Matthew 25 calls the church to more than good intentions. It calls us to action shaped by truth—because how we treat our neighbors matters to God, and because the gospel demands that we face what has wounded God’s people.
In that spirit, the PC(USA) Self-Studies on Racism initiative invites congregations and mid councils to examine their own local histories through an anti-racist lens—and to share what they learn so the whole church can grow. This work flows from the churchwide call to corporate repentance issued by the 224th General Assembly (2020), which named the PC(USA)’s complicity in systemic racism and white supremacy and called Presbyterians to repent “personally and corporately” for silence and failure to act.
To help congregations do that work, the 225th General Assembly (2022) directed the Presbyterian Historical Society (PHS) to create an online historical self-study tool “for congregations and mid councils to investigate their own history” and better equip more communities to undertake this work.
A growing collection of truth-telling
As part of this effort, PHS is collecting and preserving self-study products from across the denomination and providing access through the PC(USA) Self-Studies on Racism digital collection. These are not abstract essays—they are local, specific accounts that help congregations reckon with the past and commit to different practices moving forward.
The “Resources for Self-Study on Racism” page highlights examples of what this can look like:
- A self-study from First Presbyterian Church, Charlotte (2023) examined finances, personnel practices, and facilities “from an antiracist perspective,” and reported that the session once provided meeting space for the Ku Klux Klan in the 1870s.
- A report titled “Old First and Slavery” (2022) from First Presbyterian Church (New York, NY) found that, between 1784 and 1812, a majority of elders and trustees were enslavers, and it explored how building projects were tied to wealth generated through slavery.
- Other studies trace congregational responses to the Civil Rights Movement, patterns of segregation and inclusion, and how mission spending aligned—or failed to align—with justice.
Why this is Matthew 25 work
Self-studies on racism are not merely historical projects—they are discipleship.
- Building Congregational Vitality: Truth-telling creates healthier, more faithful communities. Vitality grows when a congregation stops avoiding hard truths and instead builds a culture of honesty, lament, learning, and repair.
- Dismantling Structural Racism: Racism is sustained by systems, habits, and stories we inherit. Studying our local history reveals how injustice was normalized—and helps us change policies and practices today.
- Eradicating Systemic Poverty: Many racial injustices are also economic injustices. Research often exposes how wealth, property, education, and access were unequally distributed—and how the church benefited. That clarity strengthens our resolve to invest differently now.
An invitation to congregations across the Synod of the Northeast
If your congregation or presbytery has begun this work—or feels called to start—know that you’re not alone. PC(USA) has gathered resources and examples to guide you, and PHS is actively preserving and sharing self-studies so the whole church can learn together.
Consider taking a next step:
- gather a small team to review your congregation’s history,
- name what you find with honesty and prayer,
- and when you’re ready, submit your self-study product to PHS to strengthen the church’s shared witness.
Because in Matthew 25, Jesus doesn’t ask whether we meant well—he asks what we did. And one of the most faithful things we can do right now is tell the truth, repent with substance, and build communities where justice is not a slogan, but a way of life.
