The culmination of a Doctor of Ministry project at Mccormick Theological Seminary. The project "A Religious Ethic of Responsibility in a Colonize World: The Task of the Local Black Church" examines gentrification and its often tragic consequences on people and businesses which have deep roots in their communities. While the title mentioned the "Black Church" it applies to any faith-based organization. The term "Black Church" was used because the project was performed in my particular and unique context. The actual thesis cites work from a variety of ecumenical sources across denominations and religions.

1. A Religious Ethic of Responsibility in a Colonized World
The Task of the Local Black Church

2. St. Matthew’s Baptist Church of Harlem

3. The St. Matthew’s Baptist
Church of Harlem
has been called together by
God…
…to Equip our community,
to Elevate our Heritage,
to Educate our People, and
to Exalt our Savior,
Jesus Christ.

4. Research
Gentrification
has been defined as the process of renovating
and improving a house or district so that it
conforms to middle-class taste.
Article in Historic Westside News
Magazine

5. Research Gentrification
has been defined as the transformation of a
disinvested inner-city neighborhood by incoming
middle and upper class residents & investors
leading to the displacement of the neighborhood’s
lower-income, indigenous residents.
Ross Halbach
“Community of the Gentrified God”

6. “Gentrification is a void in a
neighborhood, in a city, in a culture…
Gentrification is a trauma caused by
the influx of massive amounts of
capital into a city and the consequent
destruction following in its wake.”
“Gentrification is not about individual
acts. It is about systemic violence based
on decades of racist housing policy in the
United States that has denied people of
color, particularly Black people the same
kind of housing as White Americans.”Peter Moskowitz

7. Neocolonialism
“A type of imperialism in
its final and perhaps
most dangerous stage.”
“…economic sabotage of
underdeveloped
countries propagated by
developed countries and
large multinational
corporations.”
Kwame Nkrumah

8. The responsibility of the Black
church is to contribute to the
needs of Black people and
therefore to the society as a
whole. With this in mind, Black
churches have no other
responsibility than to contribute
to the freedom of Black people.
Rev. Dr. Raphael Warnock

9. Theoretical
Framework
“The black church is tasked with upholding &
demonstrating the moral, just, and righteous in
opposition to gentrification and its unholy
consequences.”
Rev. Lisa D. Jenkins

10. “The black church was
once the hub of the
community. Nothing
happened without
permission or
knowledge of the
church.”
Rev. Dr. Patricia A. Morris

11. “The role of the black
church is to equip those in
the African-American
community with the tools to
understand and to explain
the social, political, and
economic pain that they
experience during the
week…to galvanize and to
organize the foot soldiers to
get up from their knees in
prayer and to protest in
the streets.”
Rev. Dr. Delman Coates

12. “The role of the
black church is to not only protest
in the streets, but to navigate the systemic
structures designed to not only segregate
communities but to gentrify & dislocate those
who are in the neighborhoods desired by
individuals of privilege and
developers.”
Rev. Lisa D. Jenkins

13. Social Justice is the essence of the
gospel of Jesus Christ
The King will reply, Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one
of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did it
for me.” (Matthew 25:40)
Speak up for those who cannot speak up for themselves, for
the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly;
defend the rights of the poor and the needy.
(Proverbs 31:8-9)

14. SMBC Objectives & Strategies
1. Assess the impact of gentrification on the Central Harlem
community.
2. Educate church membership & community about
gentrification and empower them with the knowledge that
they are capable of making a difference in the current
trajectory of impact.
3. Partner with new residents & business owners who are
willing to be allies in preserving what is left of the rich
culture in Harlem and stemming the rapid rate of rising
rents for residents and small business owners.

15. Movements SMBC Objectives & Strategies
1. The Black Church & its people must be involved in city
planning.
2. The Black Church & its people must be involved in zoning
changes and zoning laws; and
3. The Black Church and its people must be serious about
community organizing around developments that protect
the existing traditional communities.
Rev. Dr. Frederick D. Haynes, III

16. 1. The Black
Church and its
people must be
involved in city
planning. (FDH3)

17. 2. The Black Church and its
people must be involved
in zoning changes
and zoning laws. (FDH3)

18. 3. The Black Church and its people must
be serious about community organizing
around developments that protect the
existing traditional
community. (FDH3)

19. 1. Assess the Impact

20. 2. EDUCATE MEMBERSHIP & COMMUNITY

21. 3. PARTNER W/NEW
RESIDENTS &
BUSINESSES

22. CONCLUSION