CHICAGO, IL (February 2, 2016) – Among the participants at the Love Mercy Do Justice Conference to be held at North Park University this weekend will be Michael Pfleger, pastor of St. Sabina Catholic Church and one of the city’s leading anti-violence advocates, as well as internationally recognized spoken-word poet Malcom London, and community activist Marshall Hatch.
The event is a collaboration between the ECC Love Mercy Do Justice mission priority and the Urban Outreach office of North Park University. It begins at 10:30 a.m. Friday and runs through noon on Saturday. Registration is free, but space is limited.
Organizers say the purpose of the event is to create a synergy of theology, theory, and application in order to “bridge the divide between the intellect and the heart by creating a space where millennials and the broader church can interact with contemplative activists who see mercy and justice as a tangible expression of their spirituality.”
Activities will include academic sessions, the arts, a prayer walk through the Albany Park neighborhood, and a call for politicians to support justice reinvestment.
London has appeared on PBS for a televised TED Talk with John Legend and Bill Gates, and he has shared stages with actor Matt Damon and rapper Lupe Fiasco. Cornel West has called him the Gil-Scott Heron of this generation.
The keynote speaker will be minister Marshall Hatch, who has launched numerous community outreaches that have included affordable housing projects, jail ministries, and development programs.
