In Greensboro, faith leaders ‘revive’ the progressive religious movement to combat Christian nationalism ahead of November election

Featured photo: Rev. Brandon Wrencher speaks at the Revival Reimagined event on Aug. 3. (photo by Brandon Demery)

At a religious revival in Greensboro’s St. Stephen United Church of Christ on Saturday morning, there was one unexpected word uttered: abortion. It was spoken by Rev. Beth Kennett, who told of a procedure she received in 1993, emphasizing that “this decision should not be left to legislators,” met with rounding applause.

It was not the only progressive perspective expressed at the event called Revival Reimagined, a statewide push by rural organizing group Down Home NC to reawaken North Carolina’s progressive faith politics. Speakers in attendance included Rev. CJ Brinson, NAACP Greensboro President Kay Brown and prominent North Carolina civil rights activist Rev. Nelson Johnson. The series, which will take place in cities across the state through September, allows speakers to discuss issues ranging from reproductive rights to educational justice all with a focus on warning about the dangers of Christian nationalism.

“We have an opportunity to choose what is right in this moment,” Rev. Brandon Wrencher told a crowd of nearly 60. “The stakes are too high to choose wrongly.”  

The series is modeled after the Great Awakening revivals of the past which rose to prominence in the 1700s and continued to pop up through the mid 20^th century. The key difference, according to Brinson, who spearheaded the movement, is the inclusion of a broader range of race, gender, sexuality and family types. It also continues in the tradition of Moral Mondays, a series of protests started in NC in 2013 by progressive faith leaders including Rev. William Barber after a majority-Republican legislative body passed a series of conservative bills that restricted Medicaid and rolled back voting rights. The protests gained national attention, spreading to other states such as Georgia, South Carolina, Illinois and New Mexico. 

Still, a few aspects of the interfaith movement have changed since a decade ago, according to Greensboro community organizer Holden Cession, who co-organized the series.

Cession got their launch into political organizing during the Moral Monday protests years ago, noting that those previously at the frays of the progressive interfaith movement have been gathered into the center.  

While issues concerning women and queer people were discussed in years past, they have not taken up as much space as Cession and their co-organizers desired, they said. One reason for this shift is the inclusion of youth and student organizing in the movements, Cession said.  

“I think there are ways that the conversation has grown because it has been 10 years,” Cession said.

The presence of other voices to counter what can feel like an echo chamber of values and ideals is important, they said.

Brinson echoed Cession’s viewpoint.

He hopes the revival series gives religious citizens more progressive options at the polls.

“I’m looking to create pathways for folks who are new and emerging voters in this community in our state who are willing to vote,” Brinson said. 

Another unique element of the revival was the inclusion of ceremony that engages traditional African spiritual traditions. At Saturday’s event, the Greensboro Kwanzaa Collective graced the stage. Member Ankhi Ma’at Tonya Poole led the audience through an interactive exercise that encouraged participants to remember their familial and activist ancestors. 

Passion about social causes such as education and women’s rights do not come from just of your own volition, member Poole says. 

“Somebody in your bloodline had the same desire and passion,” Poole explained, “and that’s why you’re up on a Saturday morning to be in this place.”

Cession sees this further inclusion as a positive change to the movement and hopes the church continues to support inclusive practices. 

“It feels good to see that there is some move to shift the posture that the church as a majority has had on women and LGBTQ issues,” Cession said.

The worry about Christian nationalism is especially salient as Greensboro native and Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson seeks the seat of governor in this year’s election. Robinson, an unabashed, Trump-aligned conservative, has repeatedly promoted anti-LGBTQ+ and anti-reproductive rights rhetoric on the campaign trail. As part of his political stance, he has pushed for the degradation of the separation of church and state. 

“You cannot tell me we can separate our government from the laws of God, from the Bible,” said Robinson in a recent interview with pastor Cameron McGill of Lake Church in White Lake, NC. “Our Constitution is based on the word of God, I don’t care what anybody says.”

At Saturday’s event, Faye Buffong of Greensboro — who was invited to the event by speaker Toby Hedgepeth — left inspired. Although the revival isn’t something she’d normally attend she said she was pleasantly surprised by the diversity.

And with just about three months until the November election, those in attendance cited the urgency of their movement.

“The fight doesn’t just stop this year with this election because this is a long game,” said Hedgepeth, an education advocate, at the event. “I don’t know who here wants to win but I want to win.”

The revivals will continue on August 10 in Durham, August 17 in Charlotte, and September 7 in Wilson.