Sanctuary and Struggle: The Black Church as Refuge Then and Now—The Underground Railroad and Fugitive Slave Act

Description
Hosted by the Betsey Stockton Center for Black Church Studies, this program explores the intertwined histories of the Underground Railroad and the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850. It highlights how the Black Church emerged as both sanctuary and site of resistance.

Through historical narrative, theological reflection, and contemporary analysis, the event will trace how Black communities—enslaved and free—defied state-sanctioned injustice through clandestine networks, embodied faith, and spiritual courage. The conversation will also consider how the moral tensions of that era echo in today’s struggles against mass incarceration, voter suppression, and systemic oppression.

Audience

• Attendees of previous Center events

• Scholars and faculty of African American Religion

• PTS students and seminarians from other institutions

Lecturer: Dr. David Childs, Northern Kentucky University