Dialogue Institute

05/29/2026

Interested in connecting with the Dialogue Institute? We have plenty of opportunities available in the next month - join us!

https://religiousfreedomtrails.org/events

05/27/2026

Join us at Philadelphia’s Christ Church Neighborhood House for a special screening of Episode 4 of the documentary “In Pursuit: Philadelphia and the Making of America.” 🎥

Following the screening, producer Nathaniel Popkin will facilitate a conversation with Dr. David Krueger (Dialogue Institute), Dr. Kirsten Lee (1838 Black Metropolis), and Farah Jimenez (Philadelphia Education Fund) about religion, civic engagement, and the struggle for an inclusive democracy.

Register here: https://religiousfreedomtrails.org/events/in-pursuit-philadelphia-and-the-making-of-america

Episode 4 of “In Pursuit” examines Philadelphia as the young nation’s capital, where the ideals of self-government are tested in everyday life. As political divisions deepen and crises like the Yellow Fever epidemic strain the city, free Black Philadelphians build institutions and assert their rights, with leaders like Richard Allen, Absalom Jones, and James Forten shaping a growing movement for equality and reform.

The episode then follows the rise of abolitionism and public education, as Black and white reformers work together to expand opportunity and challenge injustice. Yet these efforts provoke fierce resistance, culminating in mob violence, the destruction of Pennsylvania Hall, and the stripping of Black men’s voting rights. In a city striving to create shared civic space, this program asks a central question: how can common ground be sustained when democracy itself remains unequal?

05/27/2026

Join us at Ebenezer Baptist Church for an important conversation at the intersection of faith, history, and democracy.

A Faithful Struggle: Historically Black Protestant Churches Reflections at America’s 250th brings together leading voices to reflect on the legacy and future leadership of Historically Black Protestant Churches in building bridges across difference and protecting democratic values.

June 30, 2026
7 to 8:30 PM
Ebenezer Baptist Church, Atlanta

Free event. Advance registration required. All are welcome.
Save your spot today. https://www.interfaithamerica.org/events/historically-black-protestant-churches-at-americas-250th/

05/22/2026

What kind of nation are we? And what kind of nation do we want to be? We're answering these questions and more on Saturday, May 30th, 2026, at 'America Beyond 250: Reclaiming the Promise of Pluralism' - and you're invited to join! 📣

Our Executive Director, David Krueger, will join:
- Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta (181st District of Pennsylvania)
- Bishop Dwayne Royster (Faith in Action)
- Maggie Siddiqi (Interfaith Alliance)
- Elizabeth Reiner Platt (Law, Rights, and Religion Project)
- Nick Fish (American Atheists)
- Philip Lindsay (Democracy Innovation Hub)
- Sean Connolly (Arch Street Meeting House Preservation Trust)..and more for an exciting day of dialogue!

The event will take place at Arch Street Meeting House. Tickets to the dialogue portion of the event are $25 (plus processing fees) and include admission to the main program presentations and panels from 1:30–5:30pm, plus light refreshments before and during the event.

An optional walking tour of historic Old City Philadelphia, sponsored by the Freethought Society, can be added on for $10 and will meet at the Arch Street Meeting House at 10am. Coffee, tea, and light refreshments will be available.

Register today: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/america-beyond-250-reclaiming-the-promise-of-pluralism-registration-1987197194302

What kind of nation are we? And what kind of nation do we want to be? We're answering these questions — and more.

05/18/2026

Issue 61.1 of the Journal of Ecumenical Studies is now available via Project Muse! For each issue, the Diablogue features one author and makes a full-text PDF version of their article available on Project Muse for 60 days. 📖

In this issue, we feature Geneva Blackmer and Yitnaa Athanasius Akila’s "Aruna Gnanadason: Indigenous Wisdom, Indian Eco-Feminist Theology, and the World Council of Churches—Confronting Violence against Women and Shaping the Future of Ecumenism.”

Get access to the full article and hear from the authors on our blog: https://dialogueinstitute.org/diablogue-blog/2026/5/14/featured-jes-authors-geneva-blackmer-and-yitnaa-athanasius-akila

Issue 61.1 of the Journal of Ecumenical Studies is now available via Project Muse! For each issue, the Diablogue features one author and makes a full-text PDF version of their article available on Project Muse for 60 days. In this issue, we feature Geneva Blackmer and Yitnaa Athanasius

05/15/2026

There are still spots left for tomorrow's tour in Germantown - Get your tickets here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/tour-religion-and-freedom-in-historic-germantown-tickets-1986717125403?aff=oddtdtcreator

Cost is $20 per person. The tour will start near Vernon Park and end in the vicinity of Germantown Ave. and Upsal Street, near the Cliveden Mansion.

Email [email protected] with any questions!

05/13/2026

Join us this Saturday for a fun in-person tour exploring Germantown’s rich history of religious freedom!

📣 Register here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/tour-religion-and-freedom-in-historic-germantown-tickets-1986717125403?aff=oddtdtcreator

This two-hour walking tour will begin at the Pastorius Statue in Vernon Park and follow Germantown Avenue along the northern edge of the Germantown Colonial Historic District, highlighting the various religious and intellectual groups who were present in early Germantown, including Quakers, Mennonites, Moravians, Reformed Lutherans, and natural scientists.

This tour will include the site of the Battle of Germantown and an episode during which Benjamin Franklin's militia confronted vigilantes in Germantown to protect the religious freedom and lives of Lenape Moravian converts. Germantown was a site of early abolitionism and an early version of the Underground Railroad, as well as a hub for early American free thinkers and scientists who observed and cataloged the natural order. The tour will be led by Kime Lawson, professor at Thomas Jefferson University.

Cost is $20 per person. The tour will end in the vicinity of Germantown Ave. and Upsal Street, near the Cliveden Mansion.

05/11/2026

Find our new tour pamphlets at the Independence Visitor Center's information desk! 📣

Located near 6th and Market Streets, the Independence Visitor Center is the official visitor center of Independence National Historical Park and the Philadelphia region.

Interested in taking a tour? Learn more on our website: https://religiousfreedomtrails.org/our-tours

05/08/2026

On May 8, 1844, the escalating violence reached its peak as anti-Catholic mobs systematically targeted Irish and Catholic-owned properties across Kensington and Southwark. Among the destroyed were Hugh Clark’s residence, a Catholic seminary, and two prominent Catholic churches: St. Michael’s at Second Street and St. Augustine’s at Fourth and Vine.

The violence only subsided following the intervention of a citizen militia alongside the U.S. Army and Navy forces. The riots left over 20 dead, hundreds injured, and widespread destruction in their path. While American cities, particularly Philadelphia, had seen numerous riots since the early 1830s, few lasted for more than a day, making the 1844 riots seem extreme due to their severity and duration.

Though some riots erupted spontaneously, nativist newspapers and political groups stoked the flames through the election season, prolonging the chaos. The aftermath reshaped Philadelphia’s identity. The city’s response led to heightened policing of public gatherings and a shift in how religious minorities were perceived in urban spaces. These tensions also seeped into local politics with ongoing debates over public education, protection for immigrant communities, and the balance between free speech and public order.

To learn more about the Philadelphia Nativist Riots, explore the St. Augustine’s stop on the Religious Freedom Trails app: https://religiousfreedomtrails.org/app

05/07/2026

On this day in 1844, Philadelphia’s Nativist Riots escalated as anti-Catholic mobs, fueled by xenophobic rhetoric, marched into Kensington. Their procession carried the American flag alongside a provocative banner: ‘This is the flag that was trampled by Irish papist.’

The message was clear: Catholics, particularly Irish immigrants, were framed as existential threats to American identity and often stereotyped as disloyal due to the influence of the Pope. During the riot, nativists set fire to and destroyed the Hibernia fire station, along with thirty homes and the market where the violence had begun the day before.

The events of May 7 marked a turning point, as the mob’s actions drew national attention and intensified debates over immigration, religion, and national identity.

History doesn’t stop here. Follow tomorrow’s update for the final details…

To learn more about the Philadelphia Nativist Riots, explore the St. Augustine’s stop on the Religious Freedom Trails app: https://religiousfreedomtrails.org/app