As librarians, staff, administrators, directors, and lovers of libraries in theological schools and in college and university settings supporting religion and theology programs, we condemn racism in its many and varied forms.

We are aware that racism, particularly against Black people, is pervasive in our society and even our institutions. There are systemic issues that perpetuate inequalities and injustices for people of color in the United States. These issues are also present in other parts of the world where inequities persist, often exacerbated by the United States' export of anti-black racism.

The differences of culture, ethnicity, and other identity markers, all point to a truth: We are one human race, created imago Dei. Racist behavior and rhetoric interferes with the pursuit of religious and theological knowledge and is incompatible with the ethics of librarianship.

We grieve the murder of George Floyd. We lament the death of Breonna Taylor. We mourn the passing of Ahmaud Arbury. We affirm:

Black Lives Matter

The Right to Protest Matters

The Bible Matters

We stand in solidarity with our colleagues in the Black Caucus American Library Association and join their call "to take proactive and preventive measures in the fight against racism" (special statement on bcala.org, accessed 2 June 2020).  We commend the Society of Biblical Literature for “A Statement on Black Lives Matter, Right to Protest, and Bible as a Prop” (on sbl-site.org, accessed 3 June 2020) and are honored to endorse it as well.  

Signed,

To view a list of all who have signed this statement: https://tinyurl.com/theolibsupportblm

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