January Series 2024 livestreams to First Church Tulsa
The January Series is a free 15-day award-winning lecture series that takes place each year at Calvin University and is livestreamed to First Church Tulsa. The series aims to cultivate deep thought and conversations about important issues of the day, to inspire cultural renewal and make us better global citizens in God's world. We are thankful to share this special gift with our local, regional, and global community, thanks to our underwriters.
Weekdays, January 15 – February 2
Optional lunch ($7) at 11:15 a.m.
Lecture from 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.; Stephenson Hall
In the event that the church is closed due to weather, you can access the daily January Series lecture online. Click here and register to receive a daily link until we can meet in person.
Monday, January 15
Lerone Martin
SOUL FORCE: THE CHALLENGE OF MARTIN LUTHER KING
Lerone Martin is an associate professor of religious studies at Stanford University and an award-winning author. He will highlight his book, The Gospel of J. Edgar Hoover, and discuss the historical and legal context of government surveillance of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., its implications for the Civil Rights Movement, and lessons learned to be considered for today's social justice efforts.
Lunch menu: Baked potato, chili and assorted fixings and green salad.
Reservations are requested but not required.
Reserve your lunch here.→
Tuesday, January 16
Dan Tepfer
FROM BACH TO NATURAL MACHINES: ALGORITHMS AS THE SHAPERS OF MUSIC
Dan Tepfer is a pianist-composer who’s recorded, performed, and composed around the world. He will share how his performances incorporates musical improvisation and computer programming accompaniment. He’ll also discuss how composers as far back as Bach used algorithms and logical systems in famous works.
Lunch menu: Nacho bar with seasoned beef and chicken, salsa and assorted toppings.
Reservations are requested but not required.
Reserve your lunch here.→
Wednesday, January 17
Robert George
RELIGIOUS LIBERTY AND THE HUMAN GOOD
Robert George is a McCormick professor of jurisprudence and the director of the James Madison Program in American Ideals and Institutions at Princeton University. He’ll pull on his knowledge in law and theology to present how governments are obligated to respect and protect religious freedom for the sake of the basic human right of religion itself.
Note: This speaker will be joining us virtually.
Lunch menu: Chicken and broccoli casserole, green salad and rolls.
Reservations are requested but not required.
Reserve your lunch here.→
Thursday, January 18
Caroline Randall Williams
SOUL FOOD AND THE COLLECTIVE CULTURAL MEMORY
Caroline Randall Williams is an award-winning poet, young adult novelist, and cookbook author as well as an activist, public intellectual, performance artist, and scholar. Through her discussion on soul food and the collective cultural memory she’ll reclaim the narrative of health and body preservation through Black cuisine and dispel the myths about soul food.
Lunch menu: BBQ pulled pork sliders, coleslaw and chips with pickle and onion relish tray.
Reservations are requested but not required.
Reserve your lunch here.→
Friday, January 19
Matthew Desmond
POVERTY, BY AMERICA
Matthew Desmond is a sociologist, MacArthur Fellowship recipient, and the founder and principal investigator of the Eviction Lab at Princeton University. In his latest book, Poverty, By America, draws on history, research, and original reporting to show how poverty in the U.S. persists because the rest of us benefit from it.
Lunch menu: King ranch chicken casserole and southwest green salad.
Reservations are requested but not required.
Reserve your lunch here.→
Monday, January 22
Kendall Vanderslice
TABLE CONVERSATIONS: BUILDING COMMUNITY AS WE EAT
Kendall Vanderslice is a baker, writer, and the founder of the Edible Theology Project, an educational nonprofit connecting the Communion table to the kitchen table. Through her work in food studies and theology, she explores the ways God uses the table to restore communities and creation.
Lunch menu: French bread pizza and green salad.
Reservations are requested but not required.
Reserve your lunch here.→
Tuesday, January 23
Lydia Dugdale
THE LOST ART OF DYING: ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS IN FACING OUR MORTALITY
Dr. Lydia Dugdale is an internal medicine primary care doctor and a medical ethicist. She’s also a Columbia University professor and director of the Center for Clinical Medical Ethics. In her new book, The Lost Art of Dying, Dugdale offers insight and thoughtful guidance on how to die well. She guides readers to recover their sense of finitude, confront fears, accept how bodies age, develop meaningful rituals, and involve communities in end-of-life care.
Lunch menu: Beef stew, pasta salad and cornbread.
Reservations are requested but not required.
Reserve your lunch here.→
Wednesday, January 24
Niala Boodhoo
LESSONS I'VE LEARNED FROM LISTENING
Niala Boodhoo ’96 is an Axios journalist and podcast host, as well as guest host for 1A on NPR. She’ll discuss the importance of living outside of an echo chamber and the ways the human voice can help us change our perspectives.
Lunch menu: Turkey a la king on puff pastry with green salad.
Reservations are requested but not required.
Reserve your lunch here.→
Thursday, January 25
Tommy Caldwell
ROUTE FINDING FOR SUCCESS
Tommy Caldwell is a talented rock climber, with numerous accomplishments in sport, traditional, and free climbing; big wall first ascents; and speed records. He’ll share the ways he’s found a route for success with stories of his nationally-recognized climbs—including a hostage situation in Kyrgyzstan—and life struggles.
Lunch menu: Spaghetti and meatballs, green salad and garlic bread stick.
Reservations are requested but not required.
Reserve your lunch here.→
Friday, January 26
Felicia Wu Song
RESTLESS DEVICES: CHRISTIAN FORMATION IN A DIGITAL WORLD
Felicia Wu Song is a cultural sociologist who studies the place of digital technologies in contemporary life. She’ll share information on the rapidly evolving digital technology industry and how the adoption of social media and digital devices alters the landscapes of family, community, and organizational life.
Lunch menu: Ham and navy bean soup, pea salad and cornbread.
Reservations are requested but not required.
Reserve your lunch here.→
Monday, January 29
Jacob Goldstein
TECHNOLOGY, LUDDITES, AND THE FUTURE OF WORK
Jacob Goldstein is an NPR correspondent and podcast host. His interest in technology and the changing nature of work has led him to stories on UPS, the Luddites, and the history of light. His current work looks at the big picture of new technologies such as AI and the future of work. Goldstein looks at the history of technology breakthroughs to point out a silver lining.
Lunch menu: Chicken pot pie and green salad.
Reservations are requested but not required.
Reserve your lunch here.→
Tuesday, January 30
Daniel Bowman
NEURODIVERGENT STORYTELLING
Daniel Bowman Jr. is a novelist, poet, and professor, who received an autism diagnosis at age 35. He will offer insights on autism, relationships, faith, and the gift of neurodiversity through stories of his heartbreaks and triumphs.
Lunch menu: Tomato basil soup, ½ Reuben sandwich and German potato salad.
Reservations are requested but not required.
Reserve your lunch here.→
Wednesday, January 31
Abram Van Engen, Joanne Diaz and Marilyn Nelson
A LIVE RECORDING OF THE PODCAST, "POETRY FOR ALL" WITH MARILYN NELSON
Joanne Diaz and Abram Van Engen are podcast co-hosts Poetry for All, where they read a poem, discuss it, see what makes it tick, learn how it works, grow from it, and then read it again. During the January Series, they’ll do a live recording of their show with guest Marilyn Nelson, a three-time finalist for the National Book Award and one of America’s most celebrated poets.
Lunch menu: Chicken salad on croissant and sausage gumbo.
Reservations are requested but not required.
Reserve your lunch here.→
Thursday, February 1
Tim Dalrymple
WHAT'S BECOMING OF US?: ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND THE FUTURE OF THE CHURCH
Timothy Dalrymple is a former national champion gymnast who turned to academia following an accident in college where he broke his neck. He helped launch patheos.com and Polymath, and he currently serves as Christianity Today’s President and CEO.
Lunch menu: Chicken alfredo with bow-tie pasta and green salad.
Reservations are requested but not required.
Reserve your lunch here.→
Friday, February 2
Pearl Shangkuan
TUNING OUR MINDS, EARS, AND HEARTS TO SING GOD'S GRACE: REFLECTIONS OF A CONDUCTOR
Pearl Shangkuan is a highly sought-after conductor, lecturer, and clinician. She’s led performances, seminars, and workshops on six continents, and she is a beloved professor and the director of choral activities at Calvin University. She will reflect on her musical endeavors that have taken her around the world and, most importantly, the ways God’s grace was abundant throughout her career.
Lunch menu: Lasagna, green salad and garlic toast.
Reservations are requested but not required.
Reserve your lunch here.→