Institute for Justice Formation

January 2023 Newsletter
2023-01-17 - 2023-01-31 | VA
Our quarterly Newsletters highlight the activities and events that occurred across all channels of the institute.

IJF Advisory Group Meeting
2023-02-20 10:00 - 12:00, 2023-03-20 10:00 - 12:00, 2023-04-17 10:00 - 12:00, 2023-05-15 10:00 - 12:00 (America/New_York) | VA
Every third Monday from November to May we have our Advisory Group Meeting.
If Monday is a holiday, we will meet the following Tuesday.

May 2023 Newsletter
2023-05-01 - 2023-05-30 | VA

Summer – MF 4335 – Critical Engagement with Biblical Justice
2023-05-01 | VA
The purpose of this course is to explore the intersection between Western moral reflection and contemporary critical justice theory toward a philosophically informed Christian moral apologetic.
Summer course start dates vary by course.
The Graduate Certificate in Biblical Justice Formation (GCBJF) is a program of study designed for students interested in what the Bible has to say about justice, and what relevance that has for people, particularly Christians, today. The program is ideal for people across all vocations who wish to point ways forward for everyone seeking to think and act in harmony with God–a community of equals pursuing Biblical justice in the world today. The GCBJF is taught on the master’s level and is designed to be completed in two years part-time or one year full-time.
For more details, click on the link below.

3rd Annual Conference
2023-06-09 - 2023-06-10 | VA
Throughout the prophetic literature in the Bible, God rejects Israel’s feast and fast because the people ignored the biblical demands of justice in their social, moral, and economic lives (Isaiah 1: 11-31; 58: 5b-6; Amos 5: 21-24; Jeremiah 7:1-11; Ezekiel 8-9; Micah 6:6-8; and Malachi 2). The Bible discloses the mandate for Christians to seek first the Kingdom of God and the eternal beauty of His justice (Matthew 6:33). However, centuries after God’s revelations, ideas of governance suggest a disconnect between biblical justice, human rights, and civil rights. The Institute for Justice Formation is seeking to address the apparent gap separating biblical justice, human rights, and civil rights in the light of critical biblical engagement. We take up the responsibility to bring together the academy and the church toward a biblical vision of human flourishing.
To register for the conference please click on the link below.

Book Signing by Dr. Drew G. I. Hart
2023-06-09 - 2023-06-10 | VA
The Institute for Justice Formation invites you to a special book signing with Dr. Drew G. I. Hart. during the 2023 Annual Conference.
Join Dr. Hart on during the conference on Friday, June 9th as he gives the evening sermon, and on Saturday, June 10th Dr. Hart will lead the workshop titled: “Connecting Human Rights, Civil Rights, and Biblical Justice: What must we do now?”
To register for the 2023 Annual Conference please click the link below.

July 2023 Newsletter
2023-07-01 - 2023-07-30 | VA

Fall – MF 4339 – Justice Formation Externship
2023-08-21 | VA
This externship will allow students to develop and implement a worshipful, educational, or advocative justice initiative in an experiential learning environment that offers real-world insight into theoretical topics learned in the graduate certificate.
Fall courses begin August 2023. Students and partners determine meeting days and times throughout the semester.
The Graduate Certificate in Biblical Justice Formation (GCBJF) is a program of study designed for students interested in what the Bible has to say about justice, and what relevance that has for people, particularly Christians, today. The program is ideal for people across all vocations who wish to point ways forward for everyone seeking to think and act in harmony with God–a community of equals pursuing Biblical justice in the world today. The GCBJF is taught on the master’s level and is designed to be completed in two years part-time or one year full-time.
For more details, click on the link below.

Fall – EH 3205 – In Search of Biblical Justice
2023-08-21 | VA
Students in this course will identify some characteristic features of the Bible’s teachings on justice revealed through God’s self-disclosure and reflect upon their availability to be a catalyst for Biblical Justice in our world.
The Graduate Certificate in Biblical Justice Formation (GCBJF) is a program of study designed for students interested in what the Bible has to say about justice, and what relevance that has for people, particularly Christians, today. The program is ideal for people across all vocations who wish to point ways forward for everyone seeking to think and act in harmony with God–a community of equals pursuing Biblical justice in the world today. The GCBJF is taught on the master’s level and is designed to be completed in two years part-time or one year full-time.
For more details, click on the link below.

IJF Fall Webinar Series
2023-10-01 | VA
The Institute for Justice Formation will host a series of discussions for professors, pastors, students, and public advocates to challenge us through worship, presentations, panels, and workshops to wake up and stay awake to God’s love for justice.
More information coming soon!

October 2023 Newsletter
2023-10-01 08:00 - 2023-10-31 17:00 | VA
Our quarterly Newsletters highlight the activities and events that occurred across all channels of the institute.

For the full article click on the link below:
IJF NEWSLTR – Oct 23 – V.1 (1)

IJF Advisory Group Meeting
2023-11-20 14:00 - 15:30 | VA
Meets every 3rd Monday of the month.

Fall Webinar 2023
2023-12-02 09:00 - 11:00 | VA
Join us for a discussion with Dr. Inez Tuck, IJF Advisory Group member and author of Florence and Mary: Nurse Leaders and Heroines of the Crimean War. Rev. Dr. Robert Wallace, Senior Pastor at First Baptist Church of McLean in McLean, VA will interview Dr. Tuck on her works in the book.

Spring – MF 4333 – Justice, Church, and Society
2024-01-22 | VA
This course will challenge students to bring the transformational potential of the biblical texts to bear on critical current justice context as regarding the distribution of social benefits and penalties, the exercise of legitimate power; fairness and balance; and honoring the rights or entitlements of people made in the image of God. Reflecting upon and contrasting what we love and what God loves, students will critique religious behaviors congruent or incongruent with Biblical Justice.
The Graduate Certificate in Biblical Justice Formation (GCBJF) is a program of study designed for students interested in what the Bible has to say about justice, and what relevance that has for people, particularly Christians, today. The program is ideal for people across all vocations who wish to point ways forward for everyone seeking to think and act in harmony with God–a community of equals pursuing Biblical justice in the world today. The GCBJF is taught on the master’s level and is designed to be completed in two years part-time or one year full-time.
For more details, click on the link below.

Winter 2024 IJF Webinars
2024-02-17 09:00 - 10:30 | VA
In this 2-part series, Justice Formation Fellowship Pastors will discuss lessons learned and justice initiatives proposed by their congregations after reading Crossing the Tracks by Drew Hill.

Crossing Tracks that Divide Homes, Churches, Neighborhoods, and Workplaces
2024-02-17 09:00 - 11:00 | Memorial Baptist Church, 3455 N Glebe Rd, Arlington, VA, 22207
Rev. Dr. Drew Hill, author of Crossing the Tracks, will speak about his grandfather’s stand for justice. He will be joined by several guest who will share how this book informed their perspective about God’s requirement that believers engage our agency to overcome racial division.
To Register, click the link: https://ijf-leland.org/crossing

Fall 2024 Webinar
2024-11-23 09:30 - 11:00 | VA
During this webinar, Kathleen Arban, LCSW, CCTP will moderate a discussion between Rev. Carita Brown and Dr. Joan Turkus as they reflect on the book Weathering: The Extraordinary Stress of Ordinary Life in an Unjust Society by Dr. Arline T. Geronimus.

IJF Workshop
2024-12-07 09:00 - 11:00 | Leland – Arlington Campus, 1306 N Highland St, Arlington, VA, 22201, United States
Please join the Institute for Justice Formation on
Saturday, December 7, 2024 from 9am – 11am EST
Workshop Highlights:

Graduate Certificate in Biblical Justice Formation (GCBJF) – hear from current Professors and Pastors as they introduce courses offered in this program
Q&A – we will open the floor for any questions you may have about student enrollment options for GCBJF
Want to get involved? – explore how Leland might support congregational ministries for clergy, laity, and faculty personnel

This event is online only. Please join via zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84560484214

5th Annual In Search for Biblical Justice Conference
2025-05-16 10:30 - 2025-05-17 12:30 | VA

Civil Rights Pilgrimage - 12 Day Tour
2025-07-21 - 2025-08-01 | VA
Are you up for a truly unforgettable road trip?
Join us for an immersive experience of the Civil Rights Movement sponsored by the Justice Formation Fellowship*
Hosted by Rev. Drew Hill, Memorial Baptist Church
Participants: This tour is open to any Leland student, NorthStar pastor, or any adult who is interested in an immersive experience of the Civil Rights Movement. This tour will be limited to fifteen adults including the host.
Cost: NorthStar Church Network has contributed a generous grant that will help subsidize our trip. The cost for each participant will be $600, double occupancy, + two meals daily. All lodging, ground transportation and admissions are included.

Sites to be visited along the U. S. Civil Rights Trail, www.civilrightstrail.com

Washington, DC
Smithsonian African American Museum (Prior to Tour)

Farmville, VA
Robert Russa Moton High School and Museum

Greensboro, NC
International Civil Rights Center & Museum
February One Monument

Atlanta, GA
Ebenezer Baptist Church
Martin Luther King Jr. Birth Home
The King Center for Nonviolent Social Change
National Center for Civil and Human Rights

Anniston, AL
Freedom Riders National Monument

Birmingham, AL
Sixteenth Street Baptist Church
Civil Rights Institute
Kelly Ingram Park
Bethel Baptist Church

Selma, AL
Edmund Pettus Bridge
Brown Chapel AME Church
National Voting Rights Museum and Institute, Selma to Montgomery National Historic Trail

Montgomery, AL
Dexter Avenue Baptist Church
Civil Rights Memorial Center
First Baptist Church, Brick-a-Day Church
National Memorial for Peace and Justice
Legacy Museum
Rosa Parks Museum
Freedom Rides Museum

Jackson, MS
Medgar Evers Home, Museum
Mississippi Civil Rights Museum

Sumner, MS
Emmett Till Interpretive Center
Tallahatchie County Courthouse

Little Rock, AR
Little Rock Central High School
Little Rock Nine Memorial at the State Capitol
Daisy Bates House
Mosaic Templars Cultural Center

Memphis, TN
Mason Temple United Church of Christ
Clayborn Temple/I Am a Man Plaza
Stax Museum of American Soul Music
Lorraine Motel – National Civil Rights Museum

For more information contact:
Dr. Drew Hill
4739 N. Dittmar Rd, Arlington, VA 22207
(571) 215-4002
dhill@memorialbaptistchurch.org

*The Justice Formation Fellowship is a diverse fellowship of churches united in support of the Institute for Justice Formation at the John Leland Center for Theological Studies in Arlington, Virginia.

6th Annual In Search for Biblical Justice Conference
2026-05-15 11:00 - 2026-05-16 11:30 | The Church at Clarendon, 1210 N Highland St., Arlington, VA, 22201, United States
Join us for the 6th Annual In Search of Biblical Justice Conference in Clarendon, VA, from May 15 – 16, for introspective reflection and stimulating presentations on power and the Bible; insights from a respondent panel, evening worship, a workshop, and more.
Our theme is Prophetic Voices: Exploring Biblical Justice and Christian Formation.

Five reasons this IJF conference might be just what you need now:
1. Connect with a community of believers who are hungry to explore what the Bible really says about economics, power, and faithful living. This is your chance to engage with others who are asking the hard questions—and seeking Christ-centered answers.
2. Walk away with tools you can use. Discover how God’s covenantal call transforms us from the inside out—shaping our habits, choices, and relationships to reflect kingdom values, not cultural norms.
3. Hear from powerful voices who will challenge and inspire you. Our plenary speaker and panelists will tackle the Bible and the problem of power head-on—asking how living in an empire affects the way we read, understand, and apply Scripture.
4. Expand your perspective. Meet believers from across the region and hear their stories. You’ll leave with a richer understanding of how God is moving in different communities and contexts.
5. Discover your next step. In a divided and paralyzed society, God is calling His people to think differently and act boldly. Come ready to wrestle with Scripture, listen for His voice, and discern how you’re being called to respond.
