Tippy McMichael Lecture Series
Our Next Tippy McMichael Speaker
The Rev. Dr. Lora Walsh
Lectures based on Lady Church in the Christian Imagination
A Tippy McMichael Speaker Series Event
Saturday, August 22, 2026 ( Reception begins at 6:00 p.m.)
7:00 p.m. – The Leading Lady of Salvation
Many generations of Christians imagined the story of salvation as an epic romance between Christ and the Church, his leading lady. We'll discover how early, medieval, and Reformation-era writers made Lady Church the most prominent feminine figure in Christian history, even though she's neglected today. This lecture is based on Lora's recent book, Lady Church in the Christian Imagination.
Sunday, August 23, 2026
10:00 a.m. – The Promiscuous Church (during Adult Formation Hour)
The feminine qualities most commonly ascribed to the Church in Christian tradition are maternal care, wifely submission, and virginal purity. However, some Christians more boldly imagined the Church as a sexually promiscuous woman. We'll explore a few examples from premodern writers who compare the Church to a promiscuous woman to show how God's scandalous grace surpasses rigid institutions.
All are welcome to attend one or both sessions.
Lora Walsh is Associate Professor of English at the University of Arkansas and Priest Associate at St. Paul's Episcopal Church. She received her PhD in medieval Christianity from Northwestern University. Lora's book, Lady Church in the Christian Imagination: From Early Christianity to Early Modernity, was published by Cambridge University Press in 2026. Her articles on religion, literature, and gender have appeared in journals such as Feminist Studies in Religion, Early Christian Studies, and Harvard Theological Review.
Recent Tippy McMichael Speakers
About the Tippy McMichael Lecture Series
The Tippy McMichael Lecture Series explores a wide range of spiritual issues and features accomplished speakers from various disciplines and religious traditions.
Most events are structured as a two-day series with lectures on two different but related subjects. A Saturday evening lecture is followed by an Adult Forum presentation on Sunday Morning.
The series is an expression of thanksgiving to Clifton “Tippy” McMichael, a lifelong member of St. Paul’s and a strong-willed woman with an independent mind, and is funded by the St. Paul’s Permanent Endowment fund, which was created from Tippy’s planned gift of $1.5 million to St. Paul’s, “to enhance the life and work of the church.”
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Join the Tippy McMichael Committee and help plan future events.