In early 2016, Princeton Theological Seminary President M. Craig Barnes commissioned a committee of faculty and administrators to examine the institution’s historic connections to slavery. They examined the relationship of the seminary’s founders to slavery, the economic base of the facilities, and the participation of faculty and board members in the American Colonization Society. The historical audit report uncovered contradictions and complexities in the practices, attitudes, and theological convictions of the seminary’s early faculty, students, and donors. It depicts both profound moral failings and courageous acts of faithfulness to the Gospel. This research provides a critical reckoning with our past and was the basis for a year-long conversation involving the entire seminary community about the ongoing legacy of racism that is rooted in this history.
From the Judges
This was truly an extraordinary campaign. Not many institutions would have been brave enough to take such a critical look at their past and make such tremendous strides to atone and share the lessons learned in the present, strengthening their institution for the future. The process and outcomes are very admirable. Bravo!
