Cross-Racial Partnerships That Heal the World
Rev. Peter Goodwin Heltzel, Ph.D., an ordained minister in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), is the Director of the Micah Institute and Associate Professor of Systematic Theology at New York Theological Seminary. He also serves as Assistant Pastor of Evangelism at Park Avenue Christian Church in New York City. Heltzel holds a B.A. from Wheaton College, a M.Div. from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, and earned his Ph.D. from Boston University. He also completed course work at the University of Mississippi in Southern fiction and creative writing. These courses, combined with his childhood years in Mississippi, inform his work with a deep commitment to the power of words and music, to social justice and to a global movement of radical change and collective activism. Heltzel has contributed to seven books as author or editor. He has published numerous articles in journals, such as Books & Culture, Science & Theology News, Sojourners, Political Theology, and Princeton Theological Review published here. Heltzel serves on the Metro Commission on the Ministry and the Anti-Racism/Pro-Reconciliation Team of the Northeastern Region, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).
Rev. Dr. Alvin O’Neal Jackson attended Chapman College in Orange, CA and graduated with honors from Butler University in Indianapolis, Indiana with a bachelor’s degree in sociology. He received his Masters of Divinity degree, also with honors, from the Duke University, School of Divinity in 1973. In 1991 he completed the course work and was awarded the Doctor of Ministry degree from United Theological Seminary in Dayton, Ohio. He has served as pastor of Loudon Avenue Christian Church, Roanoke, Virginia, associate pastor, Second Christian Church, Indianapolis, Indiana. For almost 20 years, Jackson was Senior Pastor of Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church of Memphis, a congregation that experienced phenomenal growth under his leadership. For seven years, he served as Senior Pastor of National City Christian Church and President of the National City Christian Church Foundation of Washington, D.C. In September 2006 he became Senior Pastor of Park Avenue Christian Church of New York City.
Rev. Dr. Katharine Rhodes Henderson is president of Auburn Theological Seminary. Henderson is an international leader in theological education and has pioneered programs for religious leaders of many faith traditions to exercise moral leadership in the public square. With her leadership, Auburn equips leaders of faith and moral courage with research, tools, and trainings to help them raise their voices, powerfully, peacefully, and prophetically to create the change to end violence and injustice. In December 2014, Auburn along with a group of clergy and activists joined members of the New York City Council in a “die-in” protest to call attention to the police brutality in New York City and across the country. During this “die-in” inside City Hall, clergy sang spirituals and protest songs, and declared that black lives matter. Henderson has been featured in outlets such as The Washington Post and The New York Times, and is the author of God’s Troublemakers: How Women of Faith are Changing the World (Continuum, 2006). She is ordained in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).
Rev. John H. Vaughn is the executive vice president at Auburn Seminary, a leadership development institute whose mission is to inspire and equip bold and resilient leaders with the tools and resources they need — research, education, media, training and movement-building — to build congregations and communities, bridge divides, pursue justice and heal the world. Vaughn has become a prominent voice for racial reconciliation by publishing opinion pieces in national outlets and participating in multifaith #BlackLivesMatter “die-in” protests. He has been featured in outlets such as The Huffington Post, The Washington Post, and Arise TV. From 1996 to 2000, Rev. Vaughn served as the minister for education and social justice at The Riverside Church, and he has more than 10 years of experience in philanthropic work. An ordained minister in the American Baptist Churches, Vaughn received his undergraduate degree from Holy Cross College in Worcester, MA and his Master of Divinity from the Pacific School of Religion in Berkeley, CA.