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.
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Rebecca Solnit Forum: Notes on a World of Change
03/18/2026
Rebecca Solnit Forum: Notes on a World of Change
Rebecca Solnit Forum: Notes on a World of Change Grace Cathedral, San Francisco As white nationalist and authoritarian movements push toward isolation and individualism, other currents continue to gather strength. Antiracism, feminism, expansive understandings of gender, environmental thinking, scientific discovery, and Indigenous and non-Western ways of knowing resonate across borders and generations, pointing toward a more relational and interconnected world. Few writers trace these converging currents with the clarity and moral imagination of Rebecca Solnit. A writer, historian, and activist, Solnit is the author of more than twenty books exploring feminism, western and urban history, popular power, social change and insurrection, wandering and walking, hope and catastrophe. Across her work, she listens for the deeper frequencies of change—the ways ideas, struggles, and solidarities echo across time. In The Beginning Comes After the End: Notes on a World of Change, a sequel to her enduring bestseller Hope in the Dark, Solnit reflects on the profound shifts that have unfolded since 1960, and the long vibrations of change that often go unheard in the moment. Join Malcolm Clemens Young, Dean of Grace Cathedral, for a conversation with Rebecca Solnit about how social, political, scientific, and cultural transformations resonate across the past seventy-five years—and how listening for those resonances can help us imagine what comes next. Recorded at Grace Cathedral on March 15, 2026. 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 Writer, historian, and activist Rebecca Solnit is the author of more than twenty books on feminism, western and urban history, popular power, social change and insurrection, wandering and walking, hope and catastrophe. Her books include Orwell’s Roses; Recollections of My Nonexistence; Hope in the Dark; Men Explain Things to Me; A Paradise Built in Hell: The Extraordinary Communities that Arise in Disaster; and A Field Guide to Getting Lost. A product of the California public education system from kindergarten to graduate school, she writes regularly for the Guardian, serves on the board of the climate group Oil Change International, and recently launched the climate project Not Too Late (nottoolateclimate.com). 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
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SF Symphony Performs Mozart’s Requiem: Inside Music Talk with Dean Malcolm Clemens Young
03/06/2026
SF Symphony Performs Mozart’s Requiem: Inside Music Talk with Dean Malcolm Clemens Young
The San Francisco Symphony performed Mozart’s Requiem with guest conductor Manfred Honeck, in a special version that reimagines the piece in the context of an 18th-century funeral service. In collaboration with the Symphony, Dean Malcolm Clemens Young gives a preconcert talk before the performance.
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Adam Hochschild Forum: American Midnight
03/04/2026
Adam Hochschild Forum: American Midnight
Adam Hochschild Forum: American Midnight Grace Cathedral, San Francisco Between World War I and the Roaring Twenties lies a largely forgotten chapter of American history—one whose tensions still echo a hundred years later. In these turbulent years, democracy was tested by war, pandemic, and violence driven by conflicts over race, immigration, and labor rights. In American Midnight: The Great War, a Violent Peace, and Democracy’s Forgotten Crisis, legendary historian Adam Hochschild brings this moment vividly to life, revealing both the repression that darkened the era and the Americans who struggled to repair a fractured nation. The forces they confronted did not disappear; they continue to reverberate. Join Malcolm Clemens Young, Dean of Grace Cathedral, for a conversation with Hochschild on how the past resonates into the present, and shapes the questions we’re asking today. Recorded at Grace Cathedral on March 1, 2026. 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 Adam Hochschild (pronunciation: ”Hoch” as in ”spoke”; ”schild” as in ”build”) is the author of eleven books. American Midnight: The Great War, a Violent Peace, and Democracy’s Forgotten Crisis is his most recent. His preceding book, the biography Rebel Cinderella: From Rags to Riches to Radical, the Epic Journey of Rose Pastor Stokes, was published in 2020. Spain in Our Hearts: Americans in the Spanish Civil War, 1936-1939, appeared in 2016. Of his earlier books, Bury the Chains: Prophets and Rebels in the Fight to Free an Empire’s Slaves won the Los Angeles Times Book Prize, the PEN USA Literary Award, and was a finalist for the National Book Award. King Leopold’s Ghost: A Story of Greed, Terror and Heroism in Colonial Africa and To End All Wars: A Story of Loyalty and Rebellion, 1914-1918 were both finalists for the National Book Critics Circle Award. His Finding the Trapdoor: Essays, Portraits, Travels and the recent Lessons from a Dark Time and Other Essays collect his shorter pieces, including magazine reporting from five continents. Earlier in his career, he was a reporter for the San Francisco Chronicle, a commentator on National Public Radio’s “All Things Considered,” and a co-founder, editor, and writer at Mother Jones magazine. He has received the Theodore Roosevelt-Woodrow Wilson Award from the American Historical Association and in 2014 was elected a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. He is a three-time winner of the California Book Awards’ Gold Medal for Nonfiction. 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
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Eugene Kirpichov: Regenerative Economics
02/25/2026
Eugene Kirpichov: Regenerative Economics
The Forum with Eugene Kirpichov Grace Cathedral, San Francisco Many believe today's economic model is failing. There is a science-based, hopeful alternative: a regenerative model that works like a living system, helping leaders, communities, and citizens navigate climate chaos, inequality, and ecological breakdown with clarity and purpose. Instead of reacting to crisis after crisis, a regenerative economy creates the conditions for systems to thrive, adapt, and evolve. Eugene Kirpichov left a rewarding and fulfilling career as a machine learning engineer at Google because he could no longer justify working on anything other than climate change. He founded the community Work on Climate with a mission to mobilize humanity’s talent to build a regenerative green economy. Work on Climate quickly built the world’s largest and most successful community of its sort – with tens of thousands of members around the globe, thousands of whom have found purposeful work that heals the planet, getting hundreds of millions of people to contribute their talent to fixing climate change. Join Malcolm Clemens Young, Dean of Grace Cathedral, for a conversation with Kirpichov about how regenerative economics can bring our economic systems back into tune with the living systems they depend on. Recorded at Grace Cathedral on February 22, 2026. 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 Eugene leads Work On Climate, managing staff and driving top-level strategy and partnerships. In his past life as a software engineer, he worked on Google’s bigdata and AI systems. Eugene dedicates his free time to climbing, enjoying art and music, and his two cats This One and That One. 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
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Randall Balmer Forum: America's Best Idea
02/18/2026
Randall Balmer Forum: America's Best Idea
The Forum with Randall Balmer Grace Cathedral, San Francisco The 1st Amendment to the US Constitution codified the principle that government should play no role in favoring or supporting any religion, while allowing free exercise of all religions (including unbelief). More than 200 years later, the results from this experiment are overwhelming: The separation of church and state has shielded the government from religious factionalism, and the United States boasts a diverse religious culture unmatched in the world. But changes have been taking place at an accelerating pace in recent years. The current Supreme Court has shifted away from excluding the influence and practice of religion at public institutions and in our laws and policies, and moved dramatically toward protecting the inclusion and promotion of religion in publicly funded undertakings. Moreover, adherents to a Christian Nationalism ideology have grown more vocal and emboldened, and are increasingly moving into positions of power. Randall Balmer, one of the premier historians of religion in America, reviews both the history of the separation of church and state and various attempts to undermine that wall in his New York Times bestseller, America’s Best Idea: The Separation of Church and State.Despite the fact that the 1st Amendment and the separation of church and state has served the nation remarkably well, he argues, its future is by no means assured. Join Malcolm Clemens Young, Dean of Grace Cathedral, for a conversation with Balmer about everything you need to know for shaping and defending your own beliefs on the role of religion in American life. Recorded at Grace Cathedral on February 15, 2026. 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 Randall Balmer (Ph.D., Princeton University), a prize-winning historian, Emmy Award nominee and ordained Episcopal priest, is the John Phillips Professor in Religion at Dartmouth College. He was professor of American religious history at Columbia University for twenty-seven years, and he has been a visiting professor at Princeton, Yale, Drew, Emory, and Northwestern universities and in the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism. He is the author of more than a dozen books, including Evangelicalism in America and Redeemer: The Life of Jimmy Carter. Mine Eyes Have Seen the Glory: A Journey into the Evangelical Subculture in America, now in its fifth edition, was made into a three-part series for PBS. He is writing and will host his third PBS documentary, a history of the Orthodox Church in Alaska. His commentaries about religion in America appear in newspapers across the country. 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
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Maggi Dawn: Beginnings and Endings & Giving It Up
02/11/2026
Maggi Dawn: Beginnings and Endings & Giving It Up
The Forum with Maggi Dawn Grace Cathedral, San Francisco Author, professor, and priest Maggi Dawn has written two guides to the church year: Beginnings and Endings (and what happens in between): Daily Bible readings from Advent to Epiphany and Giving It Up: Daily Bible Readings from Ash Wednesday to Easter Day. Our everyday lives are full of small-scale beginnings and endings – births, deaths, marriages, careers, house moves and so on. How do the grand-scale beginnings and endings of Advent help to guide us as we seek to follow Jesus in the 21st century? The idea of 'giving something up for Lent' is widely known, but how many know that the ancient discipline of the Lenten fast had several purposes? – a reminder of our daily dependence on God for all our needs, to draw us closer to God in prayer, to reconnect with the idea of community, and to help us follow Christ's journey through the wilderness and on to Jerusalem. Join Malcolm Clemens Young, Dean of Grace Cathedral, for a conversation with Dawn about how Lent can be a time for exploring a different kind of 'giving up' – one that can transform our lives – and how ancient wisdom informs the human experience that happens inbetween beginnings and endings, grand and small scale. Recorded at Grace Cathedral on February 8, 2026. 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 The Rev. Dr. Maggi Dawn is an author, songwriter, professor, and priest in the Episcopal Church, currently serving as Diocesan Theologian in the Episcopal Diocese of Rhode Island. Maggi travels widely throughout the USA, leading clergy and parish retreats, and giving sermons and lectures. After a first career as a writer and performer in the music business, Maggi studied theology at the University of Cambridge (UK), and since then has taught and researched at the Universities of Cambridge and Durham in the UK, and at Yale University, where she was Associate Dean and Professor at the Divinity 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. Learn more about The Forum here:
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David Richo Forum: Sweeter Than Revenge
02/03/2026
David Richo Forum: Sweeter Than Revenge
The Forum with David Richo Grace Cathedral, San Francisco When you feel you have been wronged, the urge to retaliate can feel overwhelming and justified. In the groundbreaking work Sweeter Than Revenge: Overcoming Your Payback Mind, acclaimed author and psychotherapist David Richo explores the complex dynamics of retaliation, offering profound insights into why we seek revenge and practices to help us break free from this destructive cycle. Drawing from psychology, principles of emotional intelligence, Christian and Buddhist teachings, and years of therapeutic expertise, Richo illuminates the web of emotions and triggers that drive retaliatory behavior. He challenges readers to examine their own patterns of retaliation and provides practical tools for responding to conflict with wisdom rather than reactivity. Join Malcolm Clemens Young, Dean of Grace Cathedral, for a conversation with Richo about how to transform vengeful impulses into opportunities for growth and healing. Recorded at Grace Cathedral on February 1, 2026. 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 David Richo, PhD, is a psychotherapist, teacher, writer, and workshop leader whose work emphasizes the benefits of mindfulness and loving-kindness in personal growth and emotional well-being. He is the author of numerous books, including How to Be an Adult in Relationships and The Five Things We Cannot Change. He lives in Santa Barbara and San Francisco, California. 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
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Do Dogs Go to Heaven?
11/10/2025
Do Dogs Go to Heaven?
#LifeAfterDeath #Resurrection #Grief #Requiem Discover what Jesus really teaches about life after death through a deeply personal story about loss and hope. In this moving All Souls Day sermon from Grace Cathedral, San Francisco, Dean Malcolm Clemens Young shares the story of his beloved dog Poppy's peaceful death and explores Jesus' profound answer to the Sadducees' question about resurrection. What You'll Discover: ✅ The story of Poppy's last walk and what it teaches about grief and loss ✅ Why the Sadducees tried to trap Jesus with their question about marriage and resurrection ✅ What "Levirate marriage" reveals about ancient strategies for dealing with death ✅ Jesus' response: why human conventions don't apply in the age to come ✅ The meaning of being "like the angels" and "children of God" ✅ How God's kingdom is already here, even amid our grief ✅ A beautiful vision of what awaits those we love (including our pets) This message offers comfort for anyone grieving a loss or wondering what happens after we die. About This Sermon: Preached: November 9, 2025 Location: Grace Cathedral, San Francisco, California Service: All Souls Requiem, 11 am. Eucharist with Mozart Requiem Series: Proper 27C Scripture: Job 19:23-27a, Luke 20:27-38 Preacher: Malcolm Clemens Young, Dean Related Topics: Life after death, resurrection, grief and loss, pet loss, do dogs go to heaven, All Souls Day, Sadducees and Pharisees, Levirate marriage, Luke Gospel, children of God, Christian hope, Mozart Requiem, comfort in grief, eternal life, Grace Cathedral sermons 📺 Subscribe for weekly sermons and spiritual guidance #LifeAfterDeath #Resurrection #Grief #PetLoss #AllSoulsDay #ChristianHope #LukeGospel #Comfort #EternalLife #GraceCathedral #EpiscopalChurch #SanFrancisco #Sermon #Christianity #Faith #Hope #Heaven #MozartRequiem #SpiritualComfort #ChristianFaith #BiblicalTeaching
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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 .
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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 .
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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 .
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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 .
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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 .
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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
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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 .
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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 .
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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 .
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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.
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Dr. Russell M. Jeung
05/12/2025
Dr. Russell M. Jeung
Dr. Russell M. Jeung, professor of Asian American Studies at San Francisco State University and a leading sociologist of race, religion, and social movements, was named one of in recognition of his work launching Stop AAPI Hate is a U.S.-based coalition dedicated to fighting racism and discrimination against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. As the nation’s largest reporting center tracking anti-AAPI hate acts, the coalition works to create a safer, more equitable future for all. Jeung, who learned to integrate social activism and faith as a community activist in his East Oakland’s Murder Dubs neighborhood, asks difficult questions about longing and belonging, wealth and poverty, and how living in exile can transform your faith. Join Malcolm Clemens Young for a conversation with Jeung about vital issues for us today: immigration, inequity, and taking faithful action.
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Gary Dorrien Forum
05/08/2025
Gary Dorrien Forum
Gary Dorrien, the Reinhold Niebuhr Professor of Social Ethics at Union Theological Seminary and Professor of Religion at Columbia University, is the author of 24 books and more than 300 articles that range across the fields of social ethics, philosophy, theology, political economics, social and political theory, religious history, cultural criticism, and intellectual history. Social critic Michael Eric Dyson called him: “the greatest theological ethicist of the twenty-first century, our most compelling political theologian, and one of the most gifted historians of ideas in the world.” Dorrien himself says: “I am a jock who began as a solidarity activist, became an Episcopal cleric at thirty, became an academic at thirty-five, and never quite settled on a field, so now I explore the intersections of too many fields.” Join Malcolm Clemens Young for a conversation with Dorrien about his newest book, Over from Union Road: My Christian-Left-Intellectual Life, a rich memoir of his unusual journey.
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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
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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
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Bishop Budde Conversation
04/14/2025
Bishop Budde Conversation
Mariann Edgar Budde is the bishop and spiritual leader of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington, D.C., and the Washington National Cathedral. On January 21, 2025, many Americans were introduced to Bishop Budde thanks to what The New York Times called “an extraordinary act of public resistance.” During her prayer service for Donald J. Trump’s second inauguration, Bishop Budde addressed the president directly, imploring him “to have mercy on the people in our country who are scared now,” from those who are part of the LGBTQ+ community, to immigrants and refugees. But for Bishop Budde, this moment was the culmination of a lifetime spent thinking about and acting when we’re called on to push past our fears and act with strength. In her most recent book, How We Learn to Be Brave: Decisive Moments in Life and Faith, Bishop Budde explores the full range of decisive moments, and seamlessly weaves together personal experiences with stories from scripture, history, and pop culture to underscore both the universality of these moments and the particular call each one of us must heed when they arrive. Join Bishop Austin K. Rios and Dean Malcolm Clemens Young for a conversation with Bishop Budde about how being brave is not a singular occurrence; it’s a journey that we can choose to undertake every day.
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Yuria Celidwen Forum
04/07/2025
Yuria Celidwen Forum
How do we cultivate collective flourishing? When facing the monumental challenges of our world, we often end up disconnecting to focus on our mental health. Dr. Yuria Celidwen explains this focus on our state of mind alone is precisely why so many of us struggle to flourish. “What’s been overlooked is the Indigenous perspective of relationality,” she says. “It is the understanding that happiness is only possible in community, when we cultivate our relationships toward all kin, from human to more-than-human, and our living Earth.” Dr. Celidwen’s research shows the tremendous benefit of integrating Indigenous approaches into our approach to well-being, while recognizing the gains made by Western positive psychology, mindfulness, and neuroscience. In Flourishing Kin, she identifies seven key principles found in Indigenous cultures worldwide that embrace virtue, ethical living, and spirituality. Dr. Celidwen invites us to experience a path to fulfillment that allows us to meet the world in all its complexity with reverence and joyous commitment to participate in the flourishing of all living beings. Join Malcolm Clemens Young, Dean of Grace Cathedral, for a conversation with Celidwen about how we can overcome isolation and climate anxiety, nourish healthy relationships with our communities and environment, and build strong foundations of well-being that elevate our life choices for the benefit of our whole planet.
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Shelia Warren Forum
03/31/2025
Shelia Warren Forum
Grace Cathedral, San Francisco The internet is broken, and it’s urgent that we fix it. We can – and must – do more to safeguard the health and well-being of our children, our democracy, and our society as a whole. Project Liberty is stitching together an ecosystem of technologists, academics, policymakers, and citizens committed to building a better internet—where the data is ours to manage, the platforms are ours to govern, and the power is ours to reclaim. Join Malcolm Clemens Young, Dean of Grace Cathedral, for a conversation with Sheila Warren, Chief Strategy and Operations Officer for Project Liberty and CEO of the Project Liberty Institute, about reimagining an internet that is designed for people and the collective good.
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Conversation with Nico Lang on American Teenager: How Trans Kids Are Surviving Hate and Finding Joy in a Turbulent Era
03/31/2025
Conversation with Nico Lang on American Teenager: How Trans Kids Are Surviving Hate and Finding Joy in a Turbulent Era
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Tom Steyer Forum
03/24/2025
Tom Steyer Forum
Every day the news is filled with stories of extreme weather that threatens our cities, our health, our futures: tornadoes wiping out whole communities; droughts that ignite catastrophic wildfires; storms flooding roads and destroying infrastructure; rising water levels that jeopardize entire nations; new climate-related diseases that threaten our health. Just as World War II raised an existential threat that united Americans in a common cause, the dangers of climate change are similarly challenging all of our previously held notions of the future—and our only hope is to unite together to take action in a collective movement akin to a war effort. Tom Steyer has been on the forefront of the climate war for well over a decade, leveraging his investment expertise, business knowledge, and community-organizing skills to support sustainable climate solutions. In his first book, Cheaper Faster Better: How We’ll Win the Climate War, he tells his own story of coming to understand the urgency of climate action, and he showcases the inspiring work of people on the front lines, whose innovative approaches provide hope for meaningful change. Join Malcolm Clemens Young, Dean of Grace Cathedral, for a conversation with Steyer about why immediate action on the climate front will not only be our key to a healthy and viable future but also an investment in the future of our economy. Recorded on March 23, 2025.
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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
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Marion Nestle Forum
02/10/2025
Marion Nestle Forum
Dietary guidelines, alcohol, ultra-processed foods. It seems like new recommendations come out every day. Who is making our food choices? Marion Nestle, one of the seven most powerful foodies (Forbes Magazine), is a molecular biologist and nutritionist who started the country’s first academic food-studies program at NYU, bringing attention to the roles that culture, capitalism, and politics play in what and how much we eat. Join Malcolm Clemens Young for a conversation with Nestle about how to navigate the science, what we might expect from the next administration, and sneak previews of her next two books.
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Obi Kaufmann Forum
02/03/2025
Obi Kaufmann Forum
How do we live with fire? Fire is an essential part of California’s ecology. Humans have been using it to shape the California landscape for thousands of years. But today many Californians’ relationship to fire is one of fear. Obi Kaufmann, author of the best-selling California Field Atlas, now asks: How do we live with fire? What makes fire essential to a healthy and biodiverse Golden State, and how do we benefit from its teachings? With the same solution-minded ethic as his much-admired The State of Water: Understanding California’s Most Precious Resource, in The State of Fire: Why California Burns Kaufmann presents fire as a force of regeneration rather than apocalypse. He considers the long history of ecological burns, the varied ways fire behaves across the state, and the lessons we can learn from California’s largest fires of recent decades. Packed with Kaufmann’s signature watercolor maps and paintings, The State of Fire confronts one of California’s most pressing social and ecological challenges. From this maelstrom Kaufmann emerges to share a deepened love for the natural world—and a refreshingly hopeful vision of California’s future. Join Malcolm Clemens Young for a conversation with Kaufmann about stewardship, resilience, and hope.
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