Courage to Love
The inspired legacy of
Dr. C. Eric Lincoln
"It takes courage to love. We have walked on the moon, but we have not walked with each other. We make ourselves intimately comfortable talking in chat rooms with total strangers on the other side of the world; but we don’t talk with the people next door or down the street. This new millennium could well become the most stressful era in our history as we try to avoid ‘relating’ to the increasing awareness of God’s other children who have a legitimate share in the bounty of good things with which He has blessed America. Are we ready to open up our hearts and minds to these new challenges, these new opportunities to love? Do we have the courage to try?"
Dr. C. Eric Lincoln, from a sermon preached at Reconciliation UMC,
January 16, 2000
Dr. C. Eric Lincoln
June 23, 1924 – May 14, 2000
One of the nation’s most eminent religious scholars was a founding member of our congregation. Dr. C. Eric Lincoln was inspirational to the development of our mission. Honored by Pope John Paul II for his "scholarly service to the church," Dr. Lincoln authored over twenty-two works on the sociology of religion, race and ethnic relations. Dr. Lincoln taught and lectured across the globe, and preached that America must end its "obsession with racism." Friend of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Dr. Lincoln dedicated his life to racial healing. During his tenure as Professor Emeritus at Duke University, Dr. Lincoln was an active member of our congregation, and contributed to the theological foundations and mission of our church.