Brad braxton biography
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Dr. Brad Braxton is the Founder of The Open Church of Maryland. He holds a Ph.D. in New Testament studies from Emory University, where he was a George W. Woodruff Fellow, a Master’s degree in theology from the University of Oxford, where he was a Rhodes Scholar, and a B.A. degree in religious studies from the University of Virginia, where he was a Jefferson Scholar and a member of Phi Beta Kappa. He is the author of three scholarly books and numerous articles and essays. His writings explore the role of religion, race, and culture in promoting a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive world. His books No Longer Slaves: Galatians and African American Experience and Preaching Paul are frequently used in divinity school courses.
Dr. Braxton is also a seasoned scholar, educator, and diversity, equity, and inclusion professional. In addition to providing visionary oversight for The Open Church, Dr. Braxton serves as the Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer at St. Luke’s Sch
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Brad Braxton
How can pastors foster change in church? Not the kind placed in offering plates, but change of another sort. Change—alteration in character, attitude, and behavior, and the priceless gift of a new, or at least better, world.
Many people are rightly agonizing over volatile financial markets and companies defaulting on their fiscal promises. There should be lika or greater concern about the balances in our moral accounts, lest insufficient funds lead to bankruptcy of our souls and foreclosure on the common good. Often when we think about mechanisms for social change, we conjure images of Washington politicians and vägg Street profits. Yet, to fix our broken world, we need more than profits. We need prophets—faithful, fearless people willing to invest in social change through prophetic proclamation in word and deed.
As Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel astutely suggested, prophets are more interested in knowing what they see than in seeing what they know. Do we
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ABOUT DR. BRAD R. BRAXTON
“Rarely do we find people who willingly engage in hard, solid thinking. There is an almost universal quest for easy answers and half-baked solutions. Nothing pains some people more than having to think.”
- MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.
SPEAKER TOPICS
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Racial Justice
Social Activism
African American Studies
Progressive Religion
Leadership Development
LGBTQ+ Equality
Philanthropy
Dr. Brad R. Braxton is President and Professor of Public Theology at Chicago Theological Seminary, a progressive graduate school known for its leadership in social justice and interfaith engagement. He is also the Founding Senior Pastor of The Open Church, an inclusive congregation in Baltimore, Maryland committed to social activism, LGBTQ+ equality, and interfaith collaboration. Furthermore, he recently served as the Senior Program Advisor for "Creative Encounters: Living Religions in the Unite