As the end of the week nears, if you love tasty food, cold beer and J.K. Rowling’s timeless story of “Harry Potter,” then Pub Theology is your new favorite event.
Every Thursday night, Broadmoor United Methodist Church hosts Pub Theology at local pub The Londoner as a platform for Baton Rouge community members to get to know one another and start conversations, the Rev. Donnie Wilkinson said.
Wilkinson has been the senior pastor at Broadmoor for a little over a year. He’s pushed for greater community outreach since his arrival, Broadmoor hospitality and connections coordinator Christi Rangel said.
Last summer, Wilkinson’s first Sunday as senior pastor fell on the same day as the Baton Rouge police shootings, and soon after came the August flood. He was given one of the toughest, rewarding starts to lead a church, he said. These events inspired Wilkinson to cultivate a spirit of unity throughout the local community during his services and the church’s off-campus events.
The brainchild of Wilkinson, Pub Theology was developed by mixing two of his favorite things: beer and Jesus. The event doesn’t hover around or force religious conversation Wilkinson said, as he wants to use Pub Theology to get to know people from different regions.
When attending Pub Theology, one is met with the smells of the British-themed pub’s delicious cuisine, light chatter and smiling faces of event attendees. While ordering their drinks and food, the group gets to know one another, ensuring everyone feels welcome.
The group utilizes the light-hearted writing style of Rowling in the form of excerpts as prompts to allow people to open up. Questions range from asking about your ideal birthday gift to questioning the power of words like muggle.
“[Ultimately], out of this place of authenticity, people have a chance to relate to one another,” Wilkinson said.
Events like Pub Theology are important, as it allows people to be in a different space, talk about a topic religious and secular people alike can enjoy, and maybe see how it can relate back to your spiritual life. Overall it comes down to getting together and having fun, Rangel said.
On Sept. 28, the small group was a testament to the event’s inclusivity. Church members Lin and Julie Fink, said they didn’t know much about “Harry Potter;” however, the way the discussion is set up, anyone can participate and feel heard, they said. Another attendee, Jennifer Rodriguez, is not a member of the church and isn’t familiar with the series, but found the event as a way to gather with members of the community on a weekly basis.
Wilkinson’s Pub Theology is a way for spiritual and the secular barriers to break down and build relationships across the Baton Rouge community.
“[At Pub Theology] we see incredible things,” Wilkinson said. “Despite the divisive things in this world, there are people saying, “No, we are more together.”
A local church hosts an event called Pub Theology on Thursday, Sept. 28, 2017 at The Londoner Pub on South Sherwood Forrest Boulevard.
