Racism and Justice

In 2020, the killings of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and George Floyd captured our attention and reminded us of the ongoing challenge of racism in America.  In the months that followed, Americans mourned, protested, and wrestled with these events and showed a remarkable willingness to change the way they think about racial justice.

As elders, we decided that this was an opportunity for us to listen, learn, and wrestle with the American church’s own history of racism.  We shared articles, blogs and videos with each other, read a book together, and spent time discussing what we were learning over a period of several months.  We shared our personal reflections with one another, and identified core beliefs, convictions and resolutions that we shared in common.  We started writing and sharing our thoughts with others who have thought deeply about these matters.  They offered valuable input and feedback.  The result of this process is the Position Paper that we present to you, humbly and hopefully, below.

Our purpose is two-fold:

One, to offer theological and moral clarity to the issue of racism and racial justice.

Two, to share our vision for a preferred future at College Church, the steps we believe we need to take to get there, and to invite accountability as we take these steps.

The College Church Elders, January 2021

Read: Racism and Embodied Reconciliation: a position paper by the College Church Elders (PDF)

Read: Summary of our Congregational Conversation from October 23, 2022.