“Forgiveness” and “politics” are two words you never hear in the same sentence. But might we learn something in an election year marked by bitter divisions and fraught politics from those who have put reconciliation into practice? In the spirit of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., whose belief in the power of forgiveness and reconciliation challenged a nation, join us as we hear from Reverend Eugene Rivers on how mutual understanding, more unity, and – yes – forgiveness can renew our politics. Throughout his career, Reverend Rivers has put reconciliation into practice, helping bitterly divided people find common cause. He is one of the most respected voices in America on how to overcome the hostilities that we now take for granted in our politics.

Reverend Eugene F. Rivers III, a former Sommerville gang member from Philadelphia, was educated at Harvard where he studied philosophy and history of science. He is the founder and director of the Seymour Institute for Black Church and Policy Studies and is a widely published writer and community activist who has lectured internationally. He also advised both Bush Administrations and the Clinton Administration on their faith-based initiatives and in the foreign policy arena regarding the AIDS crisis in Africa. He lives and works among low-income neighbors in inner-city Boston with his wife, Dr. Jacqueline C. Rivers.