Conversation with Cole Arthur Riley

Academy Podcast

In this episode, we’re joined by Cole Arthur Riley, who is a writer, speaker, and liturgist. She currently serves as the Content and Spiritual Formation Manager for a Center for Christian Studies at Cornell University called Chesterton House. In her role, she produces and curates written content for spiritual formation and leads care and spiritual support for staff and students. While working for an Episcopal church, she became enamored with both Anglican and Catholic liturgical traditions, finding beauty in written prayer as well as the embodied experience of Eucharist and prayer services. Cole is the creator and writer of Black Liturgies—a project seeking to integrate the truths of Black dignity, lament, rage, justice, and rest into written prayers. You can follow the project on Instagram @blackliturgies. Broaching topics of spiritual practice, embodiment, expanding liturgy to speak to Blackness, the limitations and concerns of social media, and so much more, Cole and Claire spoke as colleagues, companions, and friends in this liminal space of spirituality and justice, prayer and protest, worship and work. Episode tracks: “Far Side of the Sea,” “Versailles,” and “Fearless” by Amy Stroup, used with permission. Claire references The Showings of Julian of Norwich: A New Translation by Mirabai Starr. For more information about Cole's work, visit her website https://blackliturgist.com and her Instagram @blackliturgies.