CENTER FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE AND RECONCILIATION (CSJR)

A church that doesn’t provoke any crises, a gospel that doesn’t unsettle, a word of God that doesn’t get under anyone’s skin, a word of God that doesn’t touch the real sin of the society in which it is being proclaimed – what gospel is that? - Oscar Romero
Grounded in a ministry that is mandated in scripture, the two main goals of the CSJR are to remind seminarians of the significance of social justice work as part of ministry and to bring the activist community into the seminary.

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Our 2024-2025 Events

We hope you will join us for our 2024-2025 events. Please visit this website and our social media pages for registration links and information.

Please note: The February Just/Talk conversation will be rescheduled.

CSJR RESOURCES

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Charlotte Seminar
African American Preaching Series
Dangerous Dialogues
Students
Just Talk / Talk Just

About the Center for Social Justice and Reconciliation

The Center for Social Justice and Reconciliation operates from the seminary’s Charlotte campus and is directed by Associate Professor of Bible Rodney S. Sadler Jr. Grounded in a ministry that is mandated in scripture, its two main goals are to remind people in seminary of the significance of social justice work as part of ministry and to bring the activist community into the seminary.

Rodney S. Sadler Jr.

Associate Professor of Bible and Director of the Center for Social Justice and Reconciliation

Rodney S. Sadler, Jr. is Associate Professor of Bible and Director of the Center for Social Justice and Reconciliation at…

Erin Mills

Program Associate, Center for Social Justice and Reconciliation (CSJR)

Erin Mills serves as Program Associate at the Center for Social Justice and Reconciliation (CSJR). She has a Bachelor’s degree…

Partnerships

The Center for Holocaust, Genocide, and Human Rights Studies, University of North Carolina at Charlotte

Charlotte Clergy Coalition for Justice

The Freedom Center for Social Justice

GreenFaith

Healthcare Justice NC

Industrial Areas Foundation (Charlotte Organizing Group)

MeckMIN

Migrant Assistance Project

North Carolina NAACP

Stan Greenspon Center for Social Justice

Reimagining America Project: The Truth, Reconciliation, and Atonement Commission of Charlotte, NC (RAP/TRACC)

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Past Events

2024 Fall Charlotte Seminar- Christian Nationalism Abroad: How it Fueled Apartheid and How Faith Leaders Overcame It

The Christian faith is a vibrant, religious tradition premised upon a relationship with God and following Jesus. Many people, however, have used the Christian faith to foster political agendas, to rally partisan enmity, and to achieve nationalist ends. In this two-day conversation we discuss the dangers of this perversion of the Christian tradition and how it continues to negatively impact our lives during this election cycle.
2023 Charlotte Seminar: Confession, Repentance, and Restorative Justice: A Faith-based Perspective

Dr. Jacq Lapsley, President of Union Presbyterian Seminary, presents learnings from her participation in and leadership of the work surrounding the historical audit on slavery undertaken at Princeton Seminary, including the implications of the audit for changes in the seminary’s commitments and curriculum as they relate to race, as well as larger issues of social justice.
Dr. James Forbes - Just ACTivate

COVID-19: A Parable of Plagues before Deliverance September 14, 2020
Youtube
Dr. James Forbes - Just ACTivate

The Recruitment of God’s Dream Team, September 15, 2020
Youtube
Dr. James Forbes- Just ACTivate

George Floyd Protests: Temporary Uprising, Movement, or Miracle? September 15, 2020
Youtube
The White Manifesto by the Rev. Dr. James Forbes

A Plea and Petition Suggested by a Black Brother in the Spirit of Love
pdf

Latest Event

2024 Fall Charlotte Seminar- Christian Nationalism at Home: The Impact on Our American Culture

The Christian faith is a vibrant, religious tradition premised upon a relationship with God and following Jesus. Many people, however, have used the Christian faith to foster political agendas, to rally partisan enmity, and to achieve nationalist ends. In this two-day conversation we discuss the dangers of this perversion of the Christian tradition and how it continues to negatively impact our lives during this election cycle.

Past Events

2024 AASJPS with Dr. Obery Hendricks: Guerilla Exegesis: Reimagining How We Read the Text (Luncheon)

Luncheon and Q&A for Faith Leaders Tuesday, January 9th at 11:30am ET "Guerilla Exegesis: Reimagining How We Read the Text" Union Presbyterian Seminary
2024 AASJPS with Dr. Obery Hendricks: Just Jesus: What Jesus Might Say About Contemporary Crises (Webinar)

Webinar Tuesday, January 9th at 7pm ET "Just Jesus: What Jesus Might Say About Contemporary Crises”
2023 AASJPS- Just Preach, Just Act! Conversation with Rev. Graylan Hagler and Rev. Jimmie Hawkins
2023 AASJPS- Just Act! Keynote by Reverend Jimmie Hawkins
2023 AASJPS - Just Preach! Keynote by Reverend Dr. Graylan Scott Hagler
Just Preach / Just Act!

2022 AASJPS- Just Preach! Just Act! Conversation with Dr. William Turner and Reverend Nelson Johnson and Joyce Johnson
Watch event here:
Just Preach!

On January 10, 2022, the Rev. Dr. William C. Turner, Jr of Durham, NC explored the intricacies and imperatives of social justice preaching in "Just Preach!".
Watch this event:
Just Act!

On January 12, 2022, the Rev. Nelson and Mrs. Joyce Johnson of Greensboro, NC discussed their life’s work together in social activism and their sponsorship of our nation’s first Truth and Reconciliation Commission in a session entitled “Just Act!”
Watch event here:
Standing With God: Civil Rights Then and Now

On January 13, 2020 at CN Jenkins Memorial Presbyterian Church in Charlotte, North Carolina, Rev. Dr. Otis Moss Jr. and Rev. Dr. Otis Moss III discussed civil rights and social justice with the Union Presbyterian Seminary Center for Social Justice and Reconciliation.
Watch this event

Photos & Videos

Standing with God: Civil Rights Then and Now

Latest Event

2024 AASJPS with Dr. Obery Hendricks: The Politics of Jesus: What Would Jesus Say About Our Political Discourse (Keynote)

Keynote Monday, January 8th at 6:30pm ET "The Politics of Jesus: What Would Jesus Say About Our Political Discourse" Mayfield Memorial Missionary Baptist Church

Past Events

Just Jesus with Dr. Brian Blount

The inaugural address for the CSJR was called “Just Jesus.” It was clearly a play on words by Rev. Dr. Brian Blount, who utilized this concept to help us identify the authentic Jesus, his mission, and his message. As we are struggling with issues today like Christian nationalism in a fiercely divided partisan country, as we find ourselves in the midst of one of the most contentious elections in American history, and as we long for words of peace that remind us of who Jesus really was, we invite Dr. Blount back again. We hope this conversation will remind us of what we’re called to do as Christians and prepare us for the reconciliatory work necessary to bridge the gaps of difference between us.

Watch on YouTube
Stories from Palestine
Seeking Shalom: Bringing LGBTQ Youth Home
Seeking Shalom: Working Toward Just Atonement
When Christ and Code Collide: Roadblocks to Housing the Unhoused
Thy Will Be Done...Justice on Earth

Reverend Jimmie Hawkins, Director of the Office for Public Witness of the PC(USA), discusses the work of his office as they bear witness to God's call for social justice in our nation's capital. Located in an office directly across the street from the Capitol Building and the Supreme Court, this long-term social justice advocate, who helped birth the Moral Monday's Movement with Dr. William Barber, daily works to bring the Gospel message to bear on our political leaders by advocating for justice on public policy issues and coordinating with interfaith and ecumenical partners to present God's alternative vision for what is right.

Watch on YouTube

Student Resources

Christian Nationalism

The Christian faith is a vibrant, religious tradition premised upon a relationship with God and following Jesus. Many people, however, have used the Christian faith to foster political agendas, to rally partisan enmity, and to achieve nationalist ends. Please click to download a list of resources, which engage the religious and theological dimensions of Christian nationalism and its extreme and subtle manifestations in policy, politics, and public life.
Download:
Black History Month Booklist (curated by Seminarian and Womanist Scholar, Dana Purdom)
Download

Student-led Events

Theopoetics and Theological Imagination, hosted by Reverend d'Angelo Dia

Spiritual formation is strongly shaped by visual and performance art, music, dance, play, and storytelling. The intersection of justice, spirituality, imagination, embodiment and the arts, is sometimes referred to as theopoetics–which combines elements of poetry, process thought, narrative theology, and postmodern philosophy.
Watch event here:
A Faithful Call to Juvenile Justice

Webinar - August 20, 2020 (Click image to watch this event)
Watch on YouTube

Seminarians for Social Justice

The Center for Social Justice and Reconciliation formally welcomes 2023/24 CSJR Student Ambassadors, Kate Brown, Ayesha Edwards, Cellonia Ndede, and Courtney Shudak. These students have shown extraordinary commitment to the Center since its inception and are dedicated to the critical social justice work we are called to as disciples of Christ. Kate, Ayesha, Cellonia, and Courtney will lead and coordinate the Seminarians for Social Justice, organize quarterly student-led panel discussions, assist the Center with events throughout the year, and serve as student liaisons. Interested students are encouraged reach out to our Student Ambassadors with ideas, questions, and concerns – we would love to hear from you!

Student Ambassadors

Courtney Shudak

Student Ambassador

Courtney Shudak is a native Texan and a recent transplant to beautiful North Carolina. She is studying in the Master of Divinity program at Union Presbyterian Seminary. Courtney is passionate about ecumenical work and bridge building. Outside of work and school, Courtney is an avid marathon runner and otherwise enjoys recovery outside with a good book or sharing a tasty meal with friends.

Ayesha Edwards

Student Ambassador

Ayesha Edwards is currently pursuing a dual degree in Christian Education and Public Theology at Union Presbyterian Seminary. She is a lifelong learner and educator whose commitment is spreading the message of Jesus Christ while advocating and engaging in matters of social justice. Her primary interests include dismantling the school-to-prison pipeline & education reform, orphans, widows, women & leadership, human trafficking, and basic human needs & rights such as food insecurity, the unhoused and voting rights.

Cellonia Ndede

Student Ambassador

Cellonia Ndede from Nairobi Kenya, is a second year student in the Master of Arts in Christian Education program in Richmond campus. She graduated with an MBA from University of Leicester, United Kingdom and subsequently worked for 15+ years in Marketing and Human Resource Management positions for various multinationals in Nairobi. In response to a spiritual calling, she later joined International Leadership University in Nairobi where she graduated with a Bachelor of Theology degree in 2019; that led to her finding her way into Union Presbyterian Seminary in 2022. Cellonia enjoys close communication with individuals; speaking up when a voice of reason is needed and has a special heart for those who are vulnerable or have special needs in the society, especially elderly persons.

Kate Brown

Student Ambassador

Kate Brown grew up a “preacher’s kid” in God’s country – the foothills of western North Carolina. Kate was born to be an educator – she attended Appalachian State University in Boone, NC for her B.S. in English (Secondary Education) and received her M.Ed. in Middle & Secondary Education while she was teaching high school English in western North Carolina. Kate has hopes of going on to complete a Ph.D in either Old Testament or biblical languages. Her call to ministry and education stems from a desire to engage with the original biblical texts and translate and interpret them in a historically-conscious way that also reflects the inclusive values of a changing world and raises up the marginalized. In her free time, Kate likes to read, travel, and spend time with her husband and their cat, Bea.

JUSTACT

JustAct is the Center for Social Justice and Reconciliation’s ongoing conversation of justice, faith, and society. Resources are posted on the digital newsletter throughout the month. Sign up to receive our email newsletter to see the latest posts.

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