Race Relations

Henry Louis Gates Jr. visits the church he grew up attending, Waldon United Methodist in Piedmont, W.Va., for a scene in the new PBS documentary “The Black Church: This Is Our Story, This Is Our Song.” Photo courtesy of PBS.

‘Black Church’ film taps United Methodist sources

New PBS documentary draws on United Methodist photo archives and shows host Henry Louis Gates Jr. at his boyhood church.

Social Concerns

Bishop Joel Martinez. Photo courtesy of the Council of Bishops.

The church is not yet a ‘great multitude’

Sharing instances of racism he saw committed by the church throughout his life, retired Bishop Joel Martinez says we still have much work ahead to resemble the inclusive choir from the Book of Revelation.

Racism

Grappling with how racism coexists with faith

Three theologians wrestled with how Christianity can overcome racism at a time when polls show that many white Christians don’t see racial injustice as a problem.

Social Concerns

The Rev. Isaac Collins, a United Methodist pastor, co-leads a Bible study, “Swords into Plowshares: What the Bible says about injustice, idolatry, and repentance,” at the base of the Robert E. Lee statue on Market Street Park, Charlottesville, Va., on June 11, 2020. The steeple of First United Methodist Church is visible over the trees in the background. In 2019, Collins and the Rev. Phil Woodson first offered the Bible study using Confederate statues as sites and subject matter. Photo by Phil Woodson.

Seeing removal of statues as ‘doing no harm’

United Methodists in Virginia and North Carolina are among those calling for Confederate monuments to be moved away from public spaces.

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