David Soliday

Co-Convener, Methodist Theological School of Ohio

My involvement with the Beatitudes Society grew out of my role as organizer of the Seminarians for Worker Justice group on campus. We all agreed that labor and work issues were often symptoms of much larger systemic issues. When our faculty advisor introduced us to the “Be’ats” there was a natural attraction and a nice fit. This initiative also reflects the focus of another group I was a part of the year before: Ministers for Social Justice. The goals of this earlier group were nicely accomplished by the nationally recognized coalition We Believe Ohio, but as for a campus group, several of the core student members had moved on after graduation.

As for my own conversion to prophetic justice, my Seminary Summer internship with Interfaith Worker Justice was pivotal. I shadowed an SEIU Organizer for a couple days as he worked with home healthcare providers in the Akron area. I saw firsthand the plight of low-income workers and heard the stories of their struggles. That hit close to home, as I have spent time working low-income jobs and trying to support a family myself. At the same time I was learning in my seminary classes about ethics and Liberation Theology and mysticism and Powers & Principalities and Martin Luther King and so much more. I was also learning (and this took longer) that my own calling was not in a church or congregation.

Now I’m very happy with the response we’ve had on campus so far. After our first meeting we had three people register on the web site. We were asked to facilitate a discussion around Sam’s Club’s visit to campus. We’ll be leading chapel and hosting a panel presentation later this month and everyone has been so receptive. We seem to be tapping a deeply felt longing amongst students and faculty alike. The connections to other groups, such as faith & ecology and the Gay-Straight Alliance, seem to be growing spontaneously. It’s exciting and fulfilling, and gives me hope for our common future.

Strengthening the progressive Christian network for justice, compassion, & peace