History

In March 1995, more than 250 Mennonites and Brethren in Christ gathered in Chicago for a conference known as "Restoring Our Sight." This gathering for those seeking to challenge racism in the Anabaptist community examined the biblical basis for antiracism work, the history of racism in the Anabaptist tradition and institutional racism. One of the clearest of the many calls to resist racism coming out of a planning meeting at the gathering was a call to provide antiracism training for long-term institutional change.

 

Participants in the planning meetings made the following statement:

Together we have noted the biblical call to reconciliation. We believe that planning for long-term intentional antiracism holds the promise of a renewed antiracist multicultural church. Recognizing that this will not come by individual will or personal intent, we call for a process to equip our Mennonite and Brethren in Christ institutions to do the work of antiracism.

Following up on this call, a group representing a variety of Mennonite and Brethren in Christ organizations gathered in Goshen, Ind., to decide a next step. Out of this discussion and subsequent meetings during the Mennonite General Assembly in Wichita, "The Damascus Road" was born.