Cyprian's Talks: a conversation about faith, race & sexuality

Cyprian's Talks is the first in a series of public conversations about topics that matter held in the sanctuary of St. Cyprian's Episcopal Church, a unique church rooted in the African American & Caribbean history of San Francisco. Our inaugural discussion focuses on a sensitive subject one that gets far too little attention in the mainstream media, even as many politicians and religious leaders continue to use our differences to divide us rather than draw us together. These civil discussions are free and open to the public.

The Reverend Dr. Horace L. Griffin, a native Floridian and School of Theology graduate of Boston University, he served most recently as Associate Priest for Youth and Family Ministries at All Saints Episcopal Church, Glen Rock, NJ. While on the faculty at Seabury-Western Theological Seminary in the Diocese of Chicago, he was ordained a priest in 2005. A professor of Pastoral Theology and Leadership at Pacific School of Religion, Berkeley, he teaches courses in Congregational Leadership and Gender and Sexuality. His work at All Souls includes adult formation and pastoral care. As an openly gay priest and author of Their Own Receive Them Not: African American Lesbians and Gays in Black Churches (2006 Lambda Literary Award Winner), he is involved in progressive Christian conversations on race and homosexuality currently taking place in the Episcopal Church USA and Anglican Communion.

The Very Reverend Alan W. Jones was the Dean of the Episcopalian Grace Cathedral in San Francisco from 1985 until January, 2009. Previously, he served as the Stephen F. Bayne Professor of Ascetical Theology at the General Theological Seminary in New York City from 1972 - 1985. During his tenure, he founded and was the first director of the Center Christian Spirituality at General. Now a U.S. citizen, he was born in England and received his Ph.D. from the University of Nottingham. He is a prominent lecturer in Episcopalian and academic circles both nationally and internationally. He is a prolific writer as well of books, articles, and editorial opinions. Jones was also the moderator of The Forum at Grace Cathedral.