Endorsements

“Sarah Hinlicky Wilson is one of the most thoughtful Lutheran scholars and writers of our time. Her ecumenical sensibilities, her dedication to reaching broad audiences, and her eloquence (in pen and in person) greatly command my respect. In our confused and cacophonous culture, hers is voice that merits hearing.” —Thomas Albert Howard, Professor of Humanities and History & Phyllis and Richard Duesenberg Chair in Christian Ethics at Valparaiso University

“Sarah Hinlicky Wilson is a thoughtful scholar who communicates with compelling insight. Speaking at our Synod Assembly she held the rapt attention of 250 Washingtonians, most of whom thought they already knew everything there was to know about Dr. Luther. Her historical material was unusual and interesting. Her references to our contemporary context were exciting. And in private conversations she was warm and charming. She is among the very best young representatives of the Lutheran movement within Christianity.” —Bishop Richard Graham, Metropolitan Washington D.C. Synod, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

“Sarah Hinlicky Wilson, keynote speaker at our annual ecumenical symposium, spoke authoritatively and passionately, and was an excellent dialogue partner for the other panelists and audience members. Her voice is prophetic: she speaks boldly within her tradition, and she is worth hearing. I highly recommend her as a teacher and public speaker.” —Nicholas Denysenko, Associate Professor of Theological Studies, Loyola Marymount University

Teaching

I’ve been speaking and teaching at church events and conferences since 2001 on such topics as Luther’s theology and Lutheran spirituality, pilgrimage, ecumenism, Eastern Orthodoxy, Pentecostalism, family and sexuality, hagiography, and preparing for the Reformation anniversary in 2017.

These events have taken place across the United States as well as in France, Germany, Italy, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Sweden, Taiwan, Japan, Ethiopia, Madagascar, Kenya, and Australia.

“I have heard Sarah Hinlicky Wilson speak at seminars on three different continents: Africa, Europe, and North America. At the Gudina Tumsa Forum that I organized at Luther Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota in 2013, we got great feedback from the participants attendants regarding her presentation. She is highly engaging and thought-provoking speaker. A Lutheran and ecumenical scholar, she can easily connect with audiences of diverse backgrounds. She is a valuable asset to any conference or seminar.” —Samuel Yonas Deressa, Gudina Tumsa Foundation, Addis Ababa and St. Paul, Minnesota

“Sarah Hinlicky Wilson was the keynote speaker at our Fall Theological gathering in Pierre, South Dakota, in September 2016. We have a history of inviting world-class theologians to present at this event and she fulfilled those expectations to a T. She provided excellent content and delivered it well.” —Bishop David B. Zellmer, South Dakota Synod, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

Past Presentations

Studying Luther in Wittenberg seminar in cooperation with the Institute for Ecumenical Research, the LWB-Zentrum Wittenberg, and the Lutheran World Federation; every November since 2009

“Art of the Writer,” 24th Art, Life, Faith event, Community Arts Tokyo, October 2023

“Evangelical Lutheran Hagiography: Three Late Nineteenth-Century Calendars from Germany,” Parkville Plus Seminar hosted by Australian Lutheran College, Adelaide, South Australia, 4 August 2023

“Martin Luther’s Guide to Becoming a Saint in Five Easy Steps,” Mockingbird Conference, New York City, April 2023

“Luther Discovers His Doctrine of Sanctification in the Saints of Genesis,” Johannelund Theological Seminary, Uppsala, Sweden, November 2022

“Translating the Bible,” Lutheran World Federation webinar, 18 October 2022

“Preaching the Sermon on the Mount,” Center for Catholic and Evangelical Theology, June 2021

“A Time to Heal,” two keynote address for WOCON Japan, February-March 2021

“Theology & a Recipe,” video conference event with Community Arts Tokyo, July 2020

Four lectures each on “Intersections of Lutheran and Charismatic Theology” and “The Distinction between Law and Gospel” at Johannelund School of Theology, Uppsala, Sweden, October 2019

“What Is Holiness? A Lutheran Look at an Unpopular Topic,” Workshop on Lutheran Saints, and “Saints in the Life of the Church,” Power in the Spirit (Virginia Synod), Salem, Virginia, July 2018

“The Making of a Memoir,” Czechoslovak Genealogical Society, St. Paul, Minnesota, May 2018

“Tradition: A Lutheran Christian Perspective,” Conference on Ecumenical and Interfaith Perspectives on Tradition, Valparaiso University, April 2018

“Everything You Know About Martin Luther Is Wrong,” Conference on The Reformation and Its Legacy in the Churches, Loyola Marymount University, October 2017

“Luther’s Christology,” Reformation Festival, Luther Seminary, October 2017

“The Reception of Martin Luther in American Pentecostalism,” Conference on the Reformation in America, Yale Divinity School, October 2017

“Reforming the Saints” and “Reintroducing the Saints,” Gross Memorial Lectures, Valparaiso University, Valparaiso, Indiana, October 2017

“The History on which the Church Stands or Falls” and “Remaking the World with Law and Gospel,” University of Mary, Bismarck, North Dakota, September 2017

“What to Do with Luther in 2017?” Luther Congress, Lutherstadt Wittenberg, Germany, August 2017

Central/Southern Illinois Synod Assembly, with presentations on “The Gospel of Mark through a Lutheran Lens,” “Another Look at Luther and the Jews,” and “Law and Gospel Revisited,” June 2017

“Luther and Women,” Concordia University–St. Paul, March 2017

Copenhaver Visiting Scholar at Roanoke College in Salem, Virginia, including: Panel on African Christianity, Lutheran Writers Conference, Lecture on “Martin Luther and Global Pentecostalism,” Lecture on “Women of the Reformation,” Lecture on “Elisabeth Behr-Sigel: An Eastern Orthodox Feminist,” Panel on the Future of the Reformation

“Remaking the World with Law and Gospel,” Concordia University–St. Paul, February 2017

“Preparing for the Lutheran Reformation,” Fall Theological Conference, South Dakota Synod, Pierre, South Dakota, September 2016

“Reconsidering Martin Luther for the 2017 Reformation Anniversary: Theological Insights and Ecumenical Hopes,” China Evangelical Seminary, Taipei, Taiwan, April 2016

“Law and Gospel,” China Lutheran Seminary, Hsinchu, Taiwan, April 2016

“The Challenges of Faithfulness: A Lutheran Perspective,” Huffington Institute, Loyola Marymount College, Los Angeles, California, March 2016

“Songs, Sinners, Saints: Soundings in Lutheran Spirituality,” Reformation Heritage Lectures, Beeson Divinity School, Birmingham, Alabama, October 2015

“Beggars All: A Lutheran View of the Reformation Anniversary,” Center for Catholic and Evangelical Theology, Catholic University, Washington DC, June 2015

“1517 in the Light of 2017” and “2017 in the Light of 1517,” Metro DC Synod Assembly, Washington DC, June 2015

“Martin Luther’s Theology of the Church, Ordained Ministry, and Christian Worship,” SALT Lutheran Theological Faculty, Fianarantsoa, Madagascar, October 2014

“Martin Luther at 500 and the State of Global Lutheranism,” Protestantism? Reflections in Advance of the 500th Anniversary of the Protestant Reformation Conference, Center for Faith and Inquiry, Gordon College, Wenham, Massachusetts, November 2013

“Gudina Tumsa Forum: The Challenge of African Churches in the Ecumenical Discussion with Special Reference to Ethiopia,” Gudina Tumsa Theological Forum, Luther Seminary, St. Paul, Minnesota, April 2013

“Martin Luther’s Trinitarian Theology,” Mekane Yesus Seminary, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, July/August 2012

“Law and Gospel,” Conference on Lutheran Hermeneutics and the Gospel of John, Lutheran World Federation, Nairobi, Kenya, September 2011

“Behr-Sigel’s ‘New’ Hagiography and Its Ecumenical Potential,” Conference on Being Human, Becoming Divine: Elisabeth Behr-Sigel’s Contributions to the Church, Institute for Ecumenical Research, Strasbourg, September 2011

“The Authority of the Lutheran Confessions,” ELCA Convocation of Teaching Theologians, Gustavus Adolphus College, St. Peter, Minnesota, August 2011

“The Lutheran Legacy in the Worldwide Church,” Lutheran CORE Theological Conference, Columbus, Ohio, August 2011

“Joyful Exchanges,” Czech Luther Society, Prague, Czech Republic, June 2010

“Fear Not! The Angel’s Guide to Ecumenism,” Lutheran Theological Faculty, Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovakia, March 2009