Building Welcoming Communities

Ethicist and organizer Dr. Aaron Staufer returns to the podcast to tackle one of the most pressing questions facing progressive Christianity today: how do we move from feeling overwhelmed and powerless to actually building meaningful change in our communities? Aaron brings his experience as both a theologian and organizer to help us understand why mainline Protestantism has struggled to find its public voice, and more importantly, what we can do about it. We delve into the historical trajectory from the social gospel movement to today's challenges, exploring why building strong community relationships is essential for any genuine social change, and discussing how initiatives like Solidarity Circles are helping faith leaders develop the skills they need for movement work. This conversation gets into the weeds of democratic practice, theological imagination, and the practical work of organizing—all while trying to figure out how the church can be a force for justice in an increasingly complex world.

In the conversation, we discussed the decline of mainline Protestant public witness, moving beyond charity, lessons from the Social Gospel movement, the crisis in theological education, why theology matters, practical strategies for congregations, Christianity’s moral silence on Palestine,  class analysis, and organizing. 

You can WATCH the conversation on YouTube

Aaron Stauffer is the Director of Online Learning and Associate Director of the Wendland-Cook Program at Vanderbilt University Divinity School. He earned his PhD in social ethics at Union Theological Seminary in the City of New York and has organized with the Industrial Areas Foundation in San Antonio, Texas and Religions for Peace.  You can check out his previous visit to the podcast - Theology for Action. 

Solidarity Circles is the Wendland-Cook Program in Religion & Justice’s flagship leadership cohort for clergy, faith leaders, and grassroots organizers who want to build the solidarity economy—not just preach about it.

For information & an application to the program, head over here. 

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