Courageous Religious Ideas: A Weekend with Rabbi Rachel Mikva
Sharing Our Faith, Sacred Traditions, and Imagining the World We are Called to Shape Together
Friday, April 17 – Sunday, April 19
An Interfaith Weekend at Grace United Methodist Church and Congregation Shaare Emeth
What does it mean to be courageous in our faith today?
Join Congregation Shaare Emeth and Grace United Methodist Church for a powerful interfaith weekend of learning, worship, and conversation with Rabbi Rachel Mikva, an acclaimed scholar whose work explores the public role of religion and the ways faith traditions can challenge injustice, resist oppression, and foster moral imagination.
Rather than shying away from difficult questions, Rabbi Mikva invites communities to engage in thoughtful self-critique, asking how our traditions can be “dangerous” in the best sense, bold, truth-telling, and transformative without becoming destructive. Together, we will explore how faith can help us navigate division, deepen our humanity, and envision the world we are called to build.
Rabbi Dr. Rachel S. Mikva is the Herman E. Schaalman Professor of Jewish Studies at Chicago Theological Seminary and a nationally recognized voice in interfaith dialogue. Ordained in the Reform movement, she brings both congregational experience and scholarly insight to conversations about faith, justice, and what it means to be human.
Weekend Highlights
Friday, April 17 at Congregation Shaare Emeth
Begin the weekend with Shabbat and a provocative D’var Torah titled “Dangerous Religious Ideas.” Following services, enjoy dinner (by reservation) and an extended teaching that explores how courageous faith can inspire meaningful change.
Saturday, April 18 at Congregation Shaare Emeth
Start the morning with breakfast and a rich text study and lecture on the topic, “What Does It Mean to Be Human?” – an exploration of shared questions and sacred texts that speak across religious traditions.
Sunday, April 19 at Grace United Methodist Church
Worship together and reflect on how the ideas explored throughout the weekend call us into action. Following worship, gather for lunch and a concluding teaching: “How Do We Keep Being ‘Dangerous’ Without Being Destructive? — What Comes Next”
This weekend is an invitation to listen deeply, ask hard questions, and learn across difference while remaining grounded in faith, curiosity, and shared responsibility.
Presented by the Harvey and Leanne Schneider Interfaith Forum, in partnership with Grace United Methodist Church and Congregation Shaare Emeth