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Cheryl J. Sanders

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Cheryl Jeanne Sanders
Occupation(s)Minister, academic
Academic background
EducationTh.D.
Alma materHarvard Divinity School
Academic work
DisciplineChristian Ethics, Womanist ethics
InstitutionsHoward University School of Divinity
Notable worksSaints in Exile

Cheryl J. Sanders is an African-American professor and scholar of Christian Ethics. Her work on womanist ethics has been influential in the development of the field. She teaches Christian Ethics at Howard University School of Divinity. Her books include Ministry at the Margins, Saints in Exile: The Holiness Pentecostal Experience in African American Religion, and Empowerment Ethics for a Liberated People: A Path to African American Social Transformation.[1][2][3][4]

Biography

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Cheryl Jeanne Sanders grew up in Washington, D.C.[5] She attended Swathmore College, where she majored in mathematics, and minored in Black studies. She then decided to pursue studies in theology, and completed a Master of Divinity (MDiv) degree at Harvard Divinity School (HDS) in 1980. She continued her studies at HDS, completing a Doctor of Theology degree (ThD) in 1985.[5] The title of her doctoral thesis was "Slavery and Conversion: An Analysis of Ex-slave Testimony."[6] She noted in an interview at Harvard that she was 'fascinated by oral histories, fascinated by people giving religious testimonies."[5]

A professor of Christian Ethics at Howard University,[7] Sanders is the author of several books and articles related to Christian ethics, African-American religious history, Pentecostalism, and womanist theology.[1][8] In 2018, two of her books, Empowerment Ethics for a Liberated People and Ministry at the Margins: The Prophetic Mission for Women, Youth, and the Poor, were included in a list of recommended reading for Black History Month by CBE International.[9]

Sanders is also an ordained minister in the Church of God.[10][11] She is the senior pastor of the Third Street Church of God in Washington, D.C.,[12] where she has been in ministry since 1995; she has been the senior pastor there since 1997.[5][13] Third Street is also the same church where she was raised as a child.[2]

As pastor of Third Street Church, Sanders oversaw the building of an annex and a restoration of the sanctuary in 2014. The proposed renovations encountered resistance when Sanders sought to create new parking lots for the congregation. The neighborhood blocked the effort due to concerns about the demolition of historic buildings.[14][15]

In an interview in The Washington Post, about abortion rights, Sanders held that the bible may be "pro-life" but expressed an unwillingness to be associated with the political movement.[16]

Sanders has cautioned against over simplifying "terrorists" as evil, noting that the "war" against anti-Black terrorism in during the civil rights movement was "won" by righteousness and not weapons.[17]

At a speech given in 2014 at the Martin Luther King Jr., Lecture Series at Fuller Theological Seminary, Sanders highlighted seven leadership roles that King demonstrated, which she felt should be emulated by clergy and religious leaders. They were "orator; organizer; opportunist; optimist; operative; organic intellectual; and oracle."[18]

Works

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  • Sanders, Cheryl J. "Social Justice: Theology as Social Transformation" in The Routledge Handbook of Pentecostal Theology, Wolfgang Vondey, ed. (2020)[19]
  • Sanders, Cheryl J. Ministry at the Margins : the Prophetic Mission of Women, Youth & the Poor (1997)[20]
  • Sanders, Cheryl J. Saints in Exile : the Holiness-Pentecostal Experience in African American Religion and Culture (1996)[21]
  • Sanders, Cheryl J. Empowerment ethics for a liberated people : a path to African American social transformation (1995)[22]
  • Sanders, Cheryl J., ed. Living the Intersection: Womanism and Afrocentrism in Theology (1995)[23] ISBN 9780800628529
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References

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  1. ^ a b "Cheryl Sanders | Howard Profiles". profiles.howard.edu. Retrieved 2023-02-06.
  2. ^ a b "Cheryl Sanders: Finding identity in the world". Faith and Leadership. Retrieved 2023-02-06.
  3. ^ Reviews of Saints in Exile:
  4. ^ Reviews of Empowerment Ethics for a Liberated People:
  5. ^ a b c d Herman, Beth A. (May 9, 2009). "A Natural Progression". news-archive.hds.harvard.edu. Retrieved 2023-02-25.
  6. ^ "Slavery and conversion : an analysis of ex-slave testimony : a thesis | WorldCat.org". www.worldcat.org. Retrieved 2023-02-25.
  7. ^ Lohmeyer, Suzette (January 16, 2023). "What Black activism looks like without the church". Grid News. Retrieved 2023-02-25.
  8. ^ S, Cheryl; ers. "Cheryl Sanders". CT Pastors. Retrieved 2023-02-25.
  9. ^ "8 Books to Pick Up During (and After) Black History Month". CBE International. Retrieved 2023-02-25.
  10. ^ Sanders, Cheryl J. (1987-07-01). "Making a New Way: A Consequence of Openness". Sojourners. Retrieved 2023-02-06.
  11. ^ "For many blacks, there's only one Bible, and it's the KJV". The Christian Century. Retrieved 2023-02-25.
  12. ^ Blair, Leonardo; Reporter, Senior Features (2019-02-11). "Challenged by racism in white churches, black churches endure but with competition". The Christian Post. Retrieved 2023-02-06.
  13. ^ "Pastor's Page". Third Street Church of God. Retrieved 2023-02-06.
  14. ^ Tavernise, Sabrina (2011-07-18). "A Population Changes, Uneasily". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2023-02-06.
  15. ^ Harris, Hamil R. (2014-07-04). "For D.C.'s Third Street Church of God, expanding, renovating wasn't easy". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2023-02-06.
  16. ^ "Why some Black churches aren't elated about the possible end of Roe". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2023-02-06.
  17. ^ The Washington Times. "What makes a war 'just'?". The Washington Times. Retrieved 2023-02-06.
  18. ^ Staff, UrbanFaith (2014-02-21). "Dr. Cheryl Sanders' Seven Leadership Lessons From MLK'S Legacy". Urban Faith. Retrieved 2023-02-06.
  19. ^ Vondey, Wolfgang (2020-03-31). The Routledge Handbook of Pentecostal Theology. Routledge. ISBN 978-0-429-01622-6.
  20. ^ "Ministry at the margins : the prophetic mission of women, youth & the poor | WorldCat.org". www.worldcat.org. Retrieved 2023-02-25.
  21. ^ "Saints in exile : the Holiness-Pentecostal experience in African American religion and culture | WorldCat.org". www.worldcat.org. Retrieved 2023-02-25.
  22. ^ "Empowerment ethics for a liberated people : a path to African American social transformation | WorldCat.org". www.worldcat.org. Retrieved 2023-02-25.
  23. ^ "Living the Intersection: Womanism and Afrocentrism in Theology". Fortress Press. Retrieved 2023-02-25.
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