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We are the inaugural participants of the Black Theology and Leadership Institute (BTLI) at
Princeton Theological Seminary. We draw strength from the prophetic tradition of our ancestors,
who through their faith in God, committed acts of justice that challenged the powers
and principalities that plagued the lives and humanities of Black people in America.
We are a body of emerging Christian scholars, ministers and community advocates, who embody
a diversity of ages, racial and denominational backgrounds, and *** orientations. We are
compelled to speak on the urgency of this moment, and to call communities and institutions
to a higher ground of accountability and action. We recognize this providential timing, and
are seizing the opportunity to offer this collective response to the lived reality of
America including the events surrounding the *** of our brother, Trayvon Martin.
The continual miscarriage of justice in this nation is not simply the result of flippant
laws. Rather, it is symptomatic of a sociopolitical system that devalues and dehumanizes the lives
of Black Americans. The reality is that a few are able to stand
their ground while most, 50 years after the historic March on Washington, are losing ground.
Concurrently, we now find ourselves under the burden of oppressive laws and public policies,
which disproportionately affect African Americans, other people of color and the poor. In this
moment of political, social and emotional bewilderment, we are calling on you to resist
the stagnation that often results from constant grief, and pay emboldened and embodied attention
to the blood that calls from the ground in Sanford, Florida, and throughout the nation.
As persons of faith, we acknowledge and appreciate the power and the role of prayer in our faith
communities. Due to the injustices that distinguish this present moment, we implore you to engage
your respective communities beyond prayer and into the realm of prophetic action. We
are urging you to commit or re-commit yourself to the work of justice.
We suggest:
• Get informed about the policies that affect your communities and our nation.
• Organize your congregations and communities to do local acts for social justice.
• Host an event to raise awareness around a particular social justice issue, e.g.
• host a movie night featuring a documentary about the civil rights or social justice movements,
distribute a fact sheets about social justice or policy issues, etc.
In conclusion, we recommend that you read the book titled, To Serve This Present Age:
Social Justice Ministries in the Black Church (Valley Forge: Judson Press, 2013) by Danielle
Ayers (a BTLI Fellow) and Reginald W. Williams, Jr. for practical insights on mobilizing and
organizing around social justice issues. In solidarity and faith in the God who prompts
us to love kindness, do justice, and walk humbly.
Signed by the Members of the Inaugural Black Theology and Leadership Institute Inaugural
at Princeton Theological Seminary, Princeton, NJ, July 19, 2013.