Pacific School of Religion is pleased to announce that tickets are now on sale for this year’s Earl Lecture Series, Faith Beyond Exclusion, taking place September 25-26, 2026, on PSR’s campus in Berkeley, CA.
This year’s gathering marks historic milestones, celebrating PSR’s 160th, the Earl Lecture Series’ 125th, the 100th anniversaries of Holbrook Hall & the Bade Museum of Biblical Archaeology and the 25th anniversary of the Center for LGBTQ and Gender Studies in Religion (CLGS). Together, these landmark anniversaries invite scholars, faith leaders, students, clergy, organizers, and community members into a weekend of courageous conversation, practical learning, and faithful imagination centered on building communities beyond exclusion.
Featured Speakers
The 2026 Earl Lecture Series will feature two nationally recognized leaders whose scholarship and ministry have shaped conversations around faith, justice, and belonging.
Rev. Dr. Robert Chao Romero is Professor and Chair of the UCLA Department of Chicana/o and Central American Studies. His research explores the history of Asian-Latinos and the role of Christianity in social justice movements throughout Latin America and among Latina/o communities in the United States. An attorney, ordained minister, and faith-rooted community organizer, Romero is the award-winning author of The Chinese in Mexico, 1882–1940, Brown Church: Five Centuries of Latina/o Social Justice, Theology, and Identity, and Christianity and Critical Race Theory: A Faithful and Constructive Conversation.
Joining him is Bishop Yvette A. Flunder, Pacific School of Religion alumnx, founder of City of Refuge United Church of Christ, and one of the nation’s leading advocates for LGBTQ+ inclusion in faith communities. A third-generation preacher and visionary leader, Bishop Flunder has spent more than three decades integrating worship, pastoral care, advocacy, and prophetic action. Her ministry has helped reshape conversations around justice and belonging in churches and communities across the country.
Interactive Workshops
Participants will have the opportunity to choose from a variety of workshops led by practitioners, scholars, and ministry leaders exploring timely topics at the intersection of faith and public life.
Morning Workshops
- Bending the Arc of Justice
- Beyond Welcome: Learnings from Congregational Life Within the US
- Faith at the Ballot
- Art, Story, and Social Change
- Movement Building
- Faithful Futures: AI and the Future of Congregational Life
Afternoon Workshops
- Generation to Generation: Intergenerational Engagement
- Beyond Welcome: Learnings from Congregational Life Beyond US Borders
- Crafting New Narratives around Religion, Sexuality, and Religion: New Directions in LGBTQ+ Ministry
- Racial and Queer Justice
- Congregational Renewal and Legacy: CRC and Legacy
A Weekend of Learning and Community
The Earl Lecture Series begins Friday evening with registration, a welcome reception and alumnx banquet before continuing on Saturday with worship, keynote presentations, workshop sessions, meals, and opportunities for conversation and connection.
Whether serving in ministry, nonprofit leadership, education, advocacy, or community organizing, attendees will engage ideas, practices, and relationships that strengthen faithful leadership in an increasingly complex world.
Registration is now open. View the complete schedule, learn more about this year’s speakers, and reserve your place by visiting the 2026 Earl Lecture Series event page.