For Such a Time as This
Remarks by President David M. Mellott
The following remarks were shared by CTS President David M. Mellott as he welcomed attendees to the Faith & Action Fall Event on Tuesday, November 12, 2024 – just one week after the 2024 election. The comments resonated strongly with attendees, so we have decided to share them with our larger community here.
Friends of God and Friends of CTS,
A few short weeks ago, the majority of those who voted elected an administration whose policies and rhetoric conflict with the values and perspective of CTS. Equally disturbing, millions of eligible voters didn’t vote at all. Those in our country who are already socially vulnerable will become even more vulnerable, and more lives will be put in jeopardy with the direction that the new administration is planning to take.
I know that many of us are thinking long and hard about what this all portends, not only for the nation, but also for ourselves and those we love. The feelings of despair, disappointment, anger, and hurt are real. There are too many messages attempting to provide hope without acknowledging the real and long-lasting ramifications of this election.
This is not a matter of figuring out how to get through the next four years. The course that is being put forward will impact generations of those who live in the United States, if not the world.
As this is happening, CTS is celebrating its 100th anniversary. The school’s founding continues to inspire and guide us, and I want you to hear just a bit about it and the context of its birth.
- In 1910, 114 years ago, Madam C. J. Walker – businesswoman, hair care entrepreneur, philanthropist, activist, and first documented female millionaire in America – relocated her business to Indianapolis.
- 14 years later, in 1924, the Indiana Ku Klux Klan had one of the largest memberships in the country;
- That same year, 1924, our ancestors in faith established the Butler School of Religion, which would eventually become Christian Theological Seminary. At its founding the school promised to offer theological education to “all students on an equal basis.” You can see this diversity in early photos of the student body.
CTS continues to build upon this foundation of social and religious transformation, which you can see in the values we live under, including:
- All people are created in the image of God, and therefore have inherent worth and dignity
- Working toward Justice for All is an imperative of Christian faith and life
We are not wavering from those values. In fact, now is the time to embody them more loudly and proudly. The world needs CTS. The world needs you, friends. And we need each other.
I pray that God will provide balm to our hearts and light to our path as we navigate these confusing times together.
President David M. Mellott, PhD
