Howard Thurman as Spiritual Guide in Times of Crisis
April 25, 2026
Overview
What does it mean to be a contemplative leader amid the many challenges of our time? A critical resource for exploring this question is the life and witness of Howard Washington Thurman. Thurman was an African American mystic, pastor, theologian, and spiritual guide to civil rights activists such as Otis Moss Jr., Pauli Murray, Martin Luther King Jr., and countless others. In this one-day virtual retreat, we will explore key aspects of Howard Thurman’s living wisdom that can nourish our lives and leadership as we seek to be conduits of spiritual and social transformation.
E. Trey Clark, PhD, serves as assistant professor of preaching and spiritual formation at Fuller Seminary. Trey is the author of Black Contemplative Preaching: A Hidden History of Prayer, Proclamation, and Prophetic Witness, and he is currently co-editing a book with Jennifer Ackerman and Luke A. Powery on the African American mystic, pastor, and civil rights leader Howard Washington Thurman. He lives with his family in Southern California.
Bo Karen Lee, ThM ’99, PhD ’07, is associate professor of spiritual theology and Christian formation at Princeton Theological Seminary. She earned her BA in religious studies from Yale University, her MDiv from Trinity International University in Deerfield, Illinois, and her ThM and PhD from Princeton Seminary. She furthered her studies in the returning scholars program at the University of Chicago, received training as a spiritual director from Oasis Ministries, and was a Mullin fellow with the Institute of Advanced Catholic Studies. Her book, Sacrifice and Delight in the Mystical Theologies of Anna Maria van Schurman and Madame Jeanne Guyon, argues that surrender of self to God can lead to the deepest joy in God. She has recently completed a volume, The Soul of Higher Education, which explores contemplative pedagogies and research strategies. A recipient of the John Templeton Award for Theological Promise, she gave a series of international lectures that included the topic, “The Face of the Other: An Ethic of Delight.” She is a member of the Presbyterian Church (USA), the Society for the Study of Early Modern Women, and the American Academy of Religion; she recently served on the Governing Board of the Society for the Study of Christian Spirituality, and is on the editorial board of the journal, Spirtus, as well as on the steering committee of the Christian Theology and Bible Group of the Society of Biblical Literature. Before joining Princeton faculty, she taught in the Theology Department at Loyola College in Baltimore, Maryland, where she developed courses with a vibrant service-learning component for students to work at shelters for women recovering from drug addiction and sex trafficking. She now enjoys teaching classes on prayer for the Spirituality and Mission Program at Princeton Seminary, in addition to taking students on retreats and hosting meditative walks along nature trails. For more information, visit her profile here.
Schedule
Saturday, April 25, 2026
11:00 AM – 11:15 AM ET
Intro & Preface Material from CCL
11:15 AM – 12:00 PM ET
Session 1: Centered Amidst Chaos
Building upon Howard Thurman’s understanding of centering down, the first session will explore personal and communal practices for staying grounded in God in the midst of chaos.
12:00 PM – 1:00 PM ET
Solo Time / Lunch Break
1:00 PM – 2:00 PM ET
Session 2: Jesus, the Disinherited, and Prophetic Witness
The second session will examine how Howard Thurman’s perspective on Jesus can serve as a prophetic catalyst to experiencing and embodying Christ among the disinherited in our world.
2:00 PM – 3:00 PM ET
Small Groups Breakout Sessions
This hour will be a time for registrants to share their thoughts and questions with one another, following some guided discussion prompts. This will be a space to unpack the gathering so far, be it session content or internal reflections.
3:00 PM – 3:45 PM ET
Session 3: The Spirit and the Search for Common Ground
The final session engages with Howard Thurman’s Spirit-inspired search for common ground. This session asks what it means to cultivate community with all creation amid profound fragmentation.
3:45 PM – 4:00 PM ET
Closing Material from CCL
4:30 PM – 6:00 PM ET
Optional Add-On: Contemplative Listening Circles
Contemplative listening circles centralize listening prayer as a means for connecting with God and neighbor. Guided by a trained facilitator, each circle will consist of 4-5 other retreat-goers. Together over 90-min, participants are invited to listen to the Spirit and one another in contemplative reflection. A guiding question will be: What is God’s prayer for you, in light of today?
Resources
The following writings can provide a framework for this year’s Prayer as Resistance Retreat. If you’re able to read any of them in advance, your experience might be all the richer when we gather.
