REPARATIONS

Reparations is the spiritual and material process to remember, restore, reconcile, and make amends for historical and continuing wrongs against humanity that can never be singularly reducible to monetary terms, but must include a substantial investment and surrender of resources.
— EDOW’s Working Definition of Reparations

The Episcopal Diocese of Washington is committed to bravely uncovering, understanding, reckoning with, and acting to dismantle racism within ourselves, our faith communities, the diocese, and our localities. This work includes reckoning with our diocesan history of participation in anti-Black racism and learning more about the legacy of benefit the diocese has received from that participation.

Diocesan Convention Resolutions on Reparations

In January 2025, Diocesan Convention passed three resolutions supporting our continued efforts to understand and lament the harms of anti-Black racism in our diocese, and, where possible, to make amends. They include the formation of a Reparations Committee and the commitment of $5 million in diocesan assets over the course of ten years. Read more about the resolutions from Bishop Mariann Budde here. (Lea en español)

Reparations Committee of the Diocese of Washington 

Per the resolution passed in January 2025, the Bishop has appointed members of the new Reparations Committee. This Committee is charged with the assessment of past and present racialized injustices in the diocese, development of a comprehensive reparations plan, and implementation of reparative measures, including the expenditure of $5 million over 10 years. Read more here.

Our journey toward reparations will not be without its challenges. Yet our commitment to justice and equity requires that we walk this road of self-discovery, understanding, confession, repentance, and ultimately, restitution for our institutional involvement with white supremacy.