Drew G. I. Hart

Taking Jesus Seriously

Dr. Drew G. I. Hart is an Associate Professor of Theology at Messiah University, where he also serves as Program Director for Thriving Together: Congregations for Racial Justice. As a scholar rooted in Christian ethics, Black theology, and Anabaptism, Dr. Hart’s work studies white supremacy, liberation and peacemaking, and discipleship in the way of Jesus, with a focus on how the church can embody a radical and prophetic counter-witness against all death-dealing forces at work in our world.

Dr. Hart is the author of Trouble I’ve Seen: Changing the Way the Church Views Racism (2016), Who Will Be A Witness?: Igniting Activism for God’s Justice, Love, and Deliverance (2020), and co-editor and contributor to Reparations and the Theological Disciplines: Prophetic Voices for Remembrance, Reckoning, and Repair (2023). His scholarship challenges the church to resist the distortions of Christian faith that justify racial injustice and social exploitation, instead calling for a Jesus-shaped discipleship that stands in solidarity with the least, last, and little ones in society.

Currently, Dr. Hart is working on a new book project tentatively titled Anablacktivism: Radical Discipleship and Prophetic Witness in the Aftermath of Christendom and Colonialism. This forthcoming work will explore the implications of Black theology and Anabaptism for today’s world, especially in the aftermath of Christendom and colonial legacies.

In recognition of his contributions, Dr. Hart has received bcmPEACE’s 2017 Peacemaker Award, the 2019 W.E.B. Du Bois Award, and the 2023 Harambee Award for the Nguzo Saba Principle of Umoja—Unity, each for recognition of his local activism and public scholarship.

Dr. Hart regularly speaks and teaches at churches, conferences, colleges, and community groups across the United States and internationally. His teaching and research are deeply influenced by the Black Church tradition, Anabaptism, church history, and a commitment to pursuing justice and peacemaking in the way of Jesus.