Baylor set to “Go Tell It on the Mountain” at 2022 Pruit Symposium

For more than two decades, the Pruit Memorial Symposium has brought the perspective of the Christian intellectual tradition to contemporary issues of common concern. Since 2013, the experience has complemented and expanded on Baylor’s Black Gospel Music Restoration project as well as the newer Black Preaching Project.

"This will be the tenth symposium focused on American Black sacred music, but the 2022 version extends the topic to all aspects of worship and expands the conversation to international scholars who cannot travel to Waco," said Kathy Hillman, associate professor and co-chair of the Pruit Symposium Committee. "We hope that all who participate will be impacted by the I’s of information, insight, and the inspiration to 'Go Tell It on the Mountain' through a combination of preaching, music and ministry."

The guest speakers featured in this year's symposium are experts who emphasize different dimensions of theological and pastoral inquiry. Dr. Dixon McKenzie is the director of the Centre for Black Theology at The Queen's Foundation for Ecumenical Theological Foundation in Birmingham, U.K. Her research interests include African Caribbean Pentecostalism, Black gospel music and womanist theology. Dr. Lisa Weaver is assistant professor of worship at Columbia Theological Seminary in Decatur, GA. She previously served at the Catholic University of America and the Howard University School of Divinity. Dr. Carol Tomlin is the principal and director of studies at the Kingdom School of Theology and the apostolic overseer and founder of Restoration Freedom Ministries in Leeds, U.K. Following these presentations, Dr. Monique Ingalls, Associate Professor of Music & Graduate Program Director, Church Music at Baylor University, will moderate a Q&A session.

“This year's Pruit Symposium showcases the international and interdisciplinary breadth of the study of Black gospel music. It draws together three world-leading scholars from the US and the UK, each of whom approaches gospel music from a different perspective,” said Monique Ingalls, associate professor of Music. "Just as Black women have long led the way in creating gospel music, these three Black women scholars are leading the way in researching and reflecting on it."

This virtual event is free and open to the public. Guests can attend a complementary luncheon and live viewing of the event in Jesse H. Jones Library, Room 200, on the campus of Baylor University or participate virtually from anywhere in the world by Zoom. Those interested in attending can visit baylor.edu/pruit to request Zoom credentials or RSVP for the in-person session (required).

Created in 1996, by Ella Wall Prichard and Lev H. Prichard III, the symposium is supported in part by the Pruit Memorial Symposium Endowment Fund. Co-sponsors of the 2022 symposium include the Baylor School of Music, the Center for Christian Music Studies, Baylor University Libraries, George W. Truett Theological Seminary and the Departments of Religion and Journalism, Public Relations and New Media.

For more information, please contact Kathy Hillman by email at kathy_hillman@baylor.edu, or call 254-710-6684.