Healing Divisions through Faith, Philanthropy and Community to be focus of Lake Institute on Faith & Giving’s 2020 Thomas H. Lake Lecture
Note: The Thomas H. Lake Lecture and reception with David Brooks and Anne Snyder scheduled for March 12 are being rescheduled for fall 2020. Indiana University is suspending all large events due to general concerns about the COVID-19 coronavirus. A new date will be announced.
INDIANAPOLIS—From kitchen tables to the national news, signs that Americans are often divided – along generational, cultural, gender, religious and political lines – are everywhere. How can we bridge and heal these divisions? What solutions can build individual relationships and strengthen communities?
New York Times columnist David Brooks and Comment magazine editor-in-chief Anne Snyder will address these issues and discuss “Faith, Philanthropy and Community” as the featured speakers for the 17th Annual Thomas H. Lake Lecture March 12 in Indianapolis. The event is a program of Lake Institute on Faith & Giving, which is part of the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy at IU Indianapolis.
Patterns of religious and philanthropic participation are changing across all types of groups and organizations, and research suggests that these changes may be linked. Lower religious affiliation and activity may lead to less charitable giving and community engagement. At the same time, new forms of faith-based activity, philanthropy and community are emerging. Taken together, Brooks and Snyder argue, these trends have powerful implications for faith, philanthropy and the fabric and future of America’s communities.
Brooks and Snyder have researched and written extensively about these issues. Brooks is the author of The Second Mountain: The Quest for a Moral Life, which explores what it takes to lead a meaningful life in a self-centered world. Snyder is the author of The Fabric of Character: A Wise Giver’s Guide to Renewing our Social and Moral Landscape.
The event will be at 6 p.m., Thurs., March 12 at St. Luke’s United Methodist Church, 100 W. 86th St., in Indianapolis. The lecture will be followed by a reception and book signing with both speakers. Books will be available for purchase. The event is free; registration is requested.
The 17th Annual Thomas H. Lake Lecture is supported by a grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. The reception following the lecture is sponsored by The National Bank of Indianapolis.
Brooks joined the Aspen Institute as an executive director in 2018 to spearhead a new project aimed at bridging the differences that divide Americans and seeking out a compelling common ground. Weave: The Social Fabric Project has engaged a diverse set of community leaders across the nation, from formal institutions to local neighborhood advocates, in order to identify unifying themes and promising partnerships. The initiative’s longer-term goal is to draw attention to grassroots efforts that are healing social divisions, to learn how these efforts can be applied at the national level, and to suggest ways of building a network of ‘weavers’ to enrich our lives together. An op-ed columnist for The New York Times, Brooks also is a commentator for national television and radio programs and the author of several books.
Snyder is the editor-in-chief of Comment magazine. In 2016 she helped create and directed The Philanthropy Roundtable’s Character Initiative, a program seeking to help foundations and business leaders understand the power of character formation in venues such as schools, civic organizations, and social enterprises. Her book, The Fabric of Character, features case studies of several exemplary organizations, including The Oaks Academy in Indianapolis. She is a widely published writer.
About Lake Institute on Faith & Giving
Lake Institute on Faith & Giving exists to serve the public good by exploring the multiple connections between philanthropy and faith within the major religious traditions. Its mission is to foster greater understanding of the ways in which faith inspires and informs giving. Lake Institute is a program of the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy. Follow us on Twitter or “Like” us on Facebook.
About the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy
The Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy at IU Indianapolis is dedicated to improving philanthropy to improve the world by training and empowering students and professionals to be innovators and leaders who create positive and lasting change. The school offers a comprehensive approach to philanthropy through its academic, research and international programs and through The Fund Raising School, Lake Institute on Faith & Giving, the Mays Family Institute on Diverse Philanthropy and the Women’s Philanthropy Institute. Follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, or Instagram and “Like” us on Facebook.
About Lilly Endowment Inc.
Lilly Endowment Inc. is a private philanthropic foundation created in 1937 by J.K. Lilly Sr. and sons Eli and J.K. Jr. through gifts of stock in their pharmaceutical business, Eli Lilly and Company. While those gifts remain the financial bedrock of the Endowment, the Endowment is a separate entity from the company, with a distinct governing board, staff and location. In keeping with the founders’ wishes, the Endowment supports the causes of community development, education and religion and maintains a special commitment to its hometown, Indianapolis, and home state, Indiana.