The Justice Dialogues: Faith in Action leader to explore church’s prophetic imagination in today’s world
VALLEY FORGE, PA (08/25/2025)—American Baptist Home Mission Societies (ABHMS) invites the public to the next edition of its Justice Dialogues series, set for Wednesday, September 3, at 12 p.m. EDT. Titled “Embracing a Prophetic Imagination: The Role of the Church in This Present Age,” this virtual event will feature Bishop Dwayne D. Royster, executive director of Faith in Action, the nation’s largest global faith-based organizing movement for racial and economic justice.
“Bishop Royster has long embodied a prophetic imagination that speaks to the urgent moral challenges of our time,” said Rev. Dr. Jennifer Stewart, director of ABHMS’ Healing & Transforming Communities, which convenes The Justice Dialogues. “We look forward to the wisdom he will share about how the church can faithfully live into its calling to be a beacon of justice, healing, and hope in the present age.”
A pastor, political activist, and organizer, Royster brings more than 30 years of pastoral leadership across multiple denominations to the conversation. He has served as executive director of POWER Interfaith and ministered to a congregation in Washington, D.C. as senior pastor. He also founded the Society for Faith and Justice. A respected faith voice for justice, equity, and human dignity, his work has been featured in Time, The New York Times, PBS, and other national outlets. Royster holds degrees from Geneva College and Lutheran Theological Seminary and studied at Eastern Baptist.
Rev. Brian Ellis-Gibbs, a national coordinator for Healing & Transforming Communities at ABHMS, highlights the timely value of the pending dialogue. “It is about more than words—it is about equipping the church to imagine new possibilities and take bold steps toward justice,” he said. “We need this kind of vision now more than ever.”
Launched in 2020, The Justice Dialogues provides a forum for open and faithful conversation about the moral issues of our age. Each session invites participants to reflect, learn, and discern together how the church might respond prophetically to pressing social concerns. Past dialogues have addressed topics including immigration, mental health, environmental justice, and the role of faith leaders in their communities.
Online registration for this free September 3 session is now open. To learn more about ABHMS’ Healing & Transforming Communities ministry, visit abhms.org.
American Baptist Home Mission Societies partners with American Baptists to promote Christian faith, cultivate Christ-centered leaders and disciples, and bring healing and transformation to communities across the United States and Puerto Rico.
