Former state Senator Roy Herron will be on the UTM campus this Thursday, March 13 to discuss religion in politics.
Herron is currently the chairman of the Tennessee Democratic Party, and he is a UTM alumnus.
Herron will be giving a speech titled “Toward a Politics of Righteousness: Faith and American Democracy.” He will discuss why, in his opinion, people of faith should actively engage in politics, how religious people ought to conduct themselves in the political arena and how religious people can and should advocate for their values in a pluralistic society.
A question and answer session will follow Herron’s remarks, so the audience is encouraged to participate.
The event is being hosted by the UTM College Democrats and will take place Thursday at 6 p.m. in the Gooch Hall auditorium.
“It is an honor to have our state party chair take time out of his busy schedule to come to UTM,” UTM College Democrats President Blake Stevens said. “Religion and politics are extremely hot topics, which is why I hope this event is highly attended on Thursday.”
Herron graduated summa cum laude from UTM in 1975. He studied New Testament as a Rotary Scholar at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland. He also obtained a law degree and a Masters of Divinity from Vanderbilt University.
After a time serving as a Methodist minister, Herron went on to serve in the state legislature from 1987 until 2012.
He is the author of three books: A memoir about growing up in West Tennessee, Things Held Dear: Soul Stories For My Sons; co-author (with humorist L.H. “Cotton” Ivy) of a collection of jokes and anecdotes from Tennessee political history, Tennessee Political Humor: Some of These Jokes You Voted For!; and How Can a Christian Be in Politics?
For more information on the event, email Blake Stevens at blapstev@ut.utm.edu.
