The Virginia Theological Seminary announced last Thursday that they are provided reparations in a big way.
What We Know:
- In a statement released by the seminary, it states that “Virginia Theological Seminary recognizes that enslaved persons worked on the campus, and that even after slavery ended, VTS participated in segregation. VTS recognizes that we must start to repair the material consequences of our sin in the past.”
- The $1.7 million dollar endowment fund will be allocated with “key stakeholders” for purposes including “the particular needs of any descendants of enslaved persons that worked at the Seminary” and “the work of African American alumni/ae, especially in historic Black congregations…”
- Dean and President Rev. Ian S. Markham, Ph.D. stated “This is a start. As we seek to mark Seminary’s milestone of 200 years, we do so conscious that our past is a mixture of sin as well as grace. This is the Seminary recognizing that along with repentance for past sins, there is also a need for action.”
- The program will be led by Office of Multicultural Ministries. The Director of the office Rev. Joseph Thompson, Ph.D. stated “This initiative has the potential to be transformative. Though no amount of money could ever truly compensate for slavery, the commitment of these financial resources means that the institution’s attitude of repentance is being supported by actions of repentance that can have a significant impact both on the recipients of the funds, as well as on those at VTS…”
This fund is going to have a huge impact!
