Atwood Lecture: “When the World Falls Apart: Nicholas Black Elk, Sainthood, and the Spirits of Mercy”
Few Native American elders have achieved the global iconic status of Nicholas Black Elk. Black Elk was many things: a cousin of Crazy Horse, a leader in the Ghost Dance, the subject of the spiritual classic Black Elk Speaks, and now candidate for sainthood in the Catholic Church. The complete portrait of Black Elk’s vision is unexpected and striking: in the context of a collapsing world, the Indigenous Christ’s message … Read More

Justice and Mercy: Criminal Justice Dilemmas
Panelist: Dr. Leo Carroll, Department Chair, Department of Sociology and Anthropology, University of Rhode Island; Dr. Donna Murch, Associate Professor of History, Rutgers University; Dr. Alex Gerould, Associate Professor of Criminal Justice Studies, San Francisco State University The challenge associated with understanding the intersection of justice and mercy is at the heart of Pope Francis’ April 11, 2015 announcement of the upcoming Jubilee Year of Mercy. This panel brings together … Read More