A groundbreaking study of the theology of beloved community from leading clergy, scholars and thought leaders.

“This is a welcome and important statement by the House of Bishops Theology Committee that will strengthen and continue the church’s important conversations about beloved community. It challenges us not to stop with conversation but to move on to action — repairing and transforming relationships through acts of material repentance.”
—The Living Church

"I am so grateful for the... work of the theologians and bishops who have spent the last five years working on [this study] . . . This is hard and holy work, not to hurt or harm, but to help and heal."
—Michael B. Curry, the presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church

Allen K. Shin was elected to be bishop suffragan of the Episcopal Diocese of New York on December 7, 2013, at a special election convention held at Manhattan’s Cathedral Church of Saint John the Divine, and was consecrated at the Cathedral on Saturday May 17, 2014. He lives in New York, New York. Larry R. Benfield was elected the thirteenth bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Arkansas in 2006 and consecrated in 2007. He lives in Little Rock, Arkansas. The Most Rev. Michael B. Curry is the Episcopal Church’s 27th Presiding Bishop. He was the Bishop of North Carolina from 2000 to 2015. Bishop Curry has a national preaching and teaching ministry and is a regular on TV and radio and a frequent speaker at conferences around the country. His books include Crazy Christians: A Call to Follow Jesus; Following the Way of Jesus: Church’s Teachings for a Changing World; and Love Is the Way: Holding on to Hope in Troubling Times. Thomas Breidenthal is former chair of the House of Bishops theology committee and is the former bishop of the Diocese of Southern Ohio. He lives in Cincinnati, Ohio. Laura Ahrens is Bishop Suffragan in the Episcopal Diocese of Connecticut. She lives in Danbury, Connecticut. Kelly Brown Douglas is an Episcopal priest and graduate (Master of Divinity degree, doctoral degree) of Union Theological Seminary in New York City where she is now inaugural Dean of Episcopal Divinity School at Union Seminary. She lives in New York City. Sathianathan Clarke is Bishop Sundo Kim Chair for World Christianity, and Professor of Theology, Culture and Mission, Wesley Theological Seminary. He lives in Washington, D.C. Stephen Edward Fowl is Dean of Loyola College and Professor of Theology, Loyola University Maryland. He lives in Baltimore. R. William Franklin is Assisting Bishop of Long Island and the author or editor of seven books. He lives in New York City. Charles Mathewes is Carolyn Barbour Professor of Religious Studies, University of Virginia. He lives near Charlottesville, Virginia. Beverly Mitchell is Professor of Historical Theology, Wesley Theological Seminary. She lives in Washington, D.C. Prince G. Singh is Bishop Provisional for the Episcopal Dioceses of Western Michigan and Eastern Michigan. George Wayne Smith is a native of Texas and a graduate of Baylor University. He also holds advanced and professional degrees from Baylor, Nashotah House, and the University of the South. He has chaired liturgy commissions in two dioceses and is a member of the Association of Diocesan Liturgy and Music Commissions. He is the former bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Missouri. Kathryn Tanner is Marquand Professor of Systematic Theology, Yale Divinity School. G. Porter Taylor is the former bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Western North Carolina and Visiting Professor of Divinity, School of Divinity, Wake Forest University. James F. Turrell is Dean of the School of Theology, University of South. Jennifer Baskerville-Burrows is the first black woman to be elected a diocesan bishop in the Episcopal Church. She lives in Indianapolis, Indiana. Carol Gallagher is the former bishop suffragan of the Diocese of Southern Virginia and Assisting Bishop of North Dakota. She is the first American Indian (Cherokee) female bishop in the Episcopal Church. She is currently Canon for the Central Region in the Diocese of Massachusetts. She is the author of Reweaving the Sacred: A Practical Guide to Change and Growth for Challenged Congregations. She lives in Boston, Massachusetts. Gretchen Rehberg is bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Spokane. Altagracia Perez-Bullard served as co-chair of the Episcopal House of Bishops theology committee and is assistant professor of Practical Theology, Virginia Theological Seminary. Katherine Sonderegger is William Meade Chair of Systematic Theology, Virginia Theological Seminary.