Williams Institute

MTSO’s annual lecture series

The Williams Institute lectures are a time-honored tradition at MTSO. It brings to campus speakers from many backgrounds, including theologians, ethicists, poets, biblical scholars, historians, pastoral psychologists and Christian educators. The event includes two lectures as well as opportunities for extensive dialogue and community discussion.

This lecture series began in 1981 as a way to honor the late Dr. Ronald L. Williams, professor of theology from 1971 until his death in 1981.

Past lecturers include Fernando Segovia, Robert Wuthnow, Jacquelyn Grant, Rabbi Michael Cook, Bishop C. Joseph Sprague, Rebecca Chopp, James Cone, John Cobb, Virgilio Elozondo, Mary E. Hunt, Charles Kammer III, Mercy Amba Oduyoye, Thomas Ogletree, Gene Outka, Philip Wogaman, Maria Asai-Diaz, James Evans, Jr., Beverly Harrison, Kathryn Tanner, Maria Harris, Martin Marty, Schubert Ogden, Richard Rohrbaugh, Katherine Doob Sakenfield, Christine M. Smith, Samual Terrien, Barbara Wheeler, Justo Gonzalez, Mark Trotter, David Lowes Watson, Gardner Taylor, John Collins, Lee Johnson, Edward Wimberly and Luis Pedraja.