Sojourners
Sojourners is a progressive, Christian organization that emerged in 1971 out of the Sojourners Community in the inner-city neighborhood of Southern Columbia Heights, in Washington, D.C. The organization publishes a magazine to address issues of faith, politics, and culture from a biblical perspective. It also hosts an annual program for voluntary service for education, ministry, and discipleship.[1]
About
Mission
The stated mission of Sojourners is found on their website:
- "To articulate the biblical call to social justice, inspiring hope and building a movement to transform individuals, communities, the church and the world."
Goals
Sojourners explain their goals on their website:
- "Sojourners are Christians who follow Jesus, but who also sojourn with others in different faith traditions and all those who are on a spiritual journey. We are evangelicals, Catholics, Pentecostals and Protestants; progressives and conservatives; blacks, whites, Latinos, and Asians; women and men; young and old. We reach into traditional churches but also out to those who can't fit into them. Together we seek to discover the intersection of faith, politics, and culture."[2]
History
Sojourners ministries grew out of the Sojourners Community, located in Southern Columbia Heights, an inner-city neighborhood in Washington, D.C. The community began at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, Illinois, in The Post American, Jan-Feb 1973 the early 1970s when a handful of students began meeting to discuss the relationship between their faith and political issues, particularly the Vietnam War. In 1971, the group decided to create a publication that would express their convictions and test whether other people of faith had similar beliefs. What emerged was an publication committed to social justice and peace: The Post-American. The community relocated to Washington, D.C. in 1975, living together in common households, had a common purse, formed a worshiping community, got involved in neighborhood issues, organized national events on behalf of peace and justice and continued to publish the magazine.[2]
Board of Directors 2020
- Kevin Carnahan
- Louise Coggins
- Tim Costello
- Julian DeShazier
- Tim Dixon
- Wesley Granberg-Michaelson
- Anne Grizzle
- Betsy Hoover
- Hana Kim
- Kathy Khang
- Rick Little
- Stephen Schneck
- Alexie Torres
- Jim Wallis, President and Founder
- Colin P. Watson
- Barbara Williams-Skinner[3]
Personnel
As at March 15, 2010, the following worked for Sojourners:[4]
Staff
- Jim Wallis, Editor-in-Chief/Chief Executive Officer
- Chuck Gutenson, Chief Operating Officer
- Joan Bisset, Chief Administrator
- Sondra F. Shepley, Speaking Events Manager and Interim Intern Coordinator
- Amber Hill, Administrative Assistant
- Karen Lattea, Chief Administrative Officer
- Abayea Pelt, Office Manager/Receptionist
- Michael Norman, Chief Financial Officer
- Brion Thomas, Accountant
- Duane Shank, Senior Policy Advisor
- Jennifer Kottler, Director of Policy and Advocacy
- Elizabeth Denlinger, Deputy Director of Policy and Organizing
- Aaron Graham, National Field Organizer/Justice Revivals Coordinator
- Kevin Lum, Congregational Network Coordinator
- Allison Johnson, CCIR Campaign Coordinator
- Jim Rice, Editor
- Ed Spivey Jr., Art Director
- Rose Marie Berger, Julie Polter, Associate Editors
- Elizabeth Palmberg, Jeannie Choi, Assistant Editors
- Heidi Thompson, Chief Marketing Officer
- Cynthia J. Martens, Director of Circulation and Production
- Cassie Bixler, Director of Advertising Sales
- Kierra Jackson, Advertising Associate
- Rob Wilson-Black, Chief Development Officer
- Larisa Friesen, Director of Major Gifts
- Leah Garrett, Director of Individual Giving
- Lisa Daughtry-Weiss, Director of Foundation Relations
- LaShaune Littlejohn, Development Associate
- Leslie Abell, Individual Giving Associate
- Tim King, Communications Manager and Special Assistant to the CEO
- Ryan Rodrick Beiler, Web Editor
- Bob Sabath, Web Technologist
- Matt Hildreth, Interactive Media Producer
Interns
- LaToya Brown, Executive Assistant
- Sheldon Good, Media Assistant
- Justin Fung, Policy and Outreach Assistant
- Rachel Burton, Advertising Assistant
- Heather Wilson, Circulation/Resource Center Assistant
- Amy Barger, Editorial Assistant
Contributing Editors
- Daniel Berrigan
- Walter Brueggemann
- Joan Chittister
- Danny Duncan Collum
- James H. Cone
- Yvonne Delk
- Marie Dennis
- James Forbes
- Karl Gaspar
- Vincent Harding
- Catherine Meeks
- Wes Granberg-Michaelson
- Ched Myers
- John M. Perkins
- Richard Rohr
- Rosemary Radford Ruether
- Ronald Sider
- Cornel West
- Garry Wills
- Bill Wylie-Kellermann
Contributing Writers
Board of Directors
- David Batstone
- Michael Battle
- Angela Glover Blackwell
- Peter Borgdorff
- Bart Campolo
- Chuck Collins
- David Cortright
- Yvonne Delk
- Ray East
- Robert Franklin, Jr.
- Ivy George
- Wes Granberg-Michaelson
- Michael Kieschnick
- Linda LeSourd Lader
- Christa Mazzone Palmberg
- Mike McCurry
- Brian McLaren
- Debra McLeod Sears
- Mary Nelson
- Judy Mussa
- Glenn Palmberg
- Staccato Powell
- Soong-Chan Rah
- Gabriel Salguero
- Ronald Sider
- Helene Slessarev-Jamir
- Glen Stassen
- Jim Wallis
- Bill Watanabe
- Sharon Watkins
- Barbara Williams-Skinner[5]
Contributing Editors 1989
- John F. Alexander
- Richard Barnet
- Daniel Berrigan
- Alan Boesak
- Dale Brown
- Walter Brueggemann
- Joan Chittister
- Danny Duncan Collum
- N. Gordon Cosby
- Yvonne Dilling
- Shelley Douglass
- James Forbes
- Jim Forest
- Dorothy Friesen
- Sharon Gallagher
- Wes Granberg-Michaelson
- Thomas Gumbleton
- Vincent Harding
- Mark Hatfield
- Bill Kellerman
- Mary Lou Kownacki
- Penny Lemoux (1940-89)
- Elizabeth McAlilister
- Timothy McDonald
- Catherine Meeks
- Henri Nouwen
- Elizabeth O'Connor
- Henry Padilla
- William Pannell
- John M. Perkins
- Richard Rohr
- Rosemary Radford Ruether
- Ronald Sider
- John R.W. Scott
- William Stringfellow (1928-85
- Richard K. Taylor
- Cornel West
- Garry Wills