Microcertificate
CLGS Christian Social Activism - An Introduction
for LGBTQ+ Activists
5 Live-Sessions + Self-Paced Lessons
Microcertificate
CLGS Christian Social Activism - An Introduction
for LGBTQ+ Activists
5 Live-Sessions + Self-Paced Lessons
YOUR FACILITATOR
Dr. Bernard Schlager, Associate Professor of Historical & Cultural Studies at Pacific School of Religion, and Executive Director for The Center for LGBTQ and Gender Studies in Religion (CLGS), received his PhD from Yale University in the history of medieval and Latin American Christianity. He has taught at the University of New Hampshire, Trinity College, Middlebury College, and Yale.
Dr. Schlager’s research interests include queer studies, the history of Christianity, LGBTQ pastoral care, and medieval social and religious history. He has published numerous articles on ancient church history, medieval hagiography, the history of sexuality, and the history of education. He is co-author with David Kundtz of Ministry Among God’s Queer Folk: LGBTQ Pastoral Care (Second Edition: Cascade Books, 2019); and editor of Mapping New Terrain in Queer Religious Scholarship: Essays in Honor of John Eastburn Boswell (Forthcoming 2025: Routledge).
THE DETAILS
Hosted by the PSR Collective
Dates: July 2nd , 9th, 16th, 23rd
Times: 4:00 - 5:30 PM PST
Format: 6 live sessions + self-paced lessons
Course: CLGS Christian Social Activism - An Introduction for LGBTQ+ Activists
Registration Fee : $50 per participant (*No one will be turned away for lack of funds)
Strategically connect theological concepts to the lived experiences of LGBTQ+ individuals
This online, four-session CLGS microcertificate program is designed to bridge the gap between Christian spirituality and contemporary queer advocacy by reframing Christian teachings and history as sources of empowerment and social transformation.
Each session strategically connects theological concepts (such as inherent belovedness, prophetic justice, transformative leadership, and the sanctity of righteous anger) to the lived experiences of LGBTQ+ individuals, drawing on the works and lives of figures like Henri Nouwen, Sojourner Truth, Fannie Lou Hamer, Howard Thurman, and Audre Lorde.
The curriculum acknowledges and directly addresses historical religious harm while recentering Christianity around liberation, self-acceptance, and collective action, inviting participants to explore spirituality as a foundation for authentic, resilient, compassionate, and effective activism.
Live Session Schedule
July 2nd , 9th, 16th, 23rd | 4:00–5:30 PM PT
|
Session |
Date |
Focus |
|
Session 1 |
July 2nd |
Foundations of the Spiritual Self - Connection & Belovedness
|
|
Session 2 |
July 9th |
The Self as an Agent of Change - The Legacy of Sojourner Truth
|
|
Session 3 |
July 16th |
Transformative Leadership - Temperament and the "Religion of Jesus" |
|
Session 4 |
June 23rd |
The Power of the "Uses of Anger" - A Catalyst for Change
|
This course includes both live sessions and self-paced, video-based content along with downloadable resources accessible in the PSR Collective platform. The expectation is that the lesson content will be reviewed and studied prior to the scheduled live session discussion.
Certificate & Outcomes
Only those participants who attend all live sessions and complete all assignments will earn the Microcertificate CLGS Christian Social Activism - An Introduction for LGBTQ+ Activists
Graduates leave with ability to:
- Identify and deconstruct harmful religious narratives used against LGBTQ+ communities, while articulating empowered, faith-based counter-narratives inspired by historical exemplars of faith-driven social change.
- Synthesize course models and insights to create a personal manifesto or creative work that articulates a spiritually-grounded approach to activism, emphasizing sustainability, community-building across difference, and a focus on the most marginalized.