I speak as an African Caribbean person, descendent of the Atlantic Slave Trade. I am also a Catholic Christian whose gospel is rooted in liberation. That is part of my history…part of my DNA…it is what sustains me.

— Dr. Gary Warner

Dr. Warner tells us that he is not an expert on the philosophy of liberation. But for those fortunate to experience the discussion, we discovered that he is an unapologetic advocate for the spirituality of liberation. 

Dr. Warner’s experience and integrity are well-known and deeply regarded at McMaster and in the broader Hamilton community. He was one of the first Black professors at McMaster (1967), where he taught courses on Francophone Literature and International Development and held various administrative roles such as: 

• Department chair 
• Associate dean 
• Co-founder and co-director of the Theme School on International Justice and Human Rights 
• Founding director of what is now known as the Office of International Affairs 
• Director of the Arts & Science Program  
• Initiator of African-Caribbean studies in McMaster’s Faculty of Humanities  

Alongside his academic career achievements and pursuit of justice and equity at McMaster, Dr. Warner’s local, national and global community engagement are grounded in inter-religious/spiritual dialogue and communal activism. 

Inspired in his youth by religious and spiritual leaders who wove the Christian philosophy of liberation into acts of conscience and social change, Dr. Warner shared how the integrity of this message has uplifted him throughout his life. He compelled the audience to reflect on our activism and the ways we can sustain it. 

Drawing on the rubrics of liberation theology — a social justice movement originating in Latin America in response to industrial capitalism displacing the poor and marginalized — Dr. Warner quoted Jon Sobrino, who uses the image of a cup as an instrument to be filled and emptied in order to fulfill its function. 

“Spirituality is our profoundest motivation…it is our intuitions…our longings…(it) inspires us…it is our ultimate concern, or orientation, or goal…it’s the inner life of the cup. But our spirituality is not just interiority. It is also our choices and actions; it is where our spirit is given flesh…Our spirituality shows up just as much in how we spend our money, our time, our abilities, as in how we say our prayers…it is how we use the cup.” 

Dr. Warner has been active in the Hamilton community for more than 50 years. Still, he continues to address all forms of social justice issues related to international development, peace, poverty, anti-Black racism, immigration and human rights.  

Where does he find the passion and energy to persist with joy in the causes of justice?  

It’s hard to say. However, as we work to fill our own cups, we may begin to discover that we are the ones who fill the cups of human rights and peace.  

This is an insight we could never know just by wishful thinking; it is only possible through living activism. 

“Giving up hope is a luxury.”  

February 9, 2022, 7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. ET

At this event, Dr. Willis will share her experiences marching with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and how she became a Buddhist contemplative, academic and activist. Learn about how spiritual practices can impact us to engage in matters of liberation and justice, as well as protect us from burnout.

Facilitated by Marcus Evans, PhD candidate, Religious Studies, McMaster University. Hosted in partnership by the Black Student Success Centre, Spiritual Care and Learning Centre (SCLC) and Interfaith Working Group, part of the President’s Advisory Committee on Building an Inclusive Community (PACBIC).

About Jan Willis

Jan Willis (B.A. and M.A. in Philosophy from Cornell University; PhD in Indic and Buddhist Studies from Columbia University) is currently Professor of Religion Emerita at Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticut, and Visiting Professor of Religion at Agnes Scott College in Decatur, Georgia.

She has studied with Tibetan Buddhists in India, Nepal, Switzerland and the U.S. for five decades and taught courses in Buddhism for more than 45 years. She authored The Diamond Light: An Introduction to Tibetan Buddhist Meditation (1972), On Knowing Reality: The Tattvartha Chapter of Asanga’s Bodhisattvabhumi (1979) and Enlightened Beings: Life Stories from the Ganden Oral Tradition (1995). She also edited Feminine Ground: Essays on Women and Tibet (1989).

Additionally, Willis has published numerous articles and essays on various topics in Buddhism — Buddhist meditation, hagiography, women and Buddhism, and Buddhism and race. In 2001, her memoir, Dreaming Me: An African American Woman’s Spiritual Journey, was published.

In December 2000, Time magazine named Willis one of six “spiritual innovators for the new millennium.”  In 2003, she received Wesleyan University’s Binswanger Prize for Excellence in Teaching. Newsweek magazine’s “Spirituality in America” issue in 2005 included a profile of Willis, and in its May 2007 edition, Ebony magazine named Willis one of its “Power 150” most influential African Americans.

In April 2020, she published her latest book, Dharma Matters: Women, Race and Tantra; Collected Essays by Jan Willis.

“The SCLC is the realization of a more cohesive and inclusive expression of human dignity, asked for by students themselves,” says Sean Van Koughnett, associate vice president (Students & Learning) and dean of students.  

“The Chaplaincy Centre has served this need as a Christian identity for years, with other religious, secular and spiritual identities on-campus doing so informally, or as clubs. The SCLC makes spiritual care a more accessible and comprehensive service from the university and for all students, regardless of background, demonstrating to everyone a model of collaboration and celebration of diversity.” 

“The SCLC materializing speaks to McMaster’s commitment to a holistic student experience and a willingness to listen and tend to student needs beyond the academic. The Centre responds to a much deeper understanding of student success, and I am eager to see the impact its presence on campus has for students of all walks of life,” says Sofia Palma Florido, director of Diversity Services, McMaster Students Union (MSU) and chair of the Student Interfaith Council. 

Spiritual care is foundational to personal well-being and offers a diverse, global approach to student support. As Andy Crowell, McMaster University Ecumenical Chaplain and Director of the SCLC shares: “The SCLC expands the reach of spiritual care to encompass more than an isolated group, club or affiliation. For many in the McMaster community, spiritual care and learning is an important part of holistic, personal growth and development, and the SCLC will be an essential resource in this pursuit.” 

What does this mean for students and the larger McMaster community? Here’s what you need to know. 

About spiritual care

To put it simply, practicing spiritual care is acknowledging and caring for a person and their entire identity, sense of purpose and meaning in life. It’s not always tied to a specific religious, secular or spiritual set of beliefs — though it can be. 

Spiritual care is about viewing humanity as meaningful and acknowledging that people share commonalities that span social, cultural and economic backgrounds, whether they identify as religious, secular, spiritual or otherwise.  

Spiritual learning is a key pillar for the SCLC. Students can relate with their peers in specific religious, secular and spiritual (RSS) groups; they can also use their common values as an entry point to build empathy and learn about new perspectives. In this global environment, spiritual care also brings in international voices and knowledge. 

“I believe the SCLC is a wonderful opportunity for all students who call McMaster their home to learn about the rich, diverse culture our university has to offer. It builds on the interdisciplinary nature of collaboration from students across all different faiths and backgrounds to share our practices with one another in a safe and respected place,” says Ayesha Raza, PR external at the McMaster Muslim Students’ Association. 

Learn more about what constitutes spiritual care on the website. 

About SCLC leaders and support

The Spiritual Care and Learning Centre is currently comprised of two resource groups: the McMaster Interfaith Issues Working Group and the Student Interfaith Council, part of the McMaster Students Union (MSU) Diversity Services.  

Additionally, the centre works collaboratively with specific religious, secular and spiritual communities to promote shared learning and mutual support for everyone at McMaster and in the larger community. This includes helping individuals find their community and connecting them with spiritual guidance from qualified accredited leaders. 

Meet the current SCLC leaders and get support on the website. Plus, find spiritual care and prayer spaces on campus; access Religious Indigenous Spiritual Observances (RISO) accommodation information; and learn about community resources. 

The SCLC is a new initiative that’s still evolving to provide more support for the McMaster community. Check the Student Success Centre website for updates, new services and more.