Bishop Jennifer Baskerville-Burrows,  of the Episcopal Diocese of Indianapolis is from New York City. She holds a bachelor’s degree in architecture with a minor in urban studies from Smith College, an M.A. in historic preservation planning from Cornell University, and an M.Div. degree from Church Divinity School of the Pacific (CDSP) in 1997. Before being elected bishop in 2016, she served in the Dioceses of Newark, and Chicago. Bishop Jennifer’s expertise includes historic preservation of religious buildings, stewardship and development, race and class reconciliation, and spiritual direction.  

In the Episcopal tradition, she was elected and consecrated as the 11th bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Indianapolis in 2017, making her the first Black woman to be elected as a Diocesan Bishop. In an interview with Sally Hicks in Feb of 21, she said, “I just think racial justice is the work that has to be done 24 hours a day, all the time, every place.” 

In this conversation, Bishop Jennifer and I discuss contemplation, mysticism, and activism. We discuss the need to intellectualize less and remember that the work of social injustice is also heart work, and work that requires us to, “Feel the feelings and let’s get to work to make the world better.”