Our primary aim in religion is to deepen and enrich the religious lives of American Christians, principally by supporting efforts that enhance the vitality of congregations. We seek to ensure that congregations have a steady stream of wise, faithful and well-prepared leaders. We also support efforts that help Christians draw on the wisdom of their theological traditions as they strive to understand and respond to contemporary challenges and live their faith more fully. In addition, we work to foster public understanding about religion and help lift up in fair and accurate ways the contributions that people of diverse religious faiths make to our greater civic well-being.
The International African American Museum (IAAM), slated to open in 2021 in Charleston, South Carolina, will commemorate and celebrate the foundational role that Africans and their descendants played in the making of America and highlight their diasporic connections around the world.
Lilly Endowment contributed a $10 million grant to the $100 million project to support design and construction, to create an endowment that supports ongoing research and programming related to religion and spirituality and to fund the museum’s inaugural temporary exhibit. IAAM will include immersive, interactive exhibits for all ages, calling attention to the music, religion, language, foods, art and other contributions of the Africans who landed there and their descendants.
Read More