The Historical Society of the Episcopal Church will host the next Manross Lecture & Banquet on June 20, 2026, featuring the Rev. Benjamin King, PhD, Academic Dean and Professor of Church History at Seminary of the Southwest. The lecture will explore themes in Anglican and Episcopal history, drawing on King’s research into nineteenth-century Anglicanism, the Oxford Movement, and the church’s historical relationship with issues such as slavery and empire.
The Manross Lecture is a distinguished series sponsored by the Historical Society of the Episcopal Church and named for historian and benefactor William Wilson Manross. Established in 2006, the lecture is typically presented during years of the church’s General Convention and invites leading scholars to reflect on the history and ongoing life of the Episcopal tradition. Past lecturers have included prominent historians and theologians who examine the church’s role in culture, theology, and society.
The June lecture and banquet will take place on Saturday, June 20, 2026 at 6:00pm at the Holiday Inn-Vanderbuilt in Nashville, Tennessee. The lecture will be recorded and made available to the public for those not able to attend in person.
This year’s lecture offers an opportunity for scholars, clergy, and church leaders to engage with current historical scholarship while reflecting on how the Episcopal Church’s past continues to shape its present and future. Attendees can expect an evening of thoughtful historical insight and conversation with one of the leading voices in Anglican church history today.
Learn more about the lecture and register to attend here.