Statement of Confession and Action

In the spring of 1999, the Shaw Center and its Advisory Board issued the following statement of Confession and Action:

“The Anna Howard Shaw Center and the members of its Advisory Board recognize and confess our historic creation of and participation in racist structures within the Center and the Board.

We proudly celebrate the fruits of our historic work to claim the power of women’s voices.  We acknowledge that this power has primarily benefited white women.  We confess that the narrowness of our vision has perpetuated injustice and silenced the voices of many sisters.

As Shaw Center and Advisory Board members, we commit to work for the full participation of women of all races by opening ourselves to change and confronting racism within ourselves and our organization.  This is our commitment, and we recognize the Divine grace needed for this task.  We will do this to strengthen our ministry to all women, both lay and clergy, in the Boston University School of Theology, in the church, and in the world.

To faithfully bring forth justice, we will seek and nurture the necessary spiritual resources.  We are open to the Anna Howard Shaw Center and Advisory Board becoming a radically different organization.”