Trinity Institute 2016 (TI2016) in ECCT: Sacred Conversations for Racial Justice

TI2016 will be an action-oriented theological conference for racial justice that will give all of us an opportunity to engage this gospel work. The five ECCT sites will webcast the conference and offer hospitality. Each site will have trained facilitators for the reflection groups, provided through the ECCT office of Mission Integrity & Training.

Theologians and thought leaders making presentations include Presiding Bishop Michael Curry, Nicholas Kristof, Anna Deavere Smith, and Emilie Townes. The conference begins with worship and speakers Thursday evening, January 21, followed by two full days of talks, panels, reflection groups, and opportunities for networking. There is a special documentary film screening on Friday at 7 p.m. that will also be webcast. If at all possible, please attend the entire conference. Existing and potential Racial Justice Ministry Networks are encouraged.

Last summer the General Convention of The Episcopal Church voted to make the challenging and difficult work of racial reconciliation -- through prayer, teaching, engagement, and action -- its top priority for the next three years. It affirmed this work "as integral to our witness to the gospel of Jesus Christ and to our living into the demands of our Baptismal Covenant." (Resolution C019).

We can't afford to stay silent and tacitly accept the (mostly) invisible systems that support inequalities, create suffering, and deny human dignity. We must have an open dialogue about how systemic racism is hurting us and what we can do to create change - a process that starts with listening.