Historical Society of the Episcopal Church to Host 2026 Manross Lecture and Banquet in Nashville
The Historical Society of the Episcopal Church invites all to attend the 2026 Manross Lecture and Banquet on Saturday, June 20, 2026, at the Holiday Inn–Vanderbilt in Nashville, Tennessee. This gathering offers an evening of fellowship, fine dining, and thoughtful engagement with Episcopal history.
The evening will begin at 5:30 p.m. with a reception featuring hors d’oeuvres and a cash bar, followed by a 6:30 p.m. plated dinner. At 7:30 p.m., the Society will share announcements before the featured Manross Lecture.
This year’s lecturer is The Rev. Benjamin King, Ph.D., Academic Dean and Duncalf-Villavoso Professor of Church History at the Seminary of the Southwest. A distinguished scholar of Anglican history and theology, Dr. King will present “Now is the time for a Black Bishop”: The surprising agreement between African Americans and English High Churchmen in the 1850s. His lecture explores a compelling and often overlooked moment of convergence in 19th-century Anglican thought and practice.
Dr. King’s research focuses on the Oxford Movement, the development of the Anglican Communion, and the Episcopal Church’s historic entanglement with slavery. He is the award-winning author of Newman and the Alexandrian Fathers, recipient of a Templeton Award for Theological Promise, and The Oxford Movement and the People of God: Enslavement, Education, and Empire. A widely published scholar and international lecturer, he has contributed to the Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church and serves on the editorial board of Anglican and Episcopal History. An Episcopal priest since 2000, he brings both pastoral and academic depth to his work.
The banquet will feature a choice of salad, entrée, and dessert, with options including soy and ginger glazed salmon, mustard pork loin, or grilled marinated vegetables, followed by New York-style cheesecake or a triple berry tart. Bread, butter, and beverages are included.
The event will take place at:
Holiday Inn–Vanderbilt
2613 West End Ave
Nashville, TN 37203
Tickets are $100 per person, and reservations must be made by Monday, June 15, 2026. Registration is available online at hsec.us/manross-lecture.
The Manross Lecture will be recorded and made available to the public following the event.
Join the Historical Society of the Episcopal Church for an evening of community, conversation, and discovery, as we explore a fascinating chapter in the Church’s history.
