Joy, Justice, and Ritual Cohort

Overview

Join us for a five-session exploration of how religious institutions, traditions, and practices shape our understanding of community, justice, and social change. This cohort creates space for meaningful dialogue about the complex intersections of religion, power, and collective action in contemporary society.

Our Approach

In the spirit of Jennifer Michael Hecht's The Wonder Paradox, participants will each work throughout the program on compiling a personal Commonplace Book (similar to a journal, but a collection of materials written or otherwise produced by other people). These will include poetry, visual art, and other texts or media that serve to ground, guide, and inspire individual ritual and meaning-making. Through collaborative discussion and creative practice, we'll explore how religious traditions can serve as wellsprings of joy, solidarity, and social transformation.

*As a part of your participation in this cohort you will receive a free copy of The Wonder Paradox.

Why Join This Cohort?

Religion, like race, gender, and class, fundamentally shapes our social fabric—yet we often lack spaces to critically examine its influence on our communities and institutions. This cohort invites participants to challenge traditional silences around religion and politics, exploring how religious traditions have both perpetuated systems of power and inspired transformative movements for social justice.

Throughout our journey together, participants will:

• Examine how religious institutions influence social policies, cultural norms, and community values
• Discover the role of religious traditions in historical and contemporary social justice movements
• Explore creative approaches to ritual and meaning-making through art, poetry, and communal practice
• Create a personal Commonplace Book—a curated collection of inspiring texts, art, and media that ground individual spiritual and philosophical exploration

Who Should Participate?

This cohort welcomes individuals interested in:

• Understanding the complex relationship between religion and social movements
• Exploring new approaches to community ritual and meaning-making
• Engaging in thoughtful dialogue about religion's role in contemporary society
• Contributing to conversations about justice, love, and collective transformation

Meeting Schedule

Time: Thursdays, 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Dates: January 30, February 27, March 13, April 10, May 22

*Food will be provided at each session.