‘We are still in the fight of our lives’: A Faithful Struggle panel takes place at Ebenezer Baptist Church

Inside an anteroom of Ebenezer Baptist Church on a warm Tuesday night, a gathering of religious leaders and scholars took place. Their goal was simple: understanding the role of the Black Protestant Church on the eve of the 250th birthday.

Hosted by Interfaith America, a Chicago-based national nonprofit organization, “A Faithful Struggle: Historically Black Protestant Churches’ Reflections at America’s 250th” brought four people to a small stage to talk about a big topic. Rev. Dr. Gabby Cudjoe Wilkes, the co-founding lead pastor at Double Love Experience Church in Brooklyn, Rev. Frederick Davie, the senior executive vice president at Union Theological Seminary in Manhattan, New York, and Rev. Devon Jerome Crawford, the senior pastor at Historic Third Baptist Church of San Francisco, were in Atlanta to address the elephant in Black America’s room. Ebenezer Baptist Church Executive Pastor Rev. Dr. John H. Vaughn moderated the panel. “Tonight, I will be in conversation with some friends and colleagues,” Vaughn said.

His first question to the panel was about pluralism, and all three panelists offered different answers but shared similar points of focus.

“Pluralism to me means active engagement,” said Davie.

Wilkes said that, with the Fourth of July approaching, it’s worth a conversation, particularly now. “It’s not lost on me that approaching 250 years, we’re still gathered in a church in the south having an important conversation about what’s next.” 

Crawford used an example of how his church, one of the oldest Black churches in the Bay Area, and a nearby synagogue practice what he called their annual “congregational exchange” as a way to practice pluralism. “It was not based on how we felt at the time, but staying at the table even when it was hard,” Crawford explained.  

Along with the panelists’ thoughts and commentary, Vaughn posed the same questions to the audience. Dianna Anthony, a Muslim woman, said of pluralism, “It’s like a chunky beef stew.” Another woman, dressed in nurse scrubs, answered a question about whether she would celebrate Independence Day and, if so, how. Ethel Richards with iEatMorePlants did not need to answer the second half of the question. 

“I have no intention of celebrating it,” she said. 

Richards referenced the famous speech “What to the slave is the Fourth of July?”, which was delivered on July 5, 1852, in Rochester, New York. A man seated a couple of rows in front of her said, “ I still see that struggle.” 

The hour-and-a-half-long, diverse discussion also included the recent Supreme Court ruling on birthright citizenship, the war in Gaza, Democratic Socialists such as New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, and instilling self-respect and self-worth in Black children. 

“The Supreme Court did something to affirm the fact that we are better off when we contribute to this thing called democracy,” Davie said. 

Vaughn asked the panelists to deliver a message to the people in attendance and to those who would watch the video footage and read about this discussion. Crawford said to keep showing up to conversations like the one they had Tuesday, “because that’s what helps us build relationships that last past these moments.”

Wilkes, who also led the closing prayer, advised people to continue chronicling joy and humanity. And to understand one thing, while either choosing to celebrate or not: “We are still in the fight of our lives.”

Davie, who shared multiple stories and is planning to retire from his work at Union Theological Seminary this week, credited Ebenezer Baptist Church as his church home, even though he lives in New York City. Davie attends service via the Sunday online stream. 

“This place represents the best of America and the best of Black America,” he said. 

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