Cultivate essential skills as you engage the relationship between ministry and social justice.
Mission
The Leadership Center for Social Justice seeks to equip, inspire, and empower leaders to faithfully and reflectively engage in concrete, contextual ministry for social justice. In the spirit of faith, hope, and love, the Center supports leaders in developing skills in contextually-sensitive, creative, and effective leadership and social praxis.
In addition to the Leadership for Social Justice program—a nine-month continuing education program for pastors—the Center serves as a hub for critical conversations about a range of contemporary social and political issues, offering spiritual leaders and communities of faith a place for reflective and deeply engaged continuing theological education.
Programs
The Center currently offers a tuition-free nine-month continuing education program in Leadership for Social Justice for congregational pastors in Minnesota and surrounding states.
The program equips pastors with the skills to effectively address a broad range of social issues—including struggles for economic, racial, gender, sexual, and ecological justice— in ways that are reflective, practical, relational, and faithful. The program supports pastors in developing and/or deepening contextually sensitive, sustainable, and community-based ministries in social justice responsive to what God is doing in our world, in our congregations, and in our communities.
Events
The Hawkinson Fund Joins United's Leadership Center
Exciting news: The Hawkinson Fund for Peace and Justice, now part of United’s Leadership Center for Social Justice, offers scholarships to students who demonstrate a commitment to peace and justice. The Fund also offers a yearly honorary award to individuals who have made significant and sustained contributions to peace and justice.
Staff
Rev. Dr. Justin Sabia-Tanis is an associate professor of Christian Ethics and Social Transformation, supported by the McVay Endowment, and the director of the Social Transformation program at United Theological Seminary. He earned his PhD from the Graduate Theological Union in Interdisciplinary Studies in addition to a Master of Divinity degree at Harvard Divinity School and a Doctor of Ministry from San Francisco Theological Seminary. As a pastor, he served congregations in Boston, Honolulu, and San Francisco and was Director of Leadership Development for Metropolitan Community Churches; he is now with the United Church of Christ. In his prior work, he served as Managing Director at the Center for LGBTQ and Gender Studies in Religion (CLGS) and directed communications for the Hawai’i Equal Rights Marriage Project, the National Center for Transgender Equality, and Out & Equal Workplace Advocates. He has taught at the University of Arizona, Pima Community College, Iliff School of Theology, and Pacific School of Religion. He lives in Minnesota with his husband, Henry, and their two dogs.
Grace Pennings Guenthner (she/her) is a Master of Arts in Eco-Justice student at United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities. She also serves as the Administrative Assistant for the Leadership Center for Social Justice and the Community Outreach and Engagement Coordinator for the Hawkinson Fund for Peace and Justice. Raised on an organic vegetable CSA farm and holding a BA in Geology from Macalester College, Grace brings a deep-rooted connection to the land and a passion for nurturing justice for people and the planet. Before beginning seminary, she spent nearly two years living and volunteering at Holden Village, an intentional community in Washington State’s North Cascades, where she deepened her commitment to community-based, spiritually grounded social transformation. Having grown up in the Grace University Lutheran Church community, where the Hawkinson Fund began, Grace is especially honored to join this important work in the Fund’s new chapter at United.
Research
The Leadership Center for Social Justice currently collaborates with Convergence to assess and evaluate the impact of the Leadership for Social Justice program on congregational vitality.
Affiliated Faculty
Rev. Dr. Gary Green
Associate Professor of Pastoral Theology and Social Transformation, Director of Racial Intelligence Systems
LCSJ on Social Media
Now Take the Next Step
Wherever you’re at in your vocational journey, we’re here to help guide you.
