Riverside Search Committee Unanimously Selects Braxton to Succeed Forbes

The New York Times is reporting that a search committee of Riverside Church in New York City has unanimously selected the Rev. Dr. Brad R. Braxton to succeed Dr. James Forbes.  Here's a snippet from the story:

Members of the church, which is affiliated with the American Baptist Churches and the United Church of Christ, provided the search committee — which interviewed 65 candidates — with guidance on how to find a new senior minister. But they knew nothing of who would be nominated when they arrived for the 10:45 a.m. service on Sunday. . . .

Cheryle Wills, the chairwoman of the search committee, told the congregation that committee members who saw Dr. Braxton in action described him as “powerful” and “a genius.”

“All of us know that this young man has a vision much larger than ours,” Ms. Wills said after the service. “We want to be on the forefront of change. And not change for the sake of change. But change for the betterment and inclusion of all people.” . . .

Should he be confirmed by the congregation next month, Dr. Braxton, a religious scholar and son of a Baptist pastor from Salem, Va., could be expected to follow the tradition of the five earlier senior ministers of the church in becoming an influential voice in city and national affairs.

Dr. Braxton was not present on Sunday. Reached by telephone, he said he was “honored” by the prospect of becoming part of the church’s “noble legacy.” He said he views his role as both nurturing the spiritual journey of his congregants and speaking to “moral goodness and justice and peace for the diverse peoples of the world and the planet on which we live.”

“Part of what religious communities do in their best moments is to seek after the truth with a sense of humility and a sense of openness for the sake of the common good,” he said. “So I certainly would hope to continue in that marvelous legacy of congregational care internally, and bold, courageous, prophetic action externally, for which the Riverside Church has been known now for so many years.”

Dr. Braxton, who studied as a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford University, earned a Ph.D. in New Testament studies from Emory University while serving as senior minister for the Douglas Memorial Community Church in Baltimore, according to a biography released by the church. He has most recently been an associate professor at the Vanderbilt University Divinity School in Nashville.

Braxton previously taught at Wake Forest University Divinity School.  As the story says, this decision has yet to be confirmed by the congregation.  But let me offer my congratulations to him and to Riverside on his unanimous selection by the search committee.

Comments

[Michael Westmoreland-White]

This is great news for Riverside, but not for Vandy. Riverside gets another African-American pastor in the largest multi-racial congregation in the country. It gets a dynamic preacher, but one who will take a more exegetical style than Forbes. And Braxton has experience in ecumenical ministry, too.

But Vanderbilt, which had been aquiring some good Baptist scholars, especially African-American Baptists, loses a major asset. Still, I am excited for Riverside if they confirm Braxton as Senior minister.

[Melissa Rogers]

You are right, Michael. I also should have offered my condolences to Vandy.

[Sherman Haywood Cox II]

I am glad I was able to learn from him at Vanderbilt and I wish to congratulate him and pray for the Riverside church confirmation vote.

It was a blessing to learn from him....

[Sean]

Melissa
Thanks for this update. I knew the appointment was in the pipeline but it is great to have it confirmed. Brad is a dear friend of mine from Oxford days and it is wonderful to see how the call of God on his life has worked.

[Melissa Rogers]

Sean, thanks for letting me know of your connection to this exciting news. Small world. . . .

Sherman, I'm sure you speak for many of Brad's students.