Did they make the right choice?
The Abyssinian Baptist Church in New York City is currently facing a significant lawsuit centered on allegations of gender discrimination in the selection process for a new senior pastor after the passing of Calvin O. Butts III in 2022. Eboni Marshall Turman, a former pastor at Abyssinian and current professor at Yale Divinity School, has taken legal action, claiming that she was unfairly excluded as a finalist for the senior pastor position. The lawsuit, filed on December 29, explicitly accuses both the church and Valerie S. Grant, the search committee chair, of engaging in gender discrimination.
Marshall Turman, who made history in 2007 as the youngest pastor ordained in Abyssinian’s 215-year history, is seeking monetary damages for lost wages, benefits, and emotional distress. The lawsuit also aims for an injunction against future gender discrimination in the church’s hiring processes. Despite strong denials from the church and Grant, questions have been raised about Marshall Turman’s exclusion, especially as the remaining candidates for the senior pastor role are all men.
This legal dispute occurs in the aftermath of the recent death of Calvin O. Butts III, a highly respected figure who led the church for three decades and was widely praised for his dedication to social and racial justice. The memorial service for Butts featured tributes from prominent figures, including former President Bill Clinton and New York City Mayor Eric Adams, underscoring Butts’ profound impact in both religious and civic spheres.
In her lawsuit, Marshall Turman details her qualifications and underscores the support she received from Butts, her mentor in ministry. This legal challenge coincides with Marshall Turman’s extensive research on gender politics in black churches, where she has been an outspoken critic of the “theological erasure” and “violence” against black women. Her upcoming book, “Black Women’s Burden: Male Power, Gender Violence, and the Scandal of African American Social Christianity,” adds an extra layer of significance to the unfolding legal drama, promising a deeper exploration of these critical issues.
If the Lord has not called this woman with issues. If the Holy Spirit has not anointed her to be Pastor; will she blaspheme God and say He discriminates against black woman preachers?????
Give the poor little girl a pacifier.
I AM SICK AND TIRED OF PEOPLE USING THE RACE CARD. OUR WORLD WAS 100% BETTER WHEN WE DID NOT HIRE PEOPLE BY GENDER OR COLOR. BUT BY MERIT. BUT BIDEN STOPPED THIS ASAP. NOW WE HAVE PEOPLE TOTALLY UNQUALIFIED IN JOBS , PEOPLE WITH INTELLIGENCE ARE OUT IN BIDENS ADMINISTRATION. NO WONDER OUR COUNTRY IS GOING TO HELL. OBAMA IS THE CAUSE OF ALL THIS, HE STARDET THIS LGBTQ GRACE, WE KNOW WHY, HOW HE BLINDED AMERICANS WITH ALL HIS LIES.