Challenge: help launch CLBSJ into our second decade on strong footing!

Cass Shaw and Nick Johnson
Published 23 November 2021

Dear friends,

Among the things we are grateful for this season is the opportunity to support CLBSJ. Throughout our lives, and especially in the last decade, we’ve seen Scripture being misused to justify racist and divisive tropes that pervert the Gospel. Again and again we’ve felt the frustration as that those of us in the Church who dedicate our lives to social justice work are mostly not able to raise our voices above the din.

CLBSJ is working to change this. For a decade now, we have been connecting faith leaders in grassroots, congregational and academic settings to find our voices in defense of the speak up for and walk beside those who are marginalized and oppressed, and to expose the corruption of our sacred texts by the forces of division and violence.

In the past year and a half, we have made a particular commitment to seeking out the next generation of scholar-activists and co-creating with them a much-needed platform from which their work and insight can reach ordinary people of faith. Through our monthly scholar-activist encounters, roundtable discussions, scripture study, and our incredible library, CLBSJ nurtures the sparks that come when we can connect with the power of the Living Word to speak into and animate our struggles for justice, rights and dignity for all creatures, and for the earth itself.

As we enter our second decade, CLBSJ needs to grow and expand our reach in order to live out this mission. We are working to build a virtual library of videos and linked study materials, to develop new ways of engaging and supporting scholar-activists, and to deepen our capacity to engage change-makers involved in the frontlines of justice work in biblical interpretation. We need your help to reach these goals!

Thankfully, we have an amazing opportunity: Board members and friends of CLBSJ have assembled a $33,000 challenge gift, and would like to see it matched dollar for dollar to launch CLBSJ into our second decade on strong footing. Can you make an end-of-the-year donation to help unlock this gift?

Visit clbsj.org/donate to make your gift electronically or view other ways to give.

Any size give will help. We urge you to help us meet our year end challenge and empower CLBSJ to carry forward this vital work.

With hope,

Rev. Nicholas Johnson
CLBSJ Board President

Rev. Cass L. Shaw CLBSJ Board Member