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Adam Russell Taylor I’m proud to say that I benefitted from affirmative action. These policies, sometimes called “race conscious admission policies,” allow colleges and universities to address unequal access to educational opportunities by taking different aspects of a student’s background, including race, into account among other admission factors. But even with affirmative action in place, in 1994 I joined fewer than 25 other Black men in a freshman class of over 1,000 students at Emory University. In the next few days, the Supreme Court is expected to end or restrict affirmative action policies in its ruling on cases against Harvard and the University of North Carolina. The plaintiff in both cases, Students for Fair Admissions, allege that “race conscious admissions policies,” discriminated against Asian American applicants; in a brief submitted to the court, 14 U.S. senators and 68 representatives agreed, writing that “laws and policies dividing people by race are immediately suspect” and alleging that these policies “harm Asian-American students and others who are unfairly judged by their race rather than by individual merit.” The universities, by contrast, have argued they only consider race as one factor among many when selecting its incoming class, a policy upheld by previous courts so schools could “achieve the educational benefits that flow from student-body diversity.” But despite previous courts’ decisions, the conservative majority of the current Supreme Court seems skeptical. As Christians, we should yearn to make our schools (and our churches, communities, and nations!) places that celebrate diverse identities as a manifestation of the image of God in all its fullness. However, we make a mistake when we argue that affirmative action policies are primarily about maintaining diversity — an argument that obscures what affirmative action policies were originally intended to address.
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Our Latest Mary, Mother of God, Help Me Find Queer Joy (by Emma Cieslik) Her hair is covered in an opaque veil; she wears a long white gown under a blue mantle. Her hands are outstretched and rays of light radiate from her fingertips, pouring down at her sides. Her name is Mary, mother of God, and within her rests the fulcrum of my queer Catholic joy and trauma. A Primer on the SBC's Complicated History With Women (by Susan M. Shaw) These battles over women in ordained ministry in the SBC are not new. ‘Across the Spider-Verse’ Challenges the Idol of Sacred Stories (by JR. Forasteros) Miles Morales knows that any canon that relies on the exclusion of some for the good of most is evil. Can Churches Spread the Gospel of Solar in Coal Country? (by Rebecca Randall) Churches in Appalachia are discovering that leading an an energy reformation is costly and complicated. |
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From the Magazine The Joy and Terror of Quitting Alcohol (by Jenna Barnett) Sober Spirituality allows nuance toward drinking while outlining its real bodily and spiritual dangers. |
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Free guide: supporting mental wellness for LGBTQ+ young people How can adults like you help LGBTQ+ young people flourish? Data from Springtide Research Institute is showing us that belonging is key. Our free handbook, with special insight from Jean-Marie Navetta of PFLAG, explores the research and gives you actionable steps to start making a difference, today. La Verne Church of the Brethren seeks Copastor The La Verne Church of the Brethren, a progressive, Anabaptist, historic peace church in Southern California seeks a copastor. Candidates must be comfortable in a collaborative team ministry, skilled in worship, and embrace an inclusive theology that champions social justice. Contact Kara Evans kevans234@gmail.com and Jack Meek jwmeek@me.com for information. |
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