STORYTELLING THAT’S MEANT TO HEAL MEMORIES AND REPAIR COMMUNITIES A 1.25 million-dollar grant from the Lilly Endowment is supporting McCormick’s Sacred Memory Project. McCormick’s newest initiative will o昀昀er today’s leaders the competencies needed to help repair and heal memories that have kept individuals and communities from achieving their potential. “Memory,” explains Dr. Itihari Touré, “in昀氀uences imagination, and imagination informs the future.” Supported by a 1.25 million-dollar grant from the Lilly Endowment, Dr. Touré, associate dean for Curriculum and Assessment, is leading the seminary’s new Sacred Memory Program that’s identifying and developing change models for the repair and restoration of narratives The Sacred Memory that have been omitted or distorted to diminish the collective value of various people groups. “ Project is a way to reclaim and share “Jesus’ value was questioned because he came from a so-called insigni昀椀cant town—Nazareth,” more complete says Dr. Touré. “The question was meant to demean…to take away his credibility. Similar narratives and the questions and narratives are voiced today about individuals, communities, and histories to render them unworthy. The Sacred Memory Project is a way to reclaim and share more contributions of all complete narratives and the contributions of all groups of people…it allows for a more groups of people… expansive and inclusive imagination of the future.” it allows for a Remembering, adds Dr. Touré, is a charge from the Creator. “Hebrew Scripture tells us to more expansive remember and not forget the things we have seen…to even teach them to our children,” and inclusive she says. “In the Christian Scripture, we are invited to the communion table to remember. imagination of the Remembering is restorative, reparative, healing, and sacred work.” future.” Such sacred work, she points out, is already evident at McCormick. The historical truth-telling Dr. Itihari Touré work of the Center for Reparatory Justice, Transformation and Remediation (CRJTR) helps to Associate Dean for shine light on injustices that have long been hidden, honor the memories of those who have Curriculum and Assessment worked to eradicate racial and other biases, and legislate for reparations to address centuries of 昀椀nancial inequities. The restorative circles that are part of the Trauma Healing Initiative (THI) draw people together to acknowledge trauma without allowing it to become their identity. 2020 MCMCCCORMICK THEOLORMICK THEOLOGICAL SEMINAROGICAL SEMINARYY