The Rev. Dr. Suzanne Wenonah Duchesne, is a teacher, preacher, scholar, and consultant who delights in and encourages wholeness, justice, and healing with all creation. Her work in Beloved Speech, centers on identity formation, deep listening, and relationship building, particularly within the context of antiracist and decolonized preaching and worship practices.
Suzanne’s passion for social justice is guided by her ongoing relationships with members of various Indigenous Nations, including the Kiowa, Lakota, Cherokee, MVSKOKE (Creek), Choctaw, Chickasaw, Abenaki, Shinnecock, Southern Ute, Lenape, and Yuchi. These connections enrich her understanding and advocacy for Indigenous Peoples within her ministry and scholarship.
In addition to her published works on decolonized and antiracist preaching, she published essays, and articles, developed curricula, designed worship experiences, and crafted liturgies addressing critical topics such as Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, the Doctrine of Discovery, Creation Care — including “Water is Life: Mní Wičóni” — the history of Methodist women preachers and activists, John Wesley’s interactions with various nations during his time in Georgia, and the legacy of Methodist involvement with Native American Boarding Schools.
Serving in various academic and ministerial roles, she currently holds the position of assistant professor of worship and preaching and the Director of Mast Chapel at New Brunswick Theological Seminary (NBTS). She earned her Ph.D. in liturgical studies with a concentration in women’s studies from Drew University Theological School. An ordained elder in the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference, Suzanne is also an antiracism trainer, and Communications chairperson for the Northeastern Jurisdiction of the Native American Ministries Committee for The United Methodist Church.
Her work with the diverse faculty, staff, and student body at NBTS is informed by her experiences leading churches of various sizes and settings that included congregations comprising white settlers as well as arrivants, multi-lingual, multi-cultural, and inter-generational members. Inspired by her training as a fine artist, dancer, and thespian, her congregations engaged in various worship styles such as Blended, sacramental-contemplative, Pentacostal-Charismatic, Maranatha style Contemporary, and Emergent Ancient-Modern.
Woven throughout her life has been a calling to engage in practices and honest conversations that strive to undermine and dismantle systemic racism and colonization and invite people to live more deeply into the kin-dom of God by seeking to honor each other’s differences, and embody a spirituality that recognizes all creation as beloved.
Support for this week’s chaplaincy and preaching is provided by The Mr. and Mrs. William Uhler Follansbee Memorial Chaplaincy.