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Grace as Pedagogy: Theology, Critical Theory, and the Struggle Against Empire
Wednesday, October 22 @ 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm EDT
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Grace as Pedagogy: Theology, Critical Theory, and the Struggle Against Empire
Wednesday, October 22, 2025, 7:00 pm
Franciscan Friars of the Atonement & Chicago Theological Union
The 7th Paul Wattson Lecture at Chicago Theological Union
Dr. Reginaldo Braga
Free and open to the public; also livestreamed
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The Paul Wattson Lectures honor the memory of Servant of God Father Paul of Graymoor (1863–1940), founder of the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement and pioneer for the cause of Christian unity. These annual lectures, hosted at distinguished universities in the US and internationally, feature national and international leaders in the fields of ecumenism to speak on urgent contemporary questions.
About the Speakers
Dr. Reginaldo Paranhos Braga Jr
Dr. Reginaldo Paranhos Braga Jr is Associate Professor of Religion and Education at the Interdenominational Theological Center (ITC) in Atlanta, where he has also served as Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs. A native of Recife, Brazil, and ordained in both the União de Igrejas Evangélicas Congregacionais do Brasil and the Presbyterian Church (USA), he brings more than two decades of experience at the intersection of pastoral ministry, theological education, and intercultural mission. His pastoral leadership in Brazil and the United States (New York City, Yonkers) emphasized community empowerment through immigration legal clinics, literacy programs, and immigrant family support. As a chaplain with the American Red Cross during the September 11 crisis, he developed a pastoral identity shaped by compassion, resilience, and solidarity in times of trauma. Dr. Braga holds a Doctor of Education in Religion and Education from Columbia University and Union Theological Seminary, with research on Paulo Freire and the pedagogy of grace. His teaching and scholarship explore critical theory, transformative pedagogies, and global theological education. Fluent in Portuguese, Spanish, and English, he continues to build bridges across languages, cultures, and traditions in service to the global church.
About the Organizers
The 2025 Paul Wattson Lecture in Chicago is organized by the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement.
