Rev. Dr. Otis Moss, III: 2026 Meneilly Visiting Scholar
by Rev. Dr. Meredith Holladay
Identified as a “deeply spiritual and socially radical” voice in twenty-first century Christianity, Rev. Dr. Otis Moss, III is senior pastor of Trinity United Church of Christ (UCC) in Chicago. More than “just” a pastor, he describes himself as “a preacher, poet, activist, author, and filmmaker with an eye toward justice and equality.” We are thrilled to welcome him to Village Church as our 2026 Visiting Scholar.
A native of Cleveland, Ohio, Dr. Moss grew up steeped in faith-based activism. His father, Rev. Otis Moss, Jr., was an affiliate of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and worked alongside Dr. King in the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. Dr. Moss, III earned his bachelor’s degree from Morehouse College, a Master of Divinity from Yale Divinity School, and his Doctor of Ministry from Chicago Theological Seminary. His publishing and speaking credits are legion; he has written for Sojourners and authored three books, including his latest volume, “Dancing in the Darkness: Spiritual Lessons for Turbulent Times.”
Dr. Moss’ ministry is founded in his deep belief that we can find common ground in our yearning for “love wrapped in the actions of a just society.” He has served at Trinity UCC since 2008. While in Chicago, he has also provided vision for a multi-year social project called Imani Village, whose goal is to develop and build a physical and social community in Chicago’s Pullman community. He is also the founder and CEO of the Unashamed Media Group (UMG). The company is a faith-based social justice collective dedicated to curating stories to inspire the heart and challenge structures that hinder human flourishing. As part of his work with Unashamed Media, he hosts an ongoing virtual film discussion series, called FilmNotes, where he has dialogued with notable guests including Renée Elise Goldsberry, David Oyelowo, and Christine Swanson. These conversations are available on UMG’s YouTube channel.
“In silence and quietness, we hear the whispers of our God calling us higher, demanding we live humbly, act justly and allow compassion to lead us as a people and nation.” –Rev. Dr. Otis Moss, III
Michael Eric Dyson describes Moss as “a magnificent fusion of radical Black theology and uplifting American moral philosophy. No matter how dark the night becomes, no matter how traumatic the times turn, Moss… believe[s] that we must never yield to cynicism or hopelessness.” In his writing and speaking, Moss says he strives to “restore…a spiritual foundation of courage, strength, self- reflection, creativity, compassion, and faith.” He challenges us to embrace and explore these values, in order to “make spiritual use of our fear, anger, confusion, chaos, and all of the other challenges of our political and spiritual midnight.” Equal parts challenging and convicting, we are sure that you will walk away from hearing Moss with both spiritual resistance and resilience.
Mary Lehoczky, chair of the Meneilly Visiting Scholar Committee, recalls reading one of Moss’ books in Rev. Diane Quaintance’s class: “we also watched a video or two of Dr. Moss preaching. He’s an amazing speaker, quite compelling, and seemingly the entire class called out in unison, ‘we need him as a visiting scholar.’ Whether in written or spoken word, Dr. Moss is powerful and engaging—he’s painfully honest about the ways racial injustice remains embedded in our country’s fabric. And yet Dr. Moss refuses to despair.”
The Meneilly Visiting Scholar program brings Biblical scholars and theologians to Village Church for a community-focused weekend of presentations and conversation about modern topics that matter. The 2026 program will take place on Friday evening, Feb. 27, and Saturday morning, Feb. 28. Rev. Dr. Moss will speak at both sessions. The Saturday morning session will also include a time for conversation and Q&A.
Learn more about this event and register here.