Sacred antiracism: Exploring the role of sanctification in Episcopal racial justice movements

Scholars of community psychology have demonstrated that religion and spirituality play an important, yet often overlooked, role in social justice activity. However, more research is needed to understand the nuances of how religious actors utilize their faith in the pursuit of social justice. This study draws on the community psychology of religion and social movement studies to examine how Episcopalians employ religion/spirituality in their racial justice organizing. Based on 3 years of ethnographic fieldwork with an Episcopal Beloved Community Commission, findings reveal that members leveraged four specific religious resources-theology, sacrament, liturgy, and communal events-to frame racism as a spiritual, not solely social or political, problem. These strategies functioned as sanctification processes, ultimately recasting antiracism as a sacred endeavor. Unlike prior research that depicts sanctification as an individual process, the Commission practiced it collectively, leveraging Episcopal theology (e.g., naming racism as sin) to create new pathways for racial justice engagement among their faith community. Interventions in religious contexts can be strengthened by integrating theological teachings, sacramental practices, liturgical framing, and community gatherings into racial justice efforts.