During day one of the ACNA’s 2020 virtual Provincial Council, Abp. Foley Beach’s address focused on casting his expansive vision for the ACNA’s response to racism, racial tensions, and racial reconciliation. 

Albert Thompson spoke on the “Witness of the Church in a Time of National Crisis.” Albert is a historian, writing his doctoral dissertation on the influence of the New Deal and WWII on Jim Crow and race in America. His presentation on race and America is a clear, sobering, thoughtful and ultimately, hopeful consideration of this important subject.

Our friends at Coracle are providing a service of lament on June 19th (Juneteenth) from 3-4pm broadcast from Corhaven Graveyard (a burial ground for enslaved persons in the Shenandoah Valley). We hope you will consider joining to listen, lament, and pray. Register here.

“Tragically, talking about racial division at this moment in our country is itself divisive. This need not be the case—especially not in the church. You all know the many reasons for this, as the issue is too often reduced to ideologies or politics. Politics has its role to play—and we pray for our political leaders weekly—but this is a kingdom issue. Let us do all we can to hear the heart of God on this issue.”

A History of Race and the Church in the American Anglican Tradition: This breakout session from Synod 2017 will take a deep look at the history of racism in the Church from its origins in the fifteenth century to the modern era, with an emphasis on the Anglican tradition in the United States.