Biography:

The Rev. Dr. Jacqui Lewis uses her gifts as author, activist, preacher, and public theologian toward creating an antiracist, just, gun violence free, fully welcoming, gender affirming society in which everyone has enough. 

Jacqui is the Senior Minister and Public Theologian at Middle Collegiate Church. She earned her M.Div. from Princeton Theological Seminary and a M.Phil. and Ph.D. from Drew University in Psychology and Religion. A womanist theologian, Jacqui has preached at the Festival of Homiletics, the Wild Goose Festival, The Children’s Defense Fund’s Haley Farm, The American Church in Paris and was a featured speaker on the Together national tour with best-selling author, Glennon Doyle. 

Dr. Lewis’ work has also been featured in The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, The Washington Times, the front page of The New York Times, New York Times Video, The New York Post, CNN i-report, Essence, Ebony.com, the New York Daily News, the New York Post, The Associated Press, The San Francisco Chronicle, U.S. News, The Public’s Radio, The Houston Chronicle, The Seattle Times, The San Diego Union Tribune, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, and The Yakima Herald. She has blogged for The Huffington Post, GLAAD, Patheos, and Believe Out Loud. Her books include The Power of Stories; Ten Essential Strategies (with John Janka); Becoming Like Creoles (with Curtiss de Young, et al), and the children’s book, You Are So Wonderful! Harmony/Penguin Random House published her book, Fierce Love: A Bold Path to Ferocious Courage and Rule-Breaking Kindness That Can Heal the World in 2021. Her next book is the Just Love Story Bible for Children (Beaming Books, 2025). Jacqui’s done television on CBS, ABC, PBS Jacqui shares her life with her best friend and spouse, John Janka. Together, they founded the Middle Church annual national justice conference, currently called Freedom Rising; now in its 19th year. Together they also spoil their two grandchildren, just a little bit.