Conscience and Justice Council Calls for Faith Engagement in Social Issues

From September 19 to 22, the Conscience and Justice Council convened in St. Louis, Missouri, United States, for its ninth annual convention, centered around the theme “10 Years After Ferguson: Walking or Talking.”

The event aimed to engage participants in meaningful discussions about social justice and community activism, reflecting on the impact of Michael Brown Jr.’s tragic death in 2014. Brown’s killing sparked national protests and discussions about police violence, systemic racism, and the urgent need for reform within law enforcement practices. 

A notable feature of the convention was a plenary session titled “Hands Up, Don’t Shoot,” featuring Michael Brown Sr., father of Michael Brown Jr. and founder of Chosen for Change, a nonprofit organization that provides wholistic grief support to families who have experienced traumatic loss. He emphasized the importance of community involvement in transforming society after tragedies, urging attendees to take action in honor of their lost loved ones. 

Marcus Cosby, pastor of Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church in Houston, Texas, delivered an inspiring sermon on Friday evening, calling on attendees to “shake off their baggage” and have faith for something better. He reminded the audience that meeting others with justice is crucial, saying, “If someone was kind enough to meet you with justice, you should be kind enough to meet somebody else with justice.” Cosby highlighted the notion that “justice begets justice” in a “beloved community.” 

Participants had the opportunity to engage in a thought-provoking tour of Ferguson, retracing the streets where Michael Brown Jr. was killed. This experience included oral histories from law enforcement and community representatives, providing crucial insights into the events of August 9, 2014, when Brown was shot and killed by police officer Darren Wilson. 

Throughout the convention, multiple sessions tackled various crucial topics, including “Civic Engagement in Adventist DNA” presented by Kevin M. Burton, and the Lucille Byard Symposium, in which Anthony Medley from the Seventh-day Adventist Church’s Allegheny East Conference and his wife, India Medley, chief nursing officer at Howard University Hospital, examined “Generational Trauma: Slavery and its Impact on Health.” These eye-opening discussions emphasized a wholistic approach to social and civic engagement within the community. 

During the Saturday-evening worship, Detroit City Temple associate pastor Tricia Wynn Payne, also the church’s women’s ministries director, delivered a sermon in which she encouraged attendees to “go when God says go,” reinforcing the need for active faith and engagement in social justice initiatives. 

The convention culminated in a celebratory breakfast, where attendees had the chance to network and discuss practical applications for community engagement. 

Chaired by Edward Woods III, Public Affairs and Religious Liberty director for the Lake Region Conference, the convention emphasized a spiritual and social imperative for the community, underlining the necessity for Christ-centered activism in the pursuit of justice. Sponsored by various organizations, including Adventist HealthCare and the Center for Community Change at Andrews University, the event showcased a collective commitment to replicating the love of Christ, drawing on the call of Micah 6:8 to do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with God. 

About the Conscience and Justice Council

The Conscience and Justice Council is a nonprofit organization whose stated purpose is to encourage thriving public affairs and religious liberty ministries at the local church level through training and mentoring. It includes Adventist public affairs and religious liberty directors, academics, and others interested in the intersection of faith and civic engagement.

The original version of this story was posted on the Lake Union Heraldnews site. The Conscience and Justice Council partners with several Adventist organizations and entities but is not operated by the corporate Seventh-day Adventist Church.