Lament into Hope–A conversation with Rev. Kristian Smith, Pastor, The Faith Community, Atlanta

Rev. Dr. Emma Jordan-Simpson speaks with Rev. Kristian Smith, Pastor, The Faith Community (TFC), Atlanta, Georgia. Their discussion centers around Rev. Smith’s thoughts about how justice is a joint effort and that if people came together and formed communities of allyship they would be unstoppable.

TFC is grounded in a radically inclusive Greatest Commandment Theology, which is derived from Jesus’ words in Matthew 22:37–40. There, he upholds loving God, loving your neighbor, and loving yourself as the commandments on which “hang all the law and the prophets.” TFC seeks to reorient our basic question from “What does the Bible have to say about this,” to, “How does the Greatest Commandment apply here?” With this as our basis, we operate by five keys — Greatest Commandment Theology, Anti-Racism, Women’s Equity, LGBTQ+ Affirmation, and Bible Criticism. And all of this serves to help us deliver on our promise to be Disruptive, Authentic, and Inclusive.