From the mud-filled cistern of injustice to the collaborative ropes of deliverance, this message from Reverend Doctor Lee H. Butler Junior, President of Iliff School of Theology, reveals how African-Americans have always been active agents in God’s salvation plan rather than sacrificial victims. Like Ebed-Melek the Ethiopian who rescued Jeremiah with both courage and care, we are called to pull together in faith to overcome today’s broken systems.
The rescue of Jeremiah required community effort and thoughtful care—Ebed-Melek wrapped rags around ropes to protect Jeremiah as he was pulled from the mud. This collaborative approach mirrors how African-Americans have survived centuries of injustice through faith and solidarity. The speaker challenged the harmful narrative that Black suffering exists to save America’s soul, instead emphasizing how African-Americans have always been believers with spiritual agency throughout salvation history.
