Mass Incarceration and Restorative Justice: Understanding and Response is the theme for this year’s consultation, which will feature scholars, faith leaders and social justice advocates who will address the complexities of the issues of mass incarceration and how this can be incorporated into the worship and ethical life of the church. Workshops from practitioners and plenary session leaders will provide real-life working models and tools that can help churches begin to develop ministries to respond to these issues.

Dr. Harold Dean Trulear, director of Healing Communities Prison Ministry and the Pioneer Reentry Project of the Philadelphia Leadership Foundation, is among the keynote speakers at the event. He will discuss how Healing Communities serves as a framework for congregations in their ministry to families affected by incarceration. He will also give a presentation on release, reentry and redemption of men and women following their incarnation. Other keynote speakers include Dr. Scott Williamson, Louisville Seminary’s Robert H. Walkup Professor of Theological Ethics, who will discuss restorative justice through developing healing circles and how congregations should respond to the needs of those returning from or at risk of incarceration, their families and the larger community. Rev. Dr. F. Bruce Williams, senior pastor of Bates Memorial Baptist Church of Louisville, is the consultation preacher.

Panel discussions will include perspectives from those who work with families of incarcerated persons as well as those who have experienced incarceration and reentry into society. Workshops will focus on faith-based community development and engagement, juvenile suspensions/stopping the pipeline to mass incarceration, congregational ministry to those affected by mass incarceration, and more.

Black Church Studies Consultation events on Friday, February 24, will take place at Louisville Seminary (1044 Alta Vista Road, Louisville, Ky. 40205). Events on Saturday, February 25, will take place at Quinn Chapel AME Church (1901 W. Muhammad Ali Boulevard, Louisville, Ky. 40203). Registration is $40 to attend both days of the consultation and $25 to attend just one day. Discount pricing is available to groups of five or more from the same congregation. REGISTRATION DEADLINE IS MONDAY, FEBRUARY 20.

Registration and more information is available online at www.lpts.edu/bcsc2017. For questions, email bcs@lpts.edu or call (502) 992-9291.

Louisville Seminary is committed to building bridges across the world’s religious, racial and cultural divides. It is distinguished by its nationally-recognized marriage and family therapy and field education programs, the scholarship and church service among its faculty and a commitment to training women and men to participate in the continuing ministry of Jesus Christ. For more information, call (800) 264-1839 or log onto www.lpts.edu.