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Adam Russell Taylor Over the past 12 months, Sojourners has been celebrating its 50th birthday. To be honest, it wasn’t always clear we would make it this far — especially when you think about how we got started and what we have overcome. In the early ’70s, a group of seminarians at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, Ill., began meeting to discuss what they saw as the failure of U.S. evangelicals — especially white evangelicals — to engage with issues of racism, poverty, and the Vietnam war. In 1971, these students, including Jim Wallis, Joe Roos, and Bob Sabath, launched a publication to spread their message to other Christians who might feel the same or could be persuaded to do so. The first issue of their publication, The Post-American, featured a cover image of Jesus Christ wearing a crown of thorns and draped in the American flag, accompanied by the words “...and they crucified Him.” As Joyce Hollyday wrote for Sojourners’ 10th anniversary, the first few issues “were typeset by Bob Sabath on an archaic typesetter rented from an underground Chicago newspaper. The group had only $25 to put toward the task—the price of a day’s rental. Bob was up all night typesetting while the others proofread.” These seminarians started an intentional community in Chicago and continued to publish The Post-American. After two years, the publication had 1,200 subscribers; after five years, nearly 20,000. In the fall of 1975, the group wanted to bring their countercultural witness to the heart of American empire, so they moved to the Columbia Heights neighborhood of Washington, D.C. They marked their new beginning and broadened vision by changing their name to something that evoked their intent to be people of God who are “fully present in the world but committed to a different order,” or Sojourners. They continued to publish a magazine, live in intentional community, and worship together, but they also organized national peace and justice events and started ministries in their neighborhood, including the Sojourners Neighborhood Center, which provided after-school and summer programs for local children. Sojourners went on to play a key role in anti-apartheid, nuclear freeze, sanctuary, anti-poverty, and peace movements, among others. Half a century later, a lot has changed, but we remain committed to inspiring Christians across every tradition to put their faith into action for justice and peace and strengthening faith-inspired movements for change.
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From the Magazine The Queer Orthodox Artist Seeking to ‘Make the World an Altar’ (by Cassidy Klein) Art of Marza blends Orthodox iconography and street art to bring hope and beauty to public spaces. |
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Weaving a New Story of Meaning, April 28–29 Join author and integrator Jeremy Lent and musician Sara Thomsen for a two-day learning session, April 28–29, in person in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, or live from anywhere via Zoom. We will explore a new worldview of deep interconnectedness and discuss an integrated framework for well-being and spiritual groundedness. Deep South Investors Tour: June 5-10 Join Faith and Money Network on a six-day tour through Tennessee, Mississippi, and Alabama, to experience how our country’s legacy of racial inequity persists today in major systems from home ownership to education to banking — and how Hope Credit Union and its investors are working for change. Are you giving enough? Saving enough for retirement? Faith and Money Network’s study groups meet via video conference to study and discuss faith-driven approaches to daily life’s money choices. New group starts April 18! This spring, be a steward of the earth to protect all of God’s creation. We are all God’s creation. Our actions have an impact on the health of our community, shared home, and planet. Caring for our climate means caring for our neighbors and one another – just as the Lord intended. This spring, answer the call and be a steward of the earth. Interested in combining your faith and passion for social justice? Apply to Sojourners' yearlong fellowship program. The holistic program offers an entry-level position in our office and shared life in intentional Christian community. The application deadline is April 17, 2023 for the next cohort starting in August 2023. |
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