Realizing Beloved Community: Report from the House of Bishops Theology Committee

by Allen K. Shin (Editor), Larry R. Benfield (Editor), Michael B. Curry (Foreword by), Thomas Breidenthal (With), Laura Ahrens (With)

Overview

A major study on the theology of Beloved Community.

This long-awaited work by the church's top clergy, scholars, and thought leaders examines the theological foundation of Beloved Community and its threats. It addresses such important topics as the legacy and sin of white supremacy, economic disparity, racial healing, and the call for reparations. The committee's work sheds light on the societal and cultural implications of the largest obstacle to the core mission of Presiding Bishop Michael Curry and outlines what is necessary for the future of racial justice.

"I am so grateful for the... work of the theologians and bishops who have spent the last five years working on [this study] . . . This is hard and holy work, not to hurt or harm, but to help and heal."
—Michael B. Curry, the presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781640655928
Publisher:	Church Publishing, Incorporated
Publication date:	06/14/2022
Pages:	232
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.56(d)

About the Author

Allen K. Shin was elected to be bishop suffragan of the Episcopal Diocese of New York on December 7, 2013, at a special election convention held at Manhattan’s Cathedral Church of Saint John the Divine, and was consecrated at the Cathedral on Saturday May 17, 2014. He lives in New York, New York.

The Most Rev. Michael B. Curry is the Episcopal Church’s 27th Presiding Bishop. He was the Bishop of North Carolina from 2000 to 2015. Bishop Curry has a national preaching and teaching ministry and is a regular on TV and radio and a frequent speaker at conferences around the country. His books include Crazy Christians: A Call to Follow Jesus; Following the Way of Jesus: Church’s Teachings for a Changing World; and Love Is the Way: Holding on to Hope in Troubling Times.

Thomas Breidenthal is former chair of the House of Bishops theology committee and is the former bishop of the Diocese of Southern Ohio. He lives in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Laura Ahrens is Bishop Suffragan in the Episcopal Diocese of Connecticut. She lives in Danbury, Connecticut.

Table of Contents

Realizing Beloved Community

Foreword Michael B. Curry 3

Theology Committee of the House of Bishops (2017-2022) 9

Introduction 13

1 White Supremacy and Beloved Community 19

2 Beloved Community: How We as the Episcopal Church Learn to Listen 35

3 Reparations and Beloved Community 61

4 The Doctrine of Discovery and Beloved Community 75

Conclusion 83

Appendix 1 A Sampling of Reparation Projects in the Episcopal Church 87

Appendix 2 Some Resources for Beloved Community 97

Realizando la amada comunidad

Prefacio De Michael B. Curry 113

Comité de Teología de la Cámara de Obispos y Obispas (2017-2022) 119

Introduction 123

1 La supremacía blanca y la amada comunidad 129

2 La amada comunidad: cómo nosotros, como la Iglesia episcopal, aprendemos a escuchar 147

3 Reparaciones y la amada comunidad 177

4 La doctrina del descubrimiento y la amada comunidad 191

Conclusion 199

Apéndice 1 Una muestra de proyectos de reparaciones en la Iglesia episcopal 203

Apéndice 2 Algunos recursos para la amada comunidad 215

Editorial Reviews

This is a welcome and important statement by the House of Bishops Theology Committee that will strengthen and continue the church’s important conversations about beloved community. It challenges us not to stop with conversation but to move on to action — repairing and transforming relationships through acts of material repentance.”
—The Living Church

"I am so grateful for the... work of the theologians and bishops who have spent the last five years working on [this study] . . . This is hard and holy work, not to hurt or harm, but to help and heal."
—Michael B. Curry, the presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church

From the Publisher