Rev. Adriene Thorne: How We All Get Free Series

Join us for Iliff’s Pulpit+ Exchange Series, an inspiring series of in-person and virtual gatherings where clergy, lay leaders, activists, scholars, ministers, journalists, and community organizers come together to wrestle with the most pressing questions of our time. Together, we’ll explore powerful stories of hope, healing, and action—each rooted in a shared vision of justice and liberation.

Rev. Adriene Thorne, Senior Minister of the historic Riverside Church in New York City, brings her whole self to the pulpit and invites her congregants to do the same.

A former Rockette and performer with the Dance Theater of Harlem, she includes dancers in worship. She incorporates embodied practices with the congregation by inviting them to breathe, hum, stretch, imagine, roll their shoulders, or place their hands on their hearts before beginning her sermons. She is also a certified life coach and disaster chaplain, who leads New York City in an outdoor action seeking justice for all people called Multifaith Mondays.

Come to this presentation prepared to play, perform, and envision a new world where all are free.

September 8, 2025 – Ericka Huggins in conversation about her life with some practical examples of how we all get free.

September 15, 2025 – Rev. Dr. Jamie Eaddy returns to continue our work on “Grief in a New World.”

September 29, 2025 – Paula Yoo will share on her book Rising from the Ashes: Los Angeles, 1992.

October 13, 2025 – Keith Richotte, J.D. - Author of The Worst Trickster Story Ever Told - Native America, the Supreme Court, and the U.S. Constitution.

November 17, 2025 – Rev. Adriene Thorne, Senior Pastor, Riverside Church in New York City, on envisioning a new world.

5:00 – 5:45 PM (MST): Light meal and connection

5:45 PM: Lecture begins, followed by Q&A and deep discussion

Location: In-person at Iliff or online via livestream. Unable to attend in person? Register to receive the livestream link.

Because change starts in community. This is a space to be challenged and inspired, while meeting others who share your passion for faith-rooted justice, equity, and collective liberation.

Come for one evening or all. Stay for the conversation. Leave with new energy, new insights, and a renewed sense of purpose.

Whether you’re a faith leader, community builder, or someone seeking meaningful connection, this is more than a lecture series—it’s an invitation to be part of a growing network of changemakers committed to building a more just and equitable world.

Host or Publisher Iliff School of Theology