ESAU MCCAULLEY AT SOUTH MAIN

BY STEVE WELLS PASTOR

Saturday evening we had multiple pastors and ministers from fellow churches including Ralph West, Pastor of The Church Without Walls, Marcus Cosby from Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church, and Harvey Clemons from Pleasant Hill Baptist Church. Kim Ogg, Harris County District Attorney, also attended in order to learn and listen.

During Sunday’s Bible study, Dr. McCaulley reminded us that addressing historical racial injustices is an ongoing act of learning and discipleship. Just like we should continue to grow in our faith, so to in our understanding and approach to racial injustice. We never arrive in this endeavor. We do not attend one seminar or group discussion on race and justice and suddenly find that we have nothing else to learn as Christ followers.

South Main was delighted to host the Reverend Esau McCaulley, PhD, January 21–22, 2023. Dr. McCaulley discussed what the Bible says about policing and how the church can read scripture closely and help answer this question in public discourse.

Dr. McCaulley is an Associate Professor of New Testament at Wheaton College and Theologian in Residence at Progressive Baptist Church, a historically black congregation in Chicago. Dr. McCaulley is also a contributing opinion writer for The New York Times ounding in the o w y

His second book Reading While Black: African American Biblical Interpretation as an Exercise in Hope was published in 2020.

During Dr. McCaulley’s teaching at South Main he shared his belief that reading the Bible through the lens of the Black experience provides unique insights and perspectives that can enrich the faith of all Christians.

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Dr. McCaulley expanded our understanding of justice and systemic injustice by placing God at the center of Christian justice. He used Scripture to demonstrate God’s mercy and justness in juxtaposition to the corruption of that by human hands. Dr. Angela Bell, Professor of History at Lone Star College–CyFair and member of the Discipleship Committee reflected on the weekend: “The good news is that Dr. McCaulley made it clear that following God’s vision can help us get closer to Christian justice than we’ve ever come before. He ended with solid advice through the Q&A period that was both uplifting and encouraging. By grounding his words firmly in the Bible, Dr. McCaulley illuminated a path for us to follow here at South Main Baptist Church.”