Athens State University Coleman Center for Religious Studies and Ethics

04/22/2026

04/14/2026

New Episode of Convergence
Speaking Truth to Power: Courageous and Prophetic Leadership in a Challenging World

What does it mean to lead with courage in a time of division, conflict, and uncertainty?

In this powerful conversation, Dr. Robert White and Dr. Eric Betts explore the heart of prophetic leadership—the call to speak truth to power with integrity, humility, and love.

Drawing on biblical tradition, contemporary events, and the voices of leaders past and present, this episode wrestles with some urgent questions:

• When does silence become complicity?
• What does it mean to speak prophetically in today’s world?
• How do we confront systems of power without losing our soul?
• What is the cost—and necessity—of courageous leadership?

In a moment when moral clarity is often blurred and public discourse is deeply polarized, this conversation invites us to consider a deeper kind of leadership—one rooted not in power, but in truth.

Join the conversation. Share your thoughts.
The future depends on leaders willing to speak—with courage, conviction, and compassion.

04/07/2026

A conversation about the crisis of our time and the need for prophetic leadership. Athens State University Coleman Center for Religious Studies and Ethics

03/06/2026

Our latest Convergence Podcast. New Episode of Convergence: Humility, Courage, and Resilience in Prophetic Leadership

What does it mean to lead with integrity in difficult times?

In our latest episode of Convergence — Where Faith, Leadership, and Culture Merge, we explore three essential qualities of prophetic and transformational leadership: humility, courage, and resilience.

Drawing on the life and work of Howard Thurman, the minister, theologian, and spiritual architect behind much of the Civil Rights Movement, we reflect on how deep spiritual grounding shapes courageous leadership. Thurman’s work—especially his influential book Jesus and the Disinherited—helped shape the moral vision of leaders like Martin Luther King Jr. and emphasized love, nonviolence, and the spiritual strength needed to resist oppression. 

In this conversation we discuss:

• Why humility is essential for prophetic leadership
• How courage enables leaders to speak truth in love
• The resilience required for long-term movements of justice
• Howard Thurman’s lasting influence on the Civil Rights Movement
• Insights from Jim Collins’ idea of Level 5 Leadership

In a world that often rewards ego and power, this episode asks a deeper question:

What kind of leadership does our moment truly require?

Convergence Podcast | Episode 3Humility, Courage, and Resilience: The Soul of Prophetic LeadershipWhat does it take to lead with integrity in difficult times...

02/15/2026

In a time when silence can sound like complicity, this week’s episode of Convergence calls us to a higher standard of leadership — one that refuses to ignore injustice, apathy, and the cultural sins that dull our collective moral imagination.

In this important conversation, we explore:

How racism operates as a system — not just personal prejudice.
The historical and psychological roots of dehumanization.
Why white supremacy still shapes our institutions and narratives.
The rise of Christian nationalism — and how it distorts faith and justice.
The danger of being “guilty bystanders” — Thomas Merton’s prophetic warning.
Why prophetic leadership means speaking truth in love even when it costs.

This is not a call to comfort — but a call to courage.
Watch the full episode now on YouTube: https://youtu.be/PEDIP-77pjI?si=DCXD4JN45OROEKn9

📌 Join the conversation. Share the link. Tag someone who needs to hear this.
The work of justice begins with seeing what is — and imagining what could be.

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This is a conversation with Dr. Eric Betts about the topics of racism, white supremacy, and Christian nationalism. The heart of the conversation is about soc...