Is Shame Something to Resist — or to Reconsider?

media release: What is shame, and why does it shape us so profoundly? While shame is a universal human experience, it remains difficult to define and even harder to understand. In some instances, people feel shame when they believe they should not; in others, the absence of shame in cases of moral wrongdoing is seen as a severe deficiency. Scripture further complicates the picture, presenting shame not merely as something to avoid, but as an integral part of the human experience.

These questions will take center stage at an upcoming Friday Night Lecture featuring S. J. Parrott, who will offer a thoughtful exploration of shame, moral psychology, and biblical interpretation. Drawing on both the Old and New Testaments, Dr. Parrott will examine how Scripture reframes shame and what it reveals about identity, moral formation, and the forces that shape who we become.

Friday Night Lectures are designed to foster serious reflection in a hospitable, accessible format. The evening will feature three short, engaging talks, woven together with live Q&A sessions, brief intermissions, and time for conversation. Attendees can expect a warm and welcoming environment, as well as an opportunity to engage with enduring questions within the Christian tradition alongside others.

Dr. Parrott completed her DPhil in Theology and Religion at the University of Oxford after earning two master’s degrees at Regent College in Vancouver. Her scholarship focuses on shame, ethics, human formation, rhetoric, and prophetic and poetic literature, among other areas of interest.