American Prophets: Writers, Religion & Culture

Our largest special exhibit and program series to date, American Prophets explores the profound ways writing reflects and influences our understanding of religion. Religion is an inherent part of American culture, and throughout our history and into today, writers help to deepen our understanding of our beliefs and the beliefs of others. From the poet Phyllis Wheatley to the comedian Harold Ramis, writers are driven by their beliefs and the beliefs of those around them, and their work can in turn influence countless readers.

Exhibit now open, on view throughout 2026

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Onsite Exhibit

Opening November 2025

Interactive displays and artifacts displayed throughout the entire museum, such as:

Ursula K. Le Guin’s personal copy of the Tao Te Ching
Groundhog Day writer Harold Ramis’ pocket-sized primer on Buddhism
Louie Pérez’s antique statue of the Santo Niño de Atocha, that inspired one of his songs on Los Lobos’ hit album, Kiko”

“I am not ashamed to admit that I belong to those who fantasize that literature is capable of bringing new horizons and new perspectives – philosophical, religious, aesthetical and even social. In the history of old Jewish literature there was never any basic difference between the poet and the prophet.”

Isaac Bashevis Singer during his 1978 Nobel Prize in Literature Lecture

Upcoming Events

View full calendar

January 22

Emmy Award-winning journalist Mary Ann Ahern of Chicago’s NBC 5 about covering religion, writing about Chicago’s Pope, and shaping the public’s perception and practice of faith.

Photos of Lisa Marie Gring-Pemble and Martha Watson

January 27

Scholars Lisa Marie Gring-Pemble and Martha Watson discuss their book Your Daughters Will Prophesy: Religion and Rhetoric in the Nineteenth-Century Woman’s Movement!

Photo of Dr. Rima Vesely-Flad and book cover of The Fire Inside: The Dharma of James Baldwin and Audre Lorde

January 29

Dr. Rima Vesely-Flad discusses her new book The Fire Inside: The Dharma of James Baldwin and Audre Lorde. Black, queer, feminist, Buddhist: The Fire Inside casts a fresh new light on the radical literary legacies of James Baldwin and Audre Lorde.

Photos of Maggie and Africa Brown and book cover of What It Is by Oscar Brown Jr.

February 26

Maggie and Africa Brown, daughters of Oscar Brown Jr, perform their father’s plays, songs, and poems and discuss his legacy live at the AWM.

Photo of Dr. Kati Curts and book cover of Assembling Religion: The Ford Motor Company and the Transformation of Religion in America

March 5

Religious Studies professor Dr. Kati Curts visits the AWM to discuss her book Assembling Religion: The Ford Motor Company and the Transformation of Religion in America, which illustrates how Henry Ford institutionalized a social gospel.

American Prophets Workshop: Writing Religion with Andrew Krivák

March 12

A generative, first-person writing workshop about religion, spirituality, and faith with National Book Award finalist Andrew Krivák (The Sojourn, The Bear). Co-presented by StoryStudio Chicago.

Past Programs

Ongoing through 2026

Revisit in-person and online programs with…

Award-winning and best-selling writers
Fiction writers, playwrights, screenwriters, poets, and songwriters
Discussions about religion in comedy, science fiction, romance, horror, and beyond

James Baldwin & Queer Spirituality

Christopher W. Hunt discusses his book "Jimmy's Faith: James Baldwin, Disidentification, and the Queer Possibilities of Black Religion" with Ivy Wilson.

Religion in the Lands that Became America

Scholar Thomas A. Tweed discusses his book "Religion in the Lands that Became America." A sweeping retelling of American religious history, Tweed shows how religion has enhanced and hindered human flourishing from the Ice Age to the Information Age. Tweed is joined by fellow Indigenous Studies professor John N. Low.

Horror Writing & Religion

Leading writers of horror and suspense discuss their use of religion in their work, from magic and voodoo in Tananarive Due's "The Good House," to historical cults in Matt Ruff's "Lovecraft Country."

Divine Love - Romance Writing & Religion

Three writers of romance—Sajni Patel, Scarlett St. Clair, and Helene Wecker—talk about incorporating religion into their work in the genre, retelling myth and tradition, and dealing honestly with their characters’ spiritual beliefs.

Faith is Funny: Comedy Writers on God and Religion

From "Sister Act" to "The Book of Mormon," "The Righteous Gemstones" to "Groundhog Day," religion has been a fertile ground for funny writers, getting serious ideas about American culture across with a laugh.

Making New Gods

Moderated by Michi Trota, four contemporary fiction writers — N.K. Jemisin, Nnedi Okorafor, Nghi Vo and Matthew Kirby — talk about religion in their writing, the importance of considering socio-spiritual systems when world-building, and how these influence the ways their characters move through the worlds they create.

Education Content

Launching in the 2026 school year

New resources on religion and writing, including:

Youth education programs, inspiring the next generation of writers
New student curricula for elementary, middle, and high school
An anthology on religion and writing based on the exhibit published by Restless Books

Education Resources

Advisory Committee

Emily D. Crews Ph.D. Executive Director | The Martin Marty Center at the University of Chicago Divinity School (UCDS)
Sarah Hammerschlag Ph.D. Professor of Religion & Literature, Philosphy of Religions & History of Judaism | UCDS
Matthew Harris Ph.D. Provost’s Postdoctoral Fellow of Religious in the Americas | UCDS
Keidrick Roy Junior Fellow | Harvard Society of Fellows
Cathleen Falsani MS Journalist, Author and Co founder | Sinner and Saints Creative Consulting
Constance Furey Ph.D. Professor of Religious Studies | Indiana University
Jenan Mohajir MS Vice President of External Affairs | Interfaith America
W. Clark Gilpin Ph.D. Margaret E. Burton Professor, emeritus (served as dean from 1990-2000) | UCDS
Ilan Stavans Ph.D. Lewis-Sebring Professor of Humanities and Latin American and Latino Culture; Publisher at Restless Books | Amherst College
Ivy Wilson Ph.D. Professor of English | Northwestern University

Partners

Recognizing the importance of collaboration in creating a comprehensive exploration of religion in America, the AWM is partnering with a number of individuals and organizations with expertise in religion, faith, spirituality, and literary arts. These partners listed below will help bring to fruition the thought provoking exhibitions, programs, and educational materials that will comprise American Prophets.