The Episcopal Church’s Sacred Ground program on race and faith—completed by more than 30,000 participants since 2019—is introducing a significant curriculum revision with updated and contextualized materials.
Those who are planning to facilitate Sacred Ground circles when the program year begins in September are encouraged to spend time with the new materials, which can be found online here.
Primarily designed to help White Episcopalians learn more about and grapple with the history of race and racism in the United States, Sacred Ground has grown to include interracial groups and circles hosted by other denominations and faith-based organizations.
The 11-session dialogue series is built around an online curriculum of readings and documentaries and weaves in family stories, economic class, and political and regional identity.
The curriculum update includes freshened materials and an adjusted framework to better guide lay leaders as they ground the sessions in a call to faith, hope, and love.
The new materials invite participants to contextualize what they are learning by identifying local issues of racial inequity or historical harms; connecting with local groups working to repair harm—and to consider how they and their congregation might engage with efforts to address racial injustice.
“Nearly a decade into its life, Sacred Ground continues to be a transformational experience for thousands of people every year,” said Andrea Lauerman, Sacred Ground coordinator. “With that in mind, the job of the curriculum review team was to make sure that the program meets the needs of today’s community while maintaining what has made it so impactful. We remain open to feedback and plan to make updates on an ongoing basis.”
The launch of Sacred Ground’s new program year will include a webinar Sept. 15 with Presiding Bishop Sean Rowe–register here.
Sacred Ground program releases updated curriculum
