The Rev. Dr. Leah Schade, Assistant Professor of Preaching and Worship at the Lexington Theological Seminary has received a grant from the Wabash Center for Teaching and Learning in Theology and Religion for her project Dialogue in the "Purple Zone": Pedagogies for Civil Discourse in Online and On-site Settings. The project accompanies the release of her book, also titled Preaching in the Purple Zone: Ministry in the Red-Blue Divide.

The Lexington Theological Seminary posted an announcement about Dr. Schade's grant award, book, and project that includes the following descriptions:

Dr. Schade's project coincides with the release of her new book, Preaching in the Purple Zone: Ministry in the Red-Blue Divide (Rowman & Littlefield, 2019), which focuses on helping seminary students, clergy and congregations use a form of civil discourse called "deliberative dialogue" to bridge political divisions and find common ground for ministry. Her project will be part of the Wabash Center's newly created Pedagogies for Social Justice and Civic Engagement Grant for exploring teaching strategies that encourage students to critically consider issues of public engagement and social action in relationship to understanding of religion.

"I am grateful for this opportunity for me and and my colleagues at LTS to consider the ways deliberative dialogue can be used in three learning settings: an on-site classroom, an online platform, and in the congregation," Schade said. "The Wabash grant will enable us to explore how this form of civil discourse can help bridge the divide between seminary study and public ministry, and also build capacity for civic engagement and social justice action in the church...

Dr. Schade uses NIFI Issue Guides in her teaching and in working with congregations. The grant will enable her to explore and study how deliberative dialogue can enhance the learning process for students, faculty, pastors, and congregations.

For more information about this work:

The Rev. Dr. Leah D. Schade
Assistant Professor of Preaching and Worship
Lexington Theological Seminary:  https://www.lextheo.edu/leah-d-schade/
Preaching in the Purple Zone: Ministry in the Red-Blue Divide (Rowman & Littlefield, 2019)
Creation-Crisis Preaching: Ecology, Theology and the Pulpit (Chalice Press, 2015)
Ordained Lutheran clergy (ELCA)
Blog:  http://www.patheos.com/blogs/ecopreacher/