About the Robert N. Bellah Lecture on Religion and Public Life
The Bellah Legacy Group partnered with the GTU to create an annual lecture designed to preserve, build on, sustain, and promote awareness of the corpus and legacy of Robert N. Bellah’s work within a contemporary context.
Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde Delivers Inaugural Robert N. Bellah Lecture
The Right Reverend Mariann Edgar Budde, Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington D.C., delivered the inaugural Robert N. Bellah Lecture on Religion and Public Life on Wednesday, April 9, 2025. The title of Budde’s address was: Following Our North Star in Tumultuous Times. Read the announcement of Bishop Budde's lecture here.
Dive deeper into the themes of religion and public life explored in the Robert N. Bellah Lecture by engaging with the influential works of Robert Bellah and Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde. From Prophetic Religion in a Democratic Society to The Broken Covenant, Bellah’s writings continue to shape conversations around American civil religion, community, and moral commitment. Explore these and other significant titles—including Challenging Modernity and Individualism and Commitment in American Life—through the GTU Library. You can also explore archival materials and additional resources at gtuarchives.org/Bellah. Let these materials enrich your understanding of the spiritual and civic questions at the heart of Bellah’s legacy.
About Robert N. Bellah
Robert N. Bellah (1927–2013) was a renowned sociologist of religion best known for exploring the intersection of religion and society. He spent much of his academic career at the University of California, Berkeley, where he served as the Elliott Professor of Sociology. Bellah’s scholarship emphasized the role of religion in shaping cultural and social frameworks, most notably in his landmark book Habits of the Heart, which examined individualism and community in American life. His magnum opus, Religion in Human Evolution, traced the development of religious consciousness from early human history. Bellah maintained close ties with the Graduate Theological Union, often engaging with its interdisciplinary and interfaith community to bridge sociological and theological perspectives. His work continues to inspire scholars in sociology, religious studies, and beyond, offering profound insights into how religion shapes human understanding and society.