Auburn Seminary Reception and Walter Wink Scholar-Activist Award at AAR

Join Auburn President the Rev. Dr. Katharine Rhodes Henderson in celebrating the work of diverse leaders in the academy who are troubling the waters and healing the world.This reception offers a space to network across issues and disciplines with fellow academics working for social change, lifting up and celebrating the sometimes undervalued identity of scholar-activists. President Henderson will present the fourth Annual Walter Wink Scholar-Activist Award to Dr. Rebecca Todd Peters, with a brief talk by the awardee and conversation to follow. ------------------------- _The first 100 guests will receive a copy of Dr. Peters’ new book “Trust Women: A Progressive Christian Argument for Reproductive Justice” through a partnership with Beacon Press._ ------------------------- CELEBRATING THE WORK OF REBECCA TODD PETERS. This year we celebrate Dr. Rebecca Todd Peters, Professor of Religious Studies at Elon University in Elon, North Carolina. As a feminist and Christian social ethicist, Peters does galvanizing and cutting-edge work around reproductive justice, the subject of her most recent book, Trust Women. We recognize as well as her decades-long commitment to work on poverty, inequality, globalization, and solidarity. Her many modes of engagement, at Elon University and beyond, provide a compelling and vibrant example of the scholar activism this award seeks to honor and encourage. ABOUT THE WALTER WINK SCHOLAR-ACTIVIST AWARD. To honor the legacy of Dr. Walter Wink, Auburn Seminary has established the Walter Wink Scholar-Activist Award to recognize courageous individuals who dedicate their lives to advocating for justice and peace in our world. Given annually at the American Academy of Religion/Society of Biblical Literature Meetings, the largest gathering of religion scholars in the world, Auburn’s reception is a dynamic gathering of like-minded, multifaith leaders igniting social change. Dr. Walter Wink served on the faculty of Auburn Seminary for nearly 25 years as a beloved author, speaker and activist. Dr. Wink’s scholarship focused on Jesus and nonviolence, and on responding to a challenging world with love and compassion. PAST AWARD WINNERS. 2017 Najeeba Syeed is associate professor of interreligious education at Claremont School of Theology and director of the Center for Global Peacebuilding. Her track record as a peacemaker and critical peace researcher has made her a sought out advisor and she has served as an on-the-ground peace interventionist in conflicts around the globe. Syeed’s peace and justice work has been the subject of news reports and documentaries, including NBC’s broadcast of “Waging Peace: Muslim and Christian Alternatives.” [https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=c-156E59BZk] 2016 Dr. Simran Jeet Singh is a 2018 Luce/ACLS Fellow for Religion, Journalism, and International Affairs and a Visiting SCHOLAR AT NEW YORK UNIVERSITY'S CENTER FOR RELIGION AND MEDIA. He is also the senior religion fellow for the Sikh Coalition of America. Dr. Singh is a leading voice in the national conversation on Islamophobia, racial profiling, and hate violence. 2015 – INAUGURAL AWARD Dr. Traci C. West is professor of ethics and African American studies at Drew University Theological School in Madison, New Jersey. She is globally recognized for her work on violence against women, racism, clergy ethics, sexuality, and other justice issues in church and society. Dr. West is an ordained elder in the New York Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church.