MACON – Mercer University’s chapter of international organization Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) will host a lecture by Palestinian rights activist Dr. Donald E. Wagner on Oct. 27 at 7 p.m.

The free event is open to the public and will be held in Willet Auditorium on the Macon campus.

Dr. Wagner will speak about his newest book, Glory to God in the Lowest! Journeys to an Unholy Land, which details his personal journey from being invested in conservative politics with an evangelical Christian faith to enacting solidarity with impoverished peoples and advocacy for anti-racism, Palestinian rights and anti-war sentiments.

“There is so much misunderstanding about Palestine and Israel, and much of the information out there is either unreliable or can be overwhelming to sift through. I imagine Dr. Wagner’s own personal journey might resonate with students, some of whom currently espouse conservative American attitudes towards Palestine and haven’t been exposed to alternative Christian and American perspectives on the issue, especially from a human rights lens. So, I really hope students and the broader Macon community members will attend this lecture,” said Dr. Shehnaz Haqqani, assistant professor of religion and faculty adviser to Mercer’s chapter of SJP.

Dr. Wagner has authored six books on Palestinian rights and is the co-founder of Evangelicals for Middle East Understanding. He has also served as director of the Center for Middle Eastern Studies at Chicago’s North Park University, national director of the Palestine Human Rights Campaign and director of Middle East programs for Mercy Corps International.

He earned his Master of Divinity from Princeton Theological Seminary and Doctor of Ministry from McCormick Theological Seminary.

Mercer SJP is composed of a diverse group of students, faculty, staff and community members working to promote justice, human rights, liberation and self-determination for the Palestinian people.

Dr. Wagner’s visit is the result of a collaborative effort between Mercer SJP and Joining Hands for Justice in Palestine and Israel, an organization of the Presbytery of Greater Atlanta.