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Clarifying our underpinnings for ethnic reconciliation and justice is a foundational step as we work to advance ethnic reconciliation and justice institutionally within InterVarsity. It helps to develop a shared concept of the “why” behind our values, and to provide incoming staff an understanding of our commitments in this area. To move this forward:
Ethnic Reconciliation and Justice Paper: In becoming president, Tom Lin commissioned a paper articulating InterVarsity’s commitment to ethnic reconciliation and justice. A diverse staff learning community* undertook a learning, drafting, editing process in 2017-2018 to produce such a document, which was subsequently reviewed and adopted by the Executive Leadership Team. Its primary purpose is to orient newly hired staff to some of our ethos around ERJ, and connect it to our field ministry aspirations. We expect this paper to be deployed in some manner among each forthcoming ONS class. The link to the paper is here—please take time to read and reflect on it.
The intent of the paper in to be a short “primer” on our convictions in this area, to help staff and partners onramp into our values. It does not address many of the nuances that a comprehensive engagement of the issue would require. Given that, we continue to produce more extensive materials through IVP (described below).
IVP Materials: InterVarsity Press has had a long-standing commitment to publishing books that help InterVarsity and the broader church move forward in ethnic reconciliation and justice. In recent years, InterVarsity Press has invested significant financial resources to identify, to develop, and to sign authors of color – primarily through in-house consultations with Asian, Black, and Latino potential authors. They also have supported ERJ values with many of their books (e.g., Hermanas, Raise Your Voice, 12 Lies, White Awake, A Sojourner’s Truth, etc.) The Press also regularly supports conferences for authors of color.
Asian American Ministries is launching a Practical Theology Cohort for experienced AA staff who want to grapple & grow theologically in issues of Race & Justice in order to lead faithful engagement on campus. The cohort will run from January-May of 2020.
We are grateful for partnership in this kingdom effort of ethnic reconciliation and justice. We want to acknowledge that the longing for ethnic reconciliation and justice has been particularly been embodied in the suffering of historically marginalized communities on staff. It is in their honor that we make these imperfect but heart-felt offerings of repair to our Lord.
ERJ 9.12.19 - FINAL.pdf
This paper is an internal working document. Please ask your Regional Director before sharing this outside of InterVarsity.
Ethnic Reconciliation & Justice Paper: What ideas or conversations are raised by the paper for you and/or for the team you lead? Are there ways this paper, or portions of it, might be of use for you or your team as you seek to embed ethnic reconciliation and justice more deeply into your work?
*ERJ Learning Community included Howie Meloch, Joe Ho, Jonathan Walton, Josh Bilhorn, Kathy Tuan-MacLean, Maureen Huang, Megan Krischke, Orlando Crespo, Rob Howe, Ruth Hubbard, Sabrina Chan, Scott Hall. (A few members were unable to continue due to job transitions, or felt – while excited to support and use the paper – that it was more helpful not to be named as one of its producers.) The team’s external consultants were Alexia Salvatierra, John Inazu, Mark Charles, Robert Chao Romero, Soong-Chan Rah, and Willie Jennings.
