Date: September 3, 2026
Today Intercultural Competency Training begins. A fundamental Christian obligation is to challenge racism in all its forms. This should not be controversial, but strangely, we are in a season when such a claim is considered ‘too woke’. The reaction against DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) has been virulent. White people we are told need protecting against this constant shaming, the embarrassing history, and the prejudice that gives all the minorities the college places.
Yet in truth racism persists. Every white person knows someone (perhaps a relative, perhaps a friend) who harbors racist attitudes. And if we are honest we know full well that when those people have opportunities to exercise power (perhaps in the work place, perhaps around a rental), they would find it hard to exercise that power in a way that is fair and appropriate. This is where racism impacts human lives.
So, we will continue to offer this training. We will continue to require all employees and students to do the training. And the goal of this training is to just make us all a little more literate and aware of the complex dynamics of race in our society and in our church.
The Very Rev. Ian S. Markham, Ph.D.
Dean and President of Virginia Theological Seminary and the President of The General Theological Seminary.