Bishop Joseph Sprague is a retired bishop in The United Methodist Church. The Sprague Scholar-In-Residence Fund was established to express appreciation to Joe and Diane Sprague for their ministry and leadership at North Broadway and throughout the United Methodist Church. The fund supports an annual event - The Sprague Lecture - focused on justice and theological reflection.

About This Event:

There is a growing awareness that something is very wrong in criminal justice. The U.S. has dramatically higher per capita imprisonment rates than other developed nations, and those rates are systematically skewed by race, ethnicity, and social class. In these matters the church has often defined its role mostly as bringing personal comfort and change to incarcerated individuals, helping them to “lead a new life” and re-enter society successfully after incarceration. While this is commendable, this year’s Sprague lecturers challenge all of us to rethink these issues. Space is limited, so don’t delay and miss out on this important opportunity!  March 8 Event Brochure   March 8 Event Flyer

Speakers:

Michelle Alexander, an OSU law professor and author of The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in an Age of Colorblindness. Professor Alexander has been featured nationally on radio and television. Her book was adopted for a denomination-wide study by Unitarian Universalists, and she is in great demand as a speaker all over the country

James Logan, professor at Earlham College and author of Good Punishment?  Christian Moral Practice and U.S. Imprisonment. Professor Logan specializes in the relationships among religion, ethics, and politics in civil and public life. 

Bishop Gregory V. Palmer, was assigned as Episcopal Leader of the Ohio West Area of The United Methodist Church Sept. 1, 2012. He also served as president of the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry from and president of the Council of Bishops.                                   

Eat/Learn/Live Series: The Sprague Lectures will be followed by an "Eat/Learn/Live" series on subsequent Wednesday evenings that will continue to explore these complex issues from a variety of viewpoints. Schedule and Locations For Eat/Learn/Live Series