Statement by Union Seminary faculty on oppression, systemic racism in U.S.

RICHMOND, VA (June 5, 2020) – A statement by the faculty of Union Presbyterian Seminary, united in commitment and conviction across our campuses in Richmond, Virginia and Charlotte, North Carolina.

We, members of the faculty at Union Presbyterian Seminary, recognize that we have reached a kairos moment—a time of both crisis and opportunity, in which we are called to responsibility, a critical moment in which we must speak and act. A series of events has forced the people of Richmond and the Commonwealth of Virginia, the people of Charlotte and the State of North Carolina, and the United States as a whole to confront long-standing mechanisms of oppression and systemic racism; to acknowledge symbols that evoke a tragic, sinful past; and to address structural inequities that the murder of George Floyd and the Covid-19 pandemic have laid bare.

Taught by the Torah, challenged by the Prophets, called by Jesus to bear witness to the gospel, and guided by a theological tradition that maintains the sovereignty of a God who hears the cries of the oppressed and wills their liberation and flourishing:

• We affirm the dignity of all human beings, celebrate the rich diversity and beauty of the whole human family, of every ethnicity and culture—and, in this particular moment especially, proclaim that Black Lives Matter.
• We mourn the deaths of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and so many other Black Americans who have been robbed of their lives by acts of hatred and cruelty.
• In solidarity with all minoritized peoples of color, we condemn the systemic racism in our society that continues to oppress, dehumanize, devalue, and destroy.
• We reject the powerful forces at work in this nation that seek to divide and demean, to dominate and demonize.
• We oppose the misuse of sacred symbols and texts to deprive people of their basic rights or to promote violence.
• As people of faith, people of the gospel, participants in the in-breaking reign of God, we seek equity and justice for all people.

Therefore, as the faculty of Union Presbyterian Seminary, we commit ourselves, individually and collectively, to practices of teaching, scholarship, service, and public engagement that:

• Honor the dignity of all persons
• Welcome and seek to learn from the experiences of diverse persons and communities
• Listen to the pain and take seriously the trauma experienced by those who are oppressed and treated unjustly, while standing in solidarity with them
• Acknowledge and actively resist the systemic racism that is so toxic and destructive in our society, and in the history of our own institution
• Challenge and equip students, congregations, faith leaders, and community leaders to imagine and pursue transformational possibilities for a just and equitable life together, shaped by the gospel
• Cultivate learning spaces where students practice imagining alternative social justice realities rather than uncritically reinforcing established values and structures
• Read, learn from, and teach the work of scholars of color in our respective fields
• Forthrightly examine our own practices of teaching and learning, student and faculty recruitment, curricular design, and faculty support and evaluation in order to identify, acknowledge, and transform any that are complicit in the reinforcing of systemic racism
• Maintain a continually updated list of local groups committed to social justice and actionable items for social transformation that we encourage members of our community to engage
• Partner with other local organizations, community leaders, and faith groups to work together to enact change.

Signed on June 4, 2020, by members of the Union Presbyterian Seminary faculty:

Samuel L. Adams
Rachel Baard
Samuel E. Balentine
Adrian Bird
Brian K. Blount
Richard N. Boyce
Carson Brisson
John T. Carroll
Sung Hee Chang
Rebecca L. Davis
Dawn DeVries
Paul Galbreath
Frances Taylor Gench
Melanie C. Jones
Cindy L. Kissel-Ito
Christine Luckritz Marquis
Kenneth J. McFayden
Rodney Sadler
Stanley Skreslet
Megan Fullerton Strollo
James Taneti
Dorothee Tripodi
Richard W. Voelz
Karen-Marie Yust

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Above image: Robert E. Lee Monument, Richmond, VA  photo credit @fatdaddytruckersleeves

MEDIA CONTACT:

Mike Frontiero
Director of Communications
Union Presbyterian Seminary
mfrontiero@upsem.edu