Subject Area
Religion
Abstract
As a womanist and practical theologian, I am resolute in my conviction of God’s sovereignty and the integrity of His written word. Despite uncertainty and the prevalence of systemic injustice in the world, the Bible has remained a steadfast source from which I have gained insight, guidance, and strength. From a theological perspective, the Bible is the manifestation of my faith seeking understanding. It is the foundation upon which practical theology is built, the embodiment of biblical teachings, beliefs, creeds, traditions, and rituals enacted by individuals within faith institutions and in community. However, it is through a womanist lens that I focus on the intersectionality of issues addressing race, gender, culture, and social justice to make the world a better place. A robust, practical theology that addresses race, gender, culture, and social justice issues can be constructed to impact church congregations and communities when we consider Dr. Martin Luther King’s vison of the Beloved Community as a universal, interfaith model. My proposal of an ecclesial response to systemic injustice in the twenty-first century aligns with the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20 NIV). Adhering to the Great Commission requires upholding the greatest of the commandments meaning to love God and neighbor (Matthew 22:36-40 NIV). My spiritual frame of reference is Christocentric. However, it is upheld by a theology that welcomes and advocates for all of humanity according to the Golden Rule (Matthew 7:12 NIV). I have incorporated literary devices such as vignettes, metaphors, aphorisms, scripture, and italicized quotations to emphasize subject matters and context. I have also utilized Kairos time instead of Chronos time throughout this dissertation for the purpose of narrative transitions as well as to demonstrate how events are often reoccurring within cycles of life and the existence of humanity. Humanity has been adversely affected by the systems of the world for centuries. Inequity and inequality continue to persist because of deeply rooted unjust systems that sustain the legacy of racism and overtly discriminatory practices, policies, laws, and ideologies. When addressing systemic injustice, it is imperative to ascertain the role of structures and institutions within society. My quest to research and examine systemic injustice within political, legal, criminal justice, educational, and health care systems was an awakening. My conclusion is that systemic injustice is perpetrated by the integration of multiple systems that are often interrelated and corroborated by individuals and institutions.
Degree Date
Spring 2025
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
D.Min.
Department
Perkins School of Theology
Advisor
Dr. Ruben Habito
Second Advisor
Dr. Harold J. Recinos
Number of Pages
174
Format
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 License
Recommended Citation
Hodge, Shamra Atchison, "Revisiting Dr. King's Beloved Community as an Ecclesial Response to Systemic Injustice in the 21st Century" (2025). Doctor of Ministry Projects and Theses. 49.
https://scholar.smu.edu/theology_ministry_etds/49
