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The National Council of Churches celebrates the life of Dr. James Cone and mourns his passing. Dr. Cone was a giant in the NCC community and is widely known as the founder of black liberation theology.

His writings, teachings, and lectures educated generations of church leaders. The NCC board chair, Bishop W. Darin Moore of the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, said, “I have been personally challenged and enriched by Dr. Cone’s books and lectures.”

The NCC President and General Secretary, Jim Winkler, said, “As a young layperson, my faith was deepened and my consciousness was raised by reading God of the Oppressed in preparation for entering the mission field. Dr. Cone’s bachelor’s degree, his divinity degree, and his doctorate were all granted by educational institutions associated with NCC member communions. He was an itinerant elder in the African Methodist Episcopal Church. We cherish the fact that Dr. Cone was shaped by and gave shape to the ecumenical movement.”

Dr. Cone’s legacy and teachings will continue to shape the racial justice truth-telling initiative of the NCC. We give thanks for his ministry.