Kelso Lecture 2026
March 12, 2026
6:00 p.m. ET
Location:
Mt. Ararat Baptist Church
271 Paulson Ave,
Pittsburgh, PA 15206
Keynoter: The Rev. William H. Lamar IV
"For the Joy Set Before Us: Reflections on the Source of Resistance and Liberatory Praxis"
Justice organizers in certain traditions ask a key question: “What makes you angry?” Anger can motivate us to co-create with the Divine a more just and beautiful world, yet it is often more suited to tearing down than building up. If anger is the sprinter in the struggle for shared flourishing, joy is the marathoner. This lecture will explore the tradition of joy and how it energizes and sustains the transformation of our world. The Scripture for the lecture is Hebrews 11:1. A concert by the Hampton University Concert Choir will follow the Kelso Lecture.
About the Presenter
William H. Lamar IV has served since 2014 as pastor of Metropolitan African Methodist Episcopal Church in Washington, D.C., where he has led growth in both membership and community impact. He helped design Metropolitan’s Sankofa Christian Parenting project, funded by the Lilly Endowment, and helps lead the church’s climate justice work with the Smart Surfaces Coalition. A graduate of Florida A&M University and Duke Divinity School, Lamar is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in African American Preaching and Sacred Rhetoric at Christian Theological Seminary. Previously, Lamar served congregations in Florida and Maryland and was managing director of Leadership Education at Duke Divinity School. He is founding board chair of the Just Power Alliance and has collaborated with national justice organizations, including the Poor People’s Campaign and Repairers of the Breach. A widely published writer and frequent speaker, Lamar’s work has appeared in The Washington Post, The New York Times, NPR, MSNBC, and more. His forthcoming book, Ancestors: The Names That Bless Us, Curse Us, and Hold Us, will be published by Broadleaf Books in 2026.
Questions
Please contact or call 412-924-1345.
About The Kelso Lecture
The Kelso Lecture is funded by an endowment begun in 1957 as a memorial for Dr. James A. Kelso, world renowned biblical archaeologist and former president of Western Theological Seminary, a precedent institution of Pittsburgh Theological Seminary. Starting with the 1982-1983 academic year, the Kelso Lecture has focused on the legacy of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. In recent years the lecture has been part of Community Conversations on Race and Faith.
H.O.P.E. Alliance Partners
H.O.P.E. Alliance partners will receive an email invitation to register for an Advocacy and Activism Training Workshop with Rev. William H. Lamar IV. The workshop will take place on March 13, 2026, from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., for our local partners committed to addressing trauma and violence in the city of Pittsburgh.
Additional details will be shared in the invitation email you receive.