Sojourners Community
Encyclopedia
The Sojourners Community is an intentional community
that was started in the early 1970s by a group of students at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School
. The founders had the desire to further explore the relationship between their orthodox Protestant faith and the social crisis that surrounded them, particularly around the Vietnam War
. In the fall of 1971, they began publishing the Post American, a newspaper that expressed the group's commitment to the faith and ideas about social change. The Sojourners Community is most widely known for Sojourners Magazine
and for the writing and speaking of its founding member, Jim Wallis
.
in Washington, D.C.
, where they could better address urban problems and national politics. Through combining their assets and incomes, the group gradually established households and a network of social outreach programs. The community lived together in these common households together, shared 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 Sojourners
magazine. The vestige of the Sojourners' intentional living community remains its intern community, a group of individuals who are hired as year-long interns and who live together in intentional Christian community for that year as part of the internship experience.
The Sojourners Community has experienced critique from other evangelicals due to their combination of strict evangelical Protestant beliefs (though the Sojourners living community and wider organizational network has also long included mainline Protestants and Catholic
s) and radical "social priorities [which] run in markedly different directions”. Also, Sojourners differentiates from other evangelicals in its condemning of militarism
, corporate excesses, and the exploitation
of people in the Third World
. However, other social critiques are similar to those of other evangelicals on issues such as condemning of abortion
(as part of a wider pro-life stance that includes protection of life from cradle to grave, i.e. anti-war and anti-hunger stances). Sojourners advocates economic justice and expanded services for the poor.
Intentional community
An intentional community is a planned residential community designed to have a much higher degree of teamwork than other communities. The members of an intentional community typically hold a common social, political, religious, or spiritual vision and often follow an alternative lifestyle. They...
that was started in the early 1970s by a group of students at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School
Trinity Evangelical Divinity School
Trinity Evangelical Divinity School is an evangelical Christian seminary located in Deerfield, Illinois. TEDS is one of the largest seminaries in the world, enrolling more than 1,200 graduate students in professional and academic programs, including more than 150 in its PhD programs...
. The founders had the desire to further explore the relationship between their orthodox Protestant faith and the social crisis that surrounded them, particularly around the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
. In the fall of 1971, they began publishing the Post American, a newspaper that expressed the group's commitment to the faith and ideas about social change. The Sojourners Community is most widely known for Sojourners Magazine
Sojourners Magazine
Sojourners magazine, a progressive monthly publication of the Christian social justice organization Sojourners, was first published in 1971 under the original title of The Post-American. The magazine publishes editorials and articles on Christian life, the church and the world, Christianity and...
and for the writing and speaking of its founding member, Jim Wallis
Jim Wallis
Jim Wallis is an American evangelical Christian writer and political activist. He is best known as the founder and editor of Sojourners magazine, and of the Washington, D.C.-based Christian community of the same name....
.
History
In the summer of 1971, the group organized an intentional community in Rogers Park, Illinois. However, in 1974, the community disintegrated. The remaining members decided to make a strategic move to the inner-city neighborhood of Columbia HeightsColumbia Heights, Washington, D.C.
Columbia Heights is a neighborhood in central Washington, D.C.-Geography:Located in the Northwest quadrant of Washington, D.C., Columbia Heights borders the neighborhoods of Shaw, Adams Morgan, Mount Pleasant, Park View, Pleasant Plains, and Petworth. On the eastern side is Howard University...
in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, where they could better address urban problems and national politics. Through combining their assets and incomes, the group gradually established households and a network of social outreach programs. The community lived together in these common households together, shared 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 Sojourners
Sojourners Magazine
Sojourners magazine, a progressive monthly publication of the Christian social justice organization Sojourners, was first published in 1971 under the original title of The Post-American. The magazine publishes editorials and articles on Christian life, the church and the world, Christianity and...
magazine. The vestige of the Sojourners' intentional living community remains its intern community, a group of individuals who are hired as year-long interns and who live together in intentional Christian community for that year as part of the internship experience.
The Sojourners Community has experienced critique from other evangelicals due to their combination of strict evangelical Protestant beliefs (though the Sojourners living community and wider organizational network has also long included mainline Protestants and Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
s) and radical "social priorities [which] run in markedly different directions”. Also, Sojourners differentiates from other evangelicals in its condemning of militarism
Militarism
Militarism is defined as: the belief or desire of a government or people that a country should maintain a strong military capability and be prepared to use it aggressively to defend or promote national interests....
, corporate excesses, and the exploitation
Exploitation
This article discusses the term exploitation in the meaning of using something in an unjust or cruel manner.- As unjust benefit :In political economy, economics, and sociology, exploitation involves a persistent social relationship in which certain persons are being mistreated or unfairly used for...
of people in the Third World
Third World
The term Third World arose during the Cold War to define countries that remained non-aligned with either capitalism and NATO , or communism and the Soviet Union...
. However, other social critiques are similar to those of other evangelicals on issues such as condemning of abortion
Abortion
Abortion is defined as the termination of pregnancy by the removal or expulsion from the uterus of a fetus or embryo prior to viability. An abortion can occur spontaneously, in which case it is usually called a miscarriage, or it can be purposely induced...
(as part of a wider pro-life stance that includes protection of life from cradle to grave, i.e. anti-war and anti-hunger stances). Sojourners advocates economic justice and expanded services for the poor.
External links
- Official Website
- Sojourners Archive, Wheaton College Archives and Special Collections