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.
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.
Toward Repentance and Reparations Convention Resolution
Read Toward Repentance and Reparations in the Episcopal Diocese of Washington, the resolution that was passed at the 2023 Annual Convention.
Parish History Project
Conducting a Parish History Project
We invite you and your congregation to undertake a parish history project so that together, we may engage in the work of truth telling to better discern how to be a more equitable and racially just diocese. Here are two resources to help get you started:
Parish Testimonials
The following parish testimonials provide insight and examples on how to engage with complex histories and share information in compelling ways.
- St John’s Episcopal Church, Norwood Parish History Project
- Calvary Episcopal Church, DC Parish History Project
- Grace Episcopal Church Parish, Silver Spring History Project
Congregational Research Partners
Our Congregational Research Partners are a group of congregations whose members support and encourage one another as they uncover and share their faith communities’ histories with racism and race.
Ascension, Gaithersburg
Ascension, Silver Spring
Calvary, DC
Christ Church, La Plata
Christ Church, Rockville
Good Shepherd, Silver Spring
Grace, Silver Spring
Our Saviour, Brookland
Our Saviour, Hillandale
Redeemer, Bethesda
St. John’s, Beltsville
St. John’s, Lafayette Square
St. John’s, Norwood
St. John’s, Georgetown
St. Peter’s, Poolesville
St. Phillip’s, Laurel
St. Thomas, Croom
Repairing the Breach Reparations Symposium Resources
This section includes the full video of the Repairing the Breach: A Symposium on Reparations with links that jump to specific presentations given that day. We also provide materials designed to support the further discussion and exploration of reparations in the Diocese of Washington. We invite you to watch, read, and ponder this information – and to contact the Reparations Task Force with any questions you may have as we continue to collectively discern this crucial issue of justice.
- Repairing the Breach: A Symposium on Reparations video recording
- The Rev. Canon Kelly Brown Douglas – introductory remarks
- Franklin Robinson – presentation on Enslavement and the Church in Maryland, 1692-1864
- Peter Jarrett-Schell – closing remarks
- The Right Rev. Mariann Edgar Budde – closing remarks
- Reparations Symposium Agenda
- A Christian Call for Reparations by the Very Rev. Kelly Brown Douglas
- An Analysis of Current Reparations Programs, September 2022 by Cane West
- Slide deck from Franklin Robinson’s presentation on Enslavement and the Church in Maryland, 1692-1864
- How to Make Amends – A Lesson On Reparations – Breakout Session Roleplaying Activity
- Reparations Symposium Question Burst Breakout Session Compilation
- Repairing the Breach: A Two-Session Curriculum for Congregations | This two-session, video-driven curriculum helps facilitators lead congregations through a reflection about the history of anti-black racism in the Diocese and the nature of reparations.
- Reparations video playlist on YouTube (all our videos on reparations to date)
Reparations Task Force
The mission of the Reparations Task Force is to lead, encourage, and assist the Diocese toward making reparations for its participation in wrongs against the Black community within the geographic bounds of the diocese.
Members of the Reparations Task Force
The Rev. Peter Jarrett-Schell, chair
The Rev. Dr. Gayle Fisher Stewart
Cathy O’Donnell
Franklin Robinson
Susan Shulken
Prof. Enid LeGesse
The Rev. Anne Derse
The Rev. David Wacaster
Jonathan Nicholas
Caroline Klam
Rudy Logan, staff liaison
