a D. Phil in Theology from Oxford University. She has also been a Visiting Scholar at Stanford University, and is a member of the Ancient History and Mediterranean Archaeology Group at the University of California Berkeley. She is completing a new history of the “heresy” of Arius . Her next project is a novel about a lost gospel as traced through a sequence of women’s communities from the second to the twentieth century. About the Moderator  is the dean of Grace Cathedral. He is the author of The Spiritual Journal of Henry David Thoreau and The Invisible Hand in Wilderness: Economics, Ecology, and God, and is a regular contributor on religion to the Huffington Post and San Francisco Examiner. About The Forum The Forum is a series of stimulating conversations about faith and ethics in relation to the important issues of our day. We invite inspiring and illustrious people to sit down for a real conversation with the Forum’s host and with you. Our guests range from artists, inventors and philosophers to pop culturists and elected officials, but the point of The Forum is singular: civil, sophisticated discourse that engages minds and hearts to think in new ways about the world.   You can help us bring the arts to life at Grace . /episode/index/show/gracecathedralforum/id/38804290

Mason Bates: 2025 Artist In Residence 10/21/2025

Mason Bates: 2025 Artist In Residence Every year since 2012, we have offered a residency to artists to create work illuminating the cathedral’s vision and annual theme and reimagining church as they do so.  Our 2025 Artist in Residence, for our Year of the Future, is composer, DJ, and curator Mason Bates. Mason Bates is imaginatively transforming the way classical music is created and experienced. He is the composer of the Grammy-winning opera The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs, which San Francisco Opera presented last year, and most recently The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay, which premiered at the Metropolitan Opera last month. Named as the most-performed composer of his generation, Mason is a visible advocate for the modern orchestra, and imaginatively integrates it into contemporary culture. Join Malcolm Clemens Young, Dean of Grace Cathedral, for a conversation with Bates about composing, his unique integration of electronic sounds into his work, the spectacular events he curates, and his residency with us. Watch: About the Guest – composer, DJ, and curator – is imaginatively transforming the way classical music is created and experienced. He is the composer of the Grammy-winning opera The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs, and with electro-acoustic works such as Mothership and the animated film Philharmonia Fantastique, Bates has become a visible advocate for the modern orchestra and imaginatively integrates it into contemporary culture. Named as the most-performed composer of his generation, his symphonic music is the first to receive widespread acceptance for its unique integration of electronic sounds. Highly informed by his work as a DJ, his curatorial approach integrates adventurous music, ambient information, and social platforms in a fluid and immersive way.  His SF-based nonprofit Mercury Soul creates spectacular events in iconic spaces, such as at Grace Cathedral. Raised in Virginia, Bates’ first musical experiences occurred as a choirboy at St. Christopher’s School. About the Moderator  is the dean of Grace Cathedral. He is the author of The Spiritual Journal of Henry David Thoreau and The Invisible Hand in Wilderness: Economics, Ecology, and God, and is a regular contributor on religion to the Huffington Post and San Francisco Examiner. About The Forum The Forum is a series of stimulating conversations about faith and ethics in relation to the important issues of our day. We invite inspiring and illustrious people to sit down for a real conversation with the Forum’s host and with you. Our guests range from artists, inventors and philosophers to pop culturists and elected officials, but the point of The Forum is singular: civil, sophisticated discourse that engages minds and hearts to think in new ways about the world.   You can help us bring the arts to life at Grace . /episode/index/show/gracecathedralforum/id/38637175

Laurel Mathewson: In Conversation with Tersa of Ávila 10/13/2025

Laurel Mathewson: In Conversation with Tersa of Ávila At age twenty-one, the pain of losing her mother to cancer sent Laurel Mathewson—with a naturally skeptical and questioning outlook—on a years-long existential journey. Laurel began to read The Interior Castle, Saint Teresa of Ávila’s book about the “dwellings” within our souls that we move through to develop an ever-deepening relationship with God through prayer. In a beautifully written and moving memoir, she illustrates an ancient reality still very much alive today: the love and closeness of a good God, as known through Jesus Christ, who seeks to move out into the world, into our very bodies and lives. Not by nature or training inclined to believe such a wild claim, Laurel discovered that God is full of surprises. Join Malcolm Clemens Young, Dean of Grace Cathedral, for a conversation with Mathewson about bringing to life the complex frameworks and ideas of The Interior Castle and also the living God who is at the heart of it. About the Guest Born and raised in Oregon, developed a deep love for nature, rural life, and social justice. At Stanford, she discovered her intellectual passion in the intersections of literature and landscape, faith and politics, and social transformation. After losing her mother to cancer at 21, she pursued careers in academia, media (as an editorial assistant at Sojourners in Washington, D.C.), and ministry. She eventually became an Episcopal priest, serving at , a vibrant multicultural church in San Diego. During her time there she’s written award-winning pieces for Sojourners, Geez, and The Christian Century. She is also the editor of . About the Moderator  is the dean of Grace Cathedral. He is the author of The Spiritual Journal of Henry David Thoreau and The Invisible Hand in Wilderness: Economics, Ecology, and God, and is a regular contributor on religion to the Huffington Post and San Francisco Examiner. About The Forum The Forum is a series of stimulating conversations about faith and ethics in relation to the important issues of our day. We invite inspiring and illustrious people to sit down for a real conversation with the Forum’s host and with you. Our guests range from artists, inventors and philosophers to pop culturists and elected officials, but the point of The Forum is singular: civil, sophisticated discourse that engages minds and hearts to think in new ways about the world.   You can help us bring the arts to life at Grace . /episode/index/show/gracecathedralforum/id/38556955

The Future of the Arts and the Regeneration of San Francisco 10/08/2025

The Future of the Arts and the Regeneration of San Francisco San Francisco is home to some of the nation’s most important and forward-thinking arts institutions. What is their role in shaping a city in the process of revitalization? How are they themselves being shaped by this fast-evolving landscape? Especially against a backdrop of shifting national values, with provocative questions being asked at the highest levels, which directly impact the role and autonomy of museums and culture. Join us for a candid dialogue between some of San Francisco’s pre-eminent arts and civic leaders, moderated by Cathedral Dean Malcolm Clemens Young. The panel includes: Thomas P. Campbell, Director and CEO, Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco Alison Gass, Founding Director & Chief Curator, Institute of Contemporary Art San Francisco Dr. Soyoung Lee, The Barbara Bass Bakar Director and CEO, Asian Art Museum Ned Segal, Chief of Housing and Economic Development, San Francisco This will be a not-to-be-missed conversation for anyone who cares deeply about our city — and nation. The first in a series of conversations and convening at Grace Cathedral in support of civil dialogue and mutual understanding, this discussion will provide insights into why vibrant arts and cultural institutions are integral to hope, understanding, and urban regeneration. About the Guests Thomas P. Campbell, Director and CEO, Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco Serving for over fifteen years as Director and CEO of two major US art museums—the Metropolitan Museum of Art from 2009–2017, and the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco since 2018—Thomas P. Campbell has dedicated his life to the preservation, study, and promotion of art as a gateway to human understanding. A distinguished art historian, and authority in the field of European tapestries, Campbell was educated at Oxford and the Courtauld Institute. Alison Gass, Founding Director & Chief Curator, Institute of Contemporary Art San Francisco Before founding ICASF in 2022, Alison Gass served as the director of the Institute of Contemporary Art San José, University of Chicago’s Smart Museum of Art, and chief curator of the Cantor Arts Center at Stanford University. Gass began her museum career at the Jewish Museum in New York City and San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. She obtained her BA from Columbia University and MFA from the New York University Institute of Fine Arts. Dr. Soyoung Lee, The Barbara Bass Bakar Director and CEO, Asian Art Museum Dr. Lee joined the Asian Art Museum in April from the Harvard Art Museums, where she served as the Landon and Lavinia Clay Chief Curator since 2018. Before her time there, Dr. Lee spent 15 years at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, as the Met’s first-ever curator for Korean art. She received her B.A., M.A., and Ph.D. in art history from Columbia University. Born in Jakarta, Indonesia, Dr. Lee has lived in Seoul, Tokyo, Stockholm, London, Los Angeles, New York, and Cambridge, MA. Ned Segal, Chief of Housing and Economic Development, San Francisco As Chief of Housing and Economic Development for San Francisco, Ned Segal is leading the revitalization of downtown, with a strong focus on arts, culture, and businesses of all sizes, driving economic growth. Previously, Ned served as Twitter’s Chief Financial Officer, Senior Vice President of Finance for Intuit, and Chief Financial Officer of then-public RPX Corp. Ned began his career at Goldman Sachs, most recently as a Managing Director and Head of Global Software Investment Banking. Ned earned a BS from Georgetown University in Spanish. About the Moderator  is the dean of Grace Cathedral. He is the author of The Spiritual Journal of Henry David Thoreau and The Invisible Hand in Wilderness: Economics, Ecology, and God, and is a regular contributor on religion to the Huffington Post and San Francisco Examiner. About The Forum The Forum is a series of stimulating conversations about faith and ethics in relation to the important issues of our day. We invite inspiring and illustrious people to sit down for a real conversation with the Forum’s host and with you. Our guests range from artists, inventors and philosophers to pop culturists and elected officials, but the point of The Forum is singular: civil, sophisticated discourse that engages minds and hearts to think in new ways about the world.   You can help us bring the arts to life at Grace . /episode/index/show/gracecathedralforum/id/38508225

john a. powell: How to Build A World Where We All Belong 10/01/2025

john a. powell: How to Build A World Where We All Belong john powell Forum Grace Cathedral, San Francisco  john a. powell (who spells his name in lowercase in the belief that we should be “part of the universe, not over it, as capitals signify”) is an internationally respected expert in the areas of civil rights, racial identity, fair housing, poverty, and democracy. He is director of the Othering & Belonging Institute at UC Berkeley, where he holds the Robert D. Haas Chancellor's Chair in Equity and Inclusion, and is a professor of law, African American studies, and ethnic studies. He is the author of Racing to Justice, coauthor of Belonging without Othering and The Power of Bridging, and cofounder of the Poverty & Race Research Action Council.   Join Malcolm Clemens Young, Dean of Grace Cathedral, for a conversation with Professor powell about an actionable path through “bridging” that helps us communicate, coexist, and imagine a new story for our shared future where we all belong.  Recorded at Grace Cathedral on September 28, 2025. Give to Grace  You can help us bring the arts to life at Grace with a gift today to The Forum. gracecathedral.org/give Become a GraceArts Member Love engaging dialogue? We offer a special cultural membership program, GraceArts, focused exclusively on the arts and well-being. GraceArts allows a wider community to belong to and support Grace, with discounts and benefits on a robust schedule of events. Learn more and join at gracecathedral.org/join. About the Guest john a. powell is an internationally respected expert in the areas of civil rights, racial identity, fair housing, poverty, and democracy. He is director of the Othering & Belonging Institute at UC Berkeley, where he holds the Robert D. Haas Chancellor's Chair in Equity and Inclusion, and is a professor of law, African American studies, and ethnic studies. He is the author of Racing to Justice, coauthor of Belonging without Othering and The Power of Bridging, and cofounder of the Poverty & Race Research Action Council. For more, visit johnapowell.org.  About the Moderator The Very Rev. Dr. Malcolm Clemens Young is the dean of Grace Cathedral. He is the author of The Spiritual Journal of Henry David Thoreau and The Invisible Hand in Wilderness: Economics, Ecology, and God, and is a regular contributor on religion to the Huffington Post and San Francisco Examiner.   About The  Forum The Forum is a series of stimulating conversations about faith and ethics in relation to the important issues of our day. We invite inspiring and illustrious people to sit down for a real conversation with the Forum’s host and with you. Our guests range from artists, inventors and philosophers to pop culturists and elected officials, but the point of The Forum is singular: civil, sophisticated discourse that engages minds and hearts to think in new ways about the world.  Learn more about The Forum here:    gracecathedral.org/the-forum /episode/index/show/gracecathedralforum/id/38419375

Paula Nesbitt: A Way of Listening 09/23/2025

Paula Nesbitt: A Way of Listening The Rev. Dr. Paula Nesbitt was ordained a priest (1992) and then taught and directed an ethics institute at the University of Denver prior to serving as a visiting associate professor of sociology at U.C. Berkeley for 10 years. She also serves on the Steering Group of the Anglican Communion’s Anglican Peace and Justice Network as well as the International Anglican Women’s Network, and as a research consultant for varied Anglican and Episcopal projects. Her books include Indaba! A Way of Listening, Engaging, and Understanding across the Anglican Communion (Church Publishing, 2017), Feminization of the Clergy in America: Occupational and Organizational Perspectives (Oxford University Press, 1997), and Religion and Social Policy, an edited collection (AltaMira, 2001). Join Malcolm Clemens Young, Dean of Grace Cathedral, for a conversation with Nesbitt about her transformative work in relationship-building, conflict transformation, and reconciliation across differences of culture, belief, and points of view. About the Guest The Rev. Dr. Paula Nesbitt has served as an Assisting Priest at All Souls since 2002. Following her M.Div. and Ph.D. (Harvard), she was ordained a priest (1992) and then taught and directed an ethics institute at the University of Denver prior to serving as a visiting associate professor of sociology at U.C. Berkeley for 10 years. Her current appointment is at the Graduate Theological Union (Visiting Professor of Sociology of Religion). She also serves on the Steering Group of the Anglican Communion’s Anglican Peace and Justice Network as well as the International Anglican Women’s Network, and as a research consultant for varied Anglican and Episcopal projects. Her books include Indaba! A Way of Listening, Engaging, and Understanding across the Anglican Communion (Church Publishing, 2017), Feminization of the Clergy in America: Occupational and Organizational Perspectives (Oxford University Press, 1997), and Religion and Social Policy, an edited collection (AltaMira, 2001). Interests include religion and multicultural societies, ethics and social justice, spirituality, and congregational studies. About the Moderator  is the dean of Grace Cathedral. He is the author of The Spiritual Journal of Henry David Thoreau and The Invisible Hand in Wilderness: Economics, Ecology, and God, and is a regular contributor on religion to the Huffington Post and San Francisco Examiner. About The Forum The Forum is a series of stimulating conversations about faith and ethics in relation to the important issues of our day. We invite inspiring and illustrious people to sit down for a real conversation with the Forum’s host and with you. Our guests range from artists, inventors and philosophers to pop culturists and elected officials, but the point of The Forum is singular: civil, sophisticated discourse that engages minds and hearts to think in new ways about the world.   You can help us bring the arts to life at Grace . /episode/index/show/gracecathedralforum/id/38320185

Bonnie Tsui: On Muscle 09/14/2025

Bonnie Tsui: On Muscle Join Malcolm Clemens Young for a conversation with Bonnie Tsui about her latest book, On Muscle: The Stuff That Moves Us and Why It Matters.  In On Muscle, Tsui brings her signature blend of science, culture, immersive reporting, and personal narrative to examine not just what muscles are but what they mean to us. Cardiac, smooth, skeletal—these three different types of muscle in our bodies make our hearts beat; push food through our intestines, blood through our vessels, babies out the uterus; attach to our bones and allow for motion. Tsui also traces how muscles have defined beauty—and how they have distorted it—through the ages, and how they play an essential role in our physical and mental health. About the Guest is a longtime contributor to The New York Times and the author of the new book , a vivid, thought-provoking celebration of musculature that was named one of NPR’s “Books We Love” 2025 and an Amazon Editors’ Pick for Best Nonfiction of 2025; it is currently being translated into six languages. Her bestselling books include Why We Swim, a New York Times Book Review Editors’ Choice and a Time magazine and NPR Best Book of the Year, and American Chinatown, which won the Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature. Her work has been recognized and supported by Harvard University, the National Press Foundation, and the Best American Essays series. She lives, swims, and surfs in the Bay Area. About the Moderator  is the dean of Grace Cathedral. He is the author of The Spiritual Journal of Henry David Thoreau and The Invisible Hand in Wilderness: Economics, Ecology, and God, and is a regular contributor on religion to the Huffington Post and San Francisco Examiner. About The Forum The Forum is a series of stimulating conversations about faith and ethics in relation to the important issues of our day. We invite inspiring and illustrious people to sit down for a real conversation with the Forum’s host and with you. Our guests range from artists, inventors and philosophers to pop culturists and elected officials, but the point of The Forum is singular: civil, sophisticated discourse that engages minds and hearts to think in new ways about the world.   You can help us bring the arts to life at Grace . /episode/index/show/gracecathedralforum/id/38215940

Jack Clark: The Game They Play In Heaven 09/07/2025

Jack Clark: The Game They Play In Heaven Jack Clark is the iconic varsity rugby coach at University of California. His team-building abilities are considered legendary within university circles and throughout the corporate sector. Since becoming head coach of the Golden Bears in 1984, Clark has led the rugby program to 30 national collegiate championships. Entering his 45th year overall and 43rd as head coach in 2025-26, he holds an all-time record of 732-106-5 (.870) in 15s and 230-23-0 (.909) in 7s. He has also produced 157 All-Americans, 60 players who have made 805 combined appearances on the United States National 15s Team, one two-time Olympian and six players who have earned their “Blues” at Oxford. Clark is also a former head coach of the U.S. National Team, which won an improbable 16 victories, the most in the history of U.S. rugby, during his term as coach. He has also coached the All-American team and led the All-Marine rugby team to the Silver Medal at the Armed Forces Championship. Join Malcolm Clemens Young, Dean of Grace Cathedral and a Cal Rugby player, for a conversation with Clark about the art of team and culture building. About the Guest Jack Clark, legendary varsity rugby coach at the University of California, has led the Golden Bears since 1984, securing 30 national collegiate championships. Entering his 45th year overall and 43rd as head coach in 2025–26, he boasts a record of 732-106-5 in 15s and 230-23-0 in 7s, producing 157 All-Americans and numerous national team players. Clark’s athletes excel academically and professionally, with alumni in leadership across sectors, including the late Mark Bingham, honored for heroism on 9/11. Former head coach of the U.S. National Team, Clark achieved a record 16 victories and has coached at all elite levels. Inducted into both the U.S. Rugby and Cal Athletic Halls of Fame, he’s recognized as one of Cal’s most influential sports figures. A sought-after lecturer and corporate consultant, Clark shares his expertise in building high-performance teams with industries from biotech to finance, applying lessons from elite athletics to organizational success. About the Moderator  is the dean of Grace Cathedral. He is the author of The Spiritual Journal of Henry David Thoreau and The Invisible Hand in Wilderness: Economics, Ecology, and God, and is a regular contributor on religion to the Huffington Post and San Francisco Examiner. About The Forum The Forum is a series of stimulating conversations about faith and ethics in relation to the important issues of our day. We invite inspiring and illustrious people to sit down for a real conversation with the Forum’s host and with you. Our guests range from artists, inventors and philosophers to pop culturists and elected officials, but the point of The Forum is singular: civil, sophisticated discourse that engages minds and hearts to think in new ways about the world.   You can help us bring the arts to life at Grace . /episode/index/show/gracecathedralforum/id/38121035

Focus on Abortion: Americans Share Their Stories - A Conversation with Roslyn Banish 07/22/2025

Focus on Abortion: Americans Share Their Stories - A Conversation with Roslyn Banish Focus on Abortion: Americans Share Their Stories is a book and a traveling exhibit by author and photographer Roslyn Banish. Join Malcolm Clemens Young, Dean of Grace Cathedral, for a conversation with Banish about what she has learned through the creation of this work, and giving voice to the often-missing and most important voices in the abortion conversation: the voices of those who have experienced abortion. The exhibit is on view in the cathedral during regular opening hours, Monday through Saturday, 10 am to 5 pm and Sunday 1 to 5 pm. There is an admission fee. . About the Artist Roslyn Banish is an author and photographer. She found her passion when she enrolled in a photography course at the Institute of Design in Chicago, where she received a Master’s degree in Photography. From the beginning, she was drawn to photographing people. Over time she realized that she wanted to include what her subjects had to say, along with the photographs. This approach of combining photographs and text has allowed her to more fully document human issues. Published works include Focus on Living: Portraits of Americans with HIV/AIDS (UMass Press). An exhibit of photographs and interviews from the book travelled to 35 community-based venues, from colleges to health centers to LBGTQ centers to a cafe. Other books: City Families: Chicago and London, and children’s books A Forever Family, Let Me Tell You About My Baby, Just Gus: A Rescue Dog and the Woman He Loved. Roslyn has exhibited her work in England and the US and has taught photography in the US, England, and Italy. Learn more: About the Moderator The Very Rev. Dr. Malcolm Clemens Young is the dean of Grace Cathedral. He is the author of The Spiritual Journal of Henry David Thoreau and The Invisible Hand in Wilderness: Economics, Ecology, and God, and is a regular contributor on religion to the Huffington Post and San Francisco Examiner. /episode/index/show/gracecathedralforum/id/37512925

Dr. Russell M. Jeung  05/12/2025

Gary Dorrien Forum 05/08/2025

Crystal Williams Forum 05/05/2025

Crystal Williams Forum Crystal Williams – writer, poet, advocate, leader, and President of the Rhode Island School of Design – believes that education, art and design, and commitments to equity and justice are essential to transforming our society. For more than two decades, her work to elevate and amplify the multiplicity of human experience in higher education has galvanized the imagination about who we have been and who we can become. In her inaugural address, she asked: “Can you imagine a single national or international movement in which the arts were not a motivating and defining force? … For instance, in this country, the civil rights movement is often characterized as being driven by orators, attorneys, and activists; and yet when you unpack the requisite strategic components of the movement, beside the visionaries, activists, and strategists we typically call, were yet other visionaries, activists, and strategists, these narrating, depicting, influencing via graphic design, visual arts, performance, literature, film and television. Their worked galvanized the imagination, influenced perception, helped drive strategy, and helped to drive change. … This is not superficial work, it’s serious work.” Join Malcolm Clemens Young, Dean of Grace Cathedral, for a conversation with Williams about the power of art in a changing world. Recorded on April 30, 2025. Give to Grace  You can help us bring the arts to life at Grace with a gift today to The Forum. gracecathedral.org/give    Become a GraceArts Member Love engaging dialogue? We offer a special cultural membership program, GraceArts, focused exclusively on the arts and well-being. GraceArts allows a wider community to belong to and support Grace, with discounts and benefits on a robust schedule of events. About the Guest believes that education, art and design, and commitments to equity and justice are essential to transforming our society. For more than two decades, her work to elevate and amplify the multiplicity of human experience in higher education has galvanized the imagination about who we have been and who we can become. The daughter of an educator and a musician, Williams was raised in Detroit, MI and Madrid, Spain, where she was immersed in arts and culture from an early age. Today, when not on campus or connecting with RISD alumni and friends of RISD around the globe, one can often find her wandering art galleries or museums, at live theater—one of her first loves—reading or watching British murder mysteries and spending time enjoying the company of beloved friends, both human and canine. Williams earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from New York University and a Master of Fine Arts degree from Cornell University. In April 2022, she became the 18th President of Rhode Island School of Design. . About the Moderator  is the dean of Grace Cathedral. He is the author of The Spiritual Journal of Henry David Thoreau and The Invisible Hand in Wilderness: Economics, Ecology, and God, and is a regular contributor on religion to the Huffington Post and San Francisco Examiner.         About The Forum The Forum is a series of stimulating conversations about faith and ethics in relation to the important issues of our day. We invite inspiring and illustrious people to sit down for a real conversation with the Forum’s host and with you. Our guests range from artists, inventors and philosophers to pop culturists and elected officials, but the point of The Forum is singular: civil, sophisticated discourse that engages minds and hearts to think in new ways about the world.  :    gracecathedral.org/the-forum /episode/index/show/gracecathedralforum/id/36430725

Malcolm Harris Forum 05/02/2025

Malcolm Harris Forum Malcolm Harris Forum Grace Cathedral, San Francisco  Just as humans have caused climate change, we hold the power to avert a climate apocalypse, but that will only happen through collective political action. In , bestselling author Malcolm Harris cuts through the noise and gets real about our remaining options for saving the world. Harris outlines the three strategies—progressive, socialist, and revolutionary—that have any chance of succeeding, while also revealing that none of them can succeed on their own. is a vital and transformative guide for collective political action against the climate apocalypse, from “a brilliant thinker and writer capable of making the intricacies of economic conditions supremely readable” (Vulture). Join Malcolm Clemens Young, Dean of Grace Cathedral, for a conversation with Harris about his meta-strategy, one that will ensure we can move forward together rather than squabbling over potential solutions while the world burns. Recorded at Grace Cathedral on April 23, 2025. Give to Grace  You can help us bring the arts to life at Grace with a gift today to The Forum. gracecathedral.org/give    Become a GraceArts Member Love engaging dialogue? We offer a special cultural membership program, GraceArts, focused exclusively on the arts and well-being. GraceArts allows a wider community to belong to and support Grace, with discounts and benefits on a robust schedule of events. Learn more and join at gracecathedral.org/join. About the Guest Malcolm Harris is the author of the national bestseller Palo Alto: A History of California, Capitalism, and the World, a finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize; Kids These Days: The Making of Millennials; and Shit is Fucked Up and Bullshit: History Since the End of History. He was born in Santa Cruz, CA and graduated from the University of Maryland. About the Moderator  is the dean of Grace Cathedral. He is the author of The Spiritual Journal of Henry David Thoreau and The Invisible Hand in Wilderness: Economics, Ecology, and God, and is a regular contributor on religion to the Huffington Post and San Francisco Examiner.         About The Forum The Forum is a series of stimulating conversations about faith and ethics in relation to the important issues of our day. We invite inspiring and illustrious people to sit down for a real conversation with the Forum’s host and with you. Our guests range from artists, inventors and philosophers to pop culturists and elected officials, but the point of The Forum is singular: civil, sophisticated discourse that engages minds and hearts to think in new ways about the world.  Learn more about The Forum here:    gracecathedral.org/the-forum /episode/index/show/gracecathedralforum/id/36405295

Bishop Budde Conversation 04/14/2025

Yuria Celidwen Forum 04/07/2025

Shelia Warren Forum 03/31/2025

Conversation with Nico Lang on American Teenager: How Trans Kids Are Surviving Hate and Finding Joy in a Turbulent Era 03/31/2025

Tom Steyer Forum 03/24/2025

Amy-Jill Levine Forum 03/17/2025

Amy-Jill Levine Forum In her book Jesus For Everyone, Not Just Christians renowned biblical scholar and author Amy-Jill Levine uses stories told by and about Jesus to address the issues dividing us today: economics, family values, the legacy of slavery, nationalism, healthcare, and politics. Join Malcolm Clemens Young, Dean of Grace Cathedral, for a conversation with Dr. Levine about why Jesus’s historic and cultural influence makes him fascinating, provocative, and relevant for everyone, not only Christians. Recorded on April 12, 2025. Give to Grace  You can help us bring the arts to life at Grace with a gift today to The Forum. gracecathedral.org/give Become a GraceArts Member Love engaging dialogue? We offer a special cultural membership program, GraceArts, focused exclusively on the arts and well-being. GraceArts allows a wider community to belong to and support Grace, with discounts and benefits on a robust schedule of events. Learn more and join! About the Guest Dr. Amy-Jill Levine is the Rabbi Stanley M. Kessler Distinguished Professor of New Testament and Jewish Studies, Hartford International University for Religion and Peace; University Professor of New Testament and Jewish Studies Emerita and Mary Jane Werthan Professor of Jewish Studies Emerita, Vanderbilt. Dr. Levine is the first Jew to teach at Rome’s Pontifical Biblical Institute and the recipient of the 2023 Hubert Walter Award for Interfaith Cooperation awarded by the Archbishop of Canterbury. She is the author of many books, including The Misunderstood Jew and Short Stories by Jesus, and she is the co-editor of the Jewish Annotated New Testament. About the Moderator The Very Rev. Dr. Malcolm Clemens Young is the dean of Grace Cathedral. He is the author of The Spiritual Journal of Henry David Thoreau and The Invisible Hand in Wilderness: Economics, Ecology, and God, and is a regular contributor on religion to the Huffington Post and San Francisco Examiner.         About The Forum The Forum is a series of stimulating conversations about faith and ethics in relation to the important issues of our day. We invite inspiring and illustrious people to sit down for a real conversation with the Forum’s host and with you. Our guests range from artists, inventors and philosophers to pop culturists and elected officials, but the point of The Forum is singular: civil, sophisticated discourse that engages minds and hearts to think in new ways about the world.  More about Grace Forum Online:    gracecathedral.org/the-forum /episode/index/show/gracecathedralforum/id/35677565

Marion Nestle Forum 02/10/2025

Obi Kaufmann Forum 02/03/2025

The Forum with BJ Miller 11/11/2024

The Forum with Patrick Makuakāne 11/04/2024

The Forum with Patrick Makuakāne We are thrilled to announce Patrick Makuakāne as our 2024 Artist in Residence. Patrick is a kumu hula (master teacher) whose work blends traditional hula with contemporary music and movements and uplifts Hawaiian culture and history. With his San Francisco-based dance company, Nā Lei Hulu i ka Wēkiu, he has forged his own unique form of hula—hula mua, or hula that evolves. Join Malcolm Clemens Young for a conversation with Makuakāne about exploring the cathedral’s 2024 theme, “the Year of Memory” and inviting the divinity of hula into the cathedral space. Give to Grace  You can help us bring the arts to life at Grace with a gift today to The Forum. gracecathedral.org/give   Become a GraceArts Member Love engaging dialogue? We offer a special cultural membership program, GraceArts, focused exclusively on the arts and well-being. GraceArts allows a wider community to belong to and support Grace, with discounts and benefits on a robust schedule of events. About the Guest Born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaiʻi, studied hula with the kumu hula (master teachers) John Keola Lake, Robert Uluwehi Cazimero, and Mae Kamāmalu Klein; under Klein’s tutelage he received the title of kumu hula in 2003. He is the director and founder of Nā Lei Hulu i ka Wēkiu, a community-centered hula company and cultural organization, since 1985. While grounded in the traditions of hula, his artistry crafts a provocative treatment of tradition that leaps forward in surprising and meaningful ways. His work explores an expansive variety of cultural traditions and colonial impact, including colonization, reclamation of Native Hawaiian agency, and gender fluidity. Patrick also serves as a spiritual advisor at San Quentin State Prison for the Hawaiian Religious Spiritual Group. Makuakāne was a 2023 MacArthur Fellow. About the Moderator  is the dean of Grace Cathedral. He is the author of The Spiritual Journal of Henry David Thoreau and The Invisible Hand in Wilderness: Economics, Ecology, and God, and is a regular contributor on religion to the Huffington Post and San Francisco Examiner.     About The Forum The Forum is a series of stimulating conversations about faith and ethics in relation to the important issues of our day. We invite inspiring and illustrious people to sit down for a real conversation with the Forum’s host and with you. Our guests range from artists, inventors and philosophers to pop culturists and elected officials, but the point of The Forum is singular: civil, sophisticated discourse that engages minds and hearts to think in new ways about the world.  :    gracecathedral.org/the-forum /episode/index/show/gracecathedralforum/id/34266455

The Forum with Bishop William Swing 10/28/2024

The Forum with Bishop William Swing What does God have to do with nuclear weapons? Nothing and everything. In his new book God and Nuclear Weapons: Meditations at the End of the Atomic Age, the Rt. Rev. William E. Swing, 7th Bishop of the Diocese of California and founder and President Emeritus of the United Religions Initiative, offers an original meditation on the threat of annihilation and how faith offers a way to encounter the end of everything. If humanity stays on its present trajectory, he proposes, a nuclear war is inevitable. While life teeters on the edge of extinction, this book offers the full biblical scope of hope in the face of that extinction. Swing calls on readers and leaders to change course and raise our voices to press for a world free of nuclear weapons. Join Malcolm Clemens Young for a conversation with Bishop Swing about the complex relationship between belief in a life-creating God and the reality of a life-denying nuclear arsenal. Give to Grace  You can help us bring the arts to life at Grace with a gift today to The Forum. gracecathedral.org/give Become a GraceArts Member Love engaging dialogue? We offer a special cultural membership program, GraceArts, focused exclusively on the arts and well-being. GraceArts allows a wider community to belong to and support Grace, with discounts and benefits on a robust schedule of events. About the Guest The Rt. Rev. William E. Swing is the Founder and President Emeritus of the United Religions Initiative. Bishop Swing had the original vision of URI in 1993 in response to an invitation from the United Nations, which asked him to host an interfaith service honoring the 50th anniversary of the signing of the UN Charter. Bishop Swing, along with 50 others, shaped the URI purpose (to promote enduring, daily interfaith cooperation, to end religiously motivated violence and to create cultures of peace, justice, and healing for the Earth and all living beings). URI is currently the largest interfaith grassroot organization. Bishop Swing served as the 7th Episcopal Bishop of California from 1980 until his retirement in 2006. In that capacity, he was a national and international leader in response to the AIDS crisis, co-founded Episcopal Community Services to address San Francisco’s homeless problem, and co-founded Community Bank of the Bay to support local businesses and the economy. About the Moderator  is the dean of Grace Cathedral. He is the author of The Spiritual Journal of Henry David Thoreau and The Invisible Hand in Wilderness: Economics, Ecology, and God, and is a regular contributor on religion to the Huffington Post and San Francisco Examiner.    About The Forum The Forum is a series of stimulating conversations about faith and ethics in relation to the important issues of our day. We invite inspiring and illustrious people to sit down for a real conversation with the Forum’s host and with you. Our guests range from artists, inventors and philosophers to pop culturists and elected officials, but the point of The Forum is singular: civil, sophisticated discourse that engages minds and hearts to think in new ways about the world.  :    gracecathedral.org/the-forum /episode/index/show/gracecathedralforum/id/33652832

The Forum with Stephanie Sellers 10/15/2024

The Forum with Stephanie Sellers The Rev. Canon Dr. Stephanie Spellers is one of the Episcopal Church’s leading thinkers around 21st-century ministry and mission. She is a priest, author, speaker, and friend who currently serves as the Canon to the Presiding Bishop for Evangelism, Reconciliation, and Creation Care. She is the author of Radical Welcome: Embracing God, The Other, and the Spirit of Transformation as well as The Episcopal Way; Church’s Teaching for a Changing World and Ancient Faith, Future Mission: Fresh Expressions in the Sacramental Tradition. She has worked for many years at the intersection of practice and reflection, renewal and justice. The Most Rev. Michael B. Curry stated that her latest book, The Church Cracked Open; Disruption, Decline, and New Hope for Beloved Community, “will make a profound difference for the church in this moment in history.” In this critical yet loving book, Canon Stephanie explores the American story and the Episcopal story in order to find out how communities steeped in racism, establishment, and privilege can at last fall in love with Jesus, walk humbly with the most vulnerable and embody beloved community in our own broken but beautiful way. The Church Cracked Open invites us to surrender privilege and redefine church, not just for the sake of others, but for our own salvation and liberation. Join Malcolm Clemens Young for a conversation with Canon Stephanie about who we are, why God placed us here, what difference that makes to the world, and what the Episcopal Church will look like over the next 50 years. Give to Grace  You can help us bring the arts to life at Grace with a gift today to The Forum. gracecathedral.org/give    Become a GraceArts Member Love engaging dialogue? We offer a special cultural membership program, GraceArts, focused exclusively on the arts and well-being. GraceArts allows a wider community to belong to and support Grace, with discounts and benefits on a robust schedule of events. Learn more and join at gracecathedral.org/join. About the Guest is one of the Episcopal Church’s leading thinkers around 21st-century ministry and mission. She is a priest, author, speaker, and friend who currently serves as the Canon to the Presiding Bishop for Evangelism, Reconciliation, and Creation Care. She is the author of as well as . She has worked for many years at the intersection of practice and reflection, renewal and justice. Her latest book, is an important response to the question, “What will The Episcopal Church look like over the next 50 years?” Prior to accepting her current position as Assisting Priest at St. Bart’s Church Center, she taught at General Theological Seminary, served as a Canon in the Diocese of Long Island, and founded , a ground-breaking church within St. Paul’s Cathedral in Boston. Canon Stephanie spent five years as Chaplain to the Episcopal Church’s House of Bishops, co-chaired the Standing Commission on Mission and Evangelism, and directed new ministry initiatives for the Center for Progressive Renewal. Canon Stephanie began her career as an award-winning religion journalist in Knoxville, Tennessee; a job she took after graduating from Harvard Divinity School, where she studied religion and social change movements. She later graduated from Episcopal Divinity School and, in 2018, received an honorary doctorate from The General Theological Seminary for her contributions to the Christian faith and the wider Church. She grew up in Frankfort, Kentucky, and maintains close ties to her extended family there. About the Moderator  is the dean of Grace Cathedral. He is the author of The Spiritual Journal of Henry David Thoreau and The Invisible Hand in Wilderness: Economics, Ecology, and God, and is a regular contributor on religion to the Huffington Post and San Francisco Examiner.         About The Forum The Forum is a series of stimulating conversations about faith and ethics in relation to the important issues of our day. We invite inspiring and illustrious people to sit down for a real conversation with the Forum’s host and with you. Our guests range from artists, inventors and philosophers to pop culturists and elected officials, but the point of The Forum is singular: civil, sophisticated discourse that engages minds and hearts to think in new ways about the world.  Learn more about The Forum here:    gracecathedral.org/the-forum /episode/index/show/gracecathedralforum/id/33473037

The Forum with Michael Mechanic 10/06/2024

The Forum with Michael Mechanic What is it like to be blessed with riches in an era of stark political divisions and near-Dickensian economic differences? How mind-boggling are the opportunities and access, how problematic the downsides? Does one’s experience differ depending on whether the money is made or inherited, whether you are male or female, white or black? Does being a have among have-nots make someone a bad person? Finally, how does our collective thirst for financial “security,” and our stubborn belief in our opportunities for social mobility, explain how we got to the point where nearly half of Americans have no wealth at all? These are some of the questions that Michael Mechanic, a longtime senior editor and writer at Mother Jones magazine, set out to explore in his book, Jackpot: How the Super-Rich Really Live—and How Their Wealth Harms Us All. Jackpot is the product of deep reporting and dozens of interviews with fortunate citizens—company founders and executives, superstar coders, investors, inheritors, estate lawyers, lobbyists, lawmakers, academics, sports agents, wealth and philanthropy professionals, concierges, luxury realtors, Bentley dealers, and even a woman who trains billionaires’ nannies in physical combat. Among other plaudits, the New Yorker’s Jane Mayer described Jackpot as perfectly timed—”an entertaining and eviscerating peek behind the velvet curtains.” Salesforce founder Marc Benioff wrote that the book “skillfully explores the impact of great wealth on people’s lives and society.” And Pulitzer-prize winning investigative journalist David Kay Johnston opined, unsolicited, that Mechanic’s “writing is elegant, his storytelling sublime. Well worth the time of anyone who wants to understand the effects of our make-the-rich-richer policies.” Join Malcolm Clemens Young for a conversation with Mechanic about his compassionate, character-rich, perversely humorous, and ultimately troubling journey into the American wealth fantasy and where it has taken us. Give to Grace  You can help us bring the arts to life at Grace with a gift today to The Forum. gracecathedral.org/give Become a GraceArts Member Love engaging dialogue? We offer a special cultural membership program, GraceArts, focused exclusively on the arts and well-being. GraceArts allows a wider community to belong to and support Grace, with discounts and benefits on a robust schedule of events. Learn more and join at gracecathedral.org/gracearts. About the Guest Michael Mechanic is a longtime senior editor at Mother Jones magazine, where he writes and edits everything from breaking news to award-winning essays and feature stories. Born and raised in Madison, Wisconsin, he earned degrees in biochemistry and cellular biology from UC Berkeley and Harvard before heading back to Cal for a master’s in journalism. Michael lives in Oakland with his wife, Laura, and a few oddball animals. He plays five musical instruments in his spare time. Jackpot is his first book. About the Moderator The Very Rev. Dr. Malcolm Clemens Young is the dean of Grace Cathedral. He is the author of The Spiritual Journal of Henry David Thoreau and The Invisible Hand in Wilderness: Economics, Ecology, and God, and is a regular contributor on religion to the Huffington Post and San Francisco Examiner.    About The Forum The Forum is a series of stimulating conversations about faith and ethics in relation to the important issues of our day. We invite inspiring and illustrious people to sit down for a real conversation with the Forum’s host and with you. Our guests range from artists, inventors and philosophers to pop culturists and elected officials, but the point of The Forum is singular: civil, sophisticated discourse that engages minds and hearts to think in new ways about the world.  Learn more about The Forum at  gracecathedral.org/the-forum /episode/index/show/gracecathedralforum/id/33351052

The Forum with The Rt. Rev. Austin Rios 10/01/2024

The Forum with The Rt. Rev. Austin Rios Note: The music stops at 0:50. September 29, 2024 at Grace Cathedral, San Francisco  Join Grace Cathedral Dean Malcolm Clemens Young for an engaging conversation with the Ninth Bishop of California, The Rt. Rev. Austin Keith Rios, who was installed as Bishop in August. As the chief pastor of the diocese, Bishop Rios is entrusted with leading, supervising, and uniting our congregations, ministries, and diocesan institutions. Notably, he is the first Latino bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of California. Discover more about his journey from his birthplace in Texas to the other places he has called home: Rome, Italy; North Carolina; Wisconsin; Louisiana; and now, the San Francisco Bay Area. Learn about his previous role as the rector of St. Paul’s Within the Walls Episcopal Church in Rome — a vibrant, multilingual community that supports The Joel Nafuma Refugee Center. Find out what Bishop Rios is looking forward to as he becomes part of the region’s fabric and discovers how its many wonderful people and places will shape the trajectory of his life. Give to Grace  You can help us bring the arts to life at Grace with a gift today to The Forum. gracecathedral.org/give Become a GraceArts Member Love engaging dialogue? We offer a special cultural membership program, GraceArts, focused exclusively on the arts and well-being. GraceArts allows a wider community to belong to and support Grace, with discounts and benefits on a robust schedule of events. Learn more and join! About the Guest The Rt. Rev. Austin Keith Rios was ordained and consecrated Bishop Coadjutor of the Episcopal Diocese of California on May 4, 2024. He served in the coadjutor role until after the retirement of the Rt. Rev. Dr. Marc Handley Andrus on July 31, 2024. Following Bishop Marc’s retirement Bishop Rios assumed the role of Ninth Bishop of California, becoming the diocese’s chief pastor. He is responsible for leading, supervising, and uniting our congregations, ministries, and diocesan institutions. Bishop Rios is the first Latino to be elected as a bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of California. His heritage includes Mexican American ancestry from his father’s side and Scottish and English ancestry from his mother’s side. Although English was spoken at home, Bishop Rios decided to embrace his Latino heritage at an early age by learning Spanish, which he now speaks fluently along with Italian. Before joining the Diocese of California, Bishop Rios served for 12 years as the rector of St. Paul’s Within the Walls Episcopal Church in Rome, Italy, a multilingual and multicultural community that houses and offers The Joel Nafuma Refugee Center as its primary outreach. Additionally, he spent five years as the Rector of La Capilla de Santa Maria, a Spanish-speaking congregation in Hendersonville, North Carolina, while also serving as the Canon for Spanish-Speaking Ministries in the Diocese of Western North Carolina. Bishop Rios has served the wider Episcopal Church in various capacities, including multiple terms as a deputy to the General Convention. In 2018, he was elected to a six-year term as a trustee of the Church Pension Fund and served as Vice Chair of its Investment Committee. In 2024, he was elected Vice Chair of the Church Pension Fund and re-elected as a trustee. Bishop Rios calls several places home, including Texas, where he was born; Rome, Italy; North Carolina; Wisconsin; Louisiana; and now, the San Francisco Bay Area. With its distinct character and tremendous diversity, Bishop Rios looks forward to becoming part of the region’s fabric and discovering how its many wonderful people and places will shape the trajectory of his life. Bishop Rios holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Davidson College in Davidson, North Carolina, and a Master of Divinity degree from The Episcopal Theological Seminary of the Southwest in Austin, Texas. He was ordained as a priest in 2005. He is married to Maleah Rios and has one child. About the Moderator The Very Rev. Dr. Malcolm Clemens Young is the dean of Grace Cathedral. He is the author of The Spiritual Journal of Henry David Thoreau and The Invisible Hand in Wilderness: Economics, Ecology, and God, and is a regular contributor on religion to the Huffington Post and San Francisco Examiner. About The Forum The Forum is a series of stimulating conversations about faith and ethics in relation to the important issues of our day. We invite inspiring and illustrious people to sit down for a real conversation with the Forum’s host and with you. Our guests range from artists, inventors and philosophers to pop culturists and elected officials, but the point of The Forum is singular: civil, sophisticated discourse that engages minds and hearts to think in new ways about the world.   More about The Forum: gracecathedral.org/the-forum /episode/index/show/gracecathedralforum/id/33284777

The Forum with Debie Thomas 09/23/2024

The Forum at Grace Cathedral

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