diversity equity and inclusion

Board of Pensions releases Board Bulletin for Spring 2022

PHILADELPHIA — Nearly eight years ago, The Board of Pensions of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) entered an era of transformation. The 221st General Assembly (2014) had elected a new class of directors to the agency’s board and confirmed the election of a new Board of Pensions president. Today, those directors are near the end of their terms. They were celebrated at the Board of Directors meeting March 10-12.

Board of Pensions publishes Board Bulletin for fall 2021

At its fall meeting, the Board of Directors formalized the Board of Pensions’ commitment to removing the effects of structural racism from the agency’s workplace and policies. It also voted to expand access to the agency’s Assistance Program.

‘No matter how deep evil goes, God goes deeper’

“I am so excited,” said the Rev. Samuel Son, the PC(USA)’s Manager of Diversity and Reconciliation, “that we get to hear from this philosopher, prophet and preacher.” That was the cue for Dr. Jonathan Tran, Associate Professor of Philosophical Theology and George W. Baines Chair of Religion at Baylor University, to start preaching remotely during a Wednesday Chapel Service attended by more than 80 of the PC(USA)’s national staff, a service offered by the denomination’s Diversity, Equity & Inclusion team. And preach Tran did.

The gospel and inclusivity

These days, every organization is coming up with a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion — commonly referred to as DEI — strategic plan. The hiring of diversity and inclusion executives has grown 113% in the last five years. As of February 2021, half of S&P 500 companies have a chief diversity officer. The national agencies of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) are also putting together DEI plans as a response to the General Assembly mandate for a Race Audit in 2018. However, this is not the church jumping on the latest business trend.