Rev. William H. Lamar IV: We Must Fight, Organize and Demand
Rev. William H. Lamar knew he would dedicate his life to ministry was when his parents handed him two books: Eyewitness: The Negro in American History and the Bible.
Today, he pastors the historic Metropolitan AME Church in Washington, D.C.
“I’ve always been pulled spiritually and ancestrally toward a vision of the world where the Ida B. Wells, the Harriet Tubmans and Fannie Lou Hammers understood that this is God’s work, that it comes at a risk,” Lamar said.
“God’s Earth and the fruit of the Earth belong to us all. And there must be an equitable sharing and communitarian impulse where human beings can thrive in the midst of God’s abundance without injustice, oppression and corrosion.”
As our nation’s wealth gap is only growing larger, the pastor insists we must support policies that enshrine our shared humanity and access to resources.
“We must fight, organize and demand,” he exclaims. “We must also find ways to be joyful and relational in the midst of that. Because when we are doing that work we are following God and building relationships that make possible the beloved community.”
Lamar believes that in order to create better policies for the 100 percent of the nation, we must go beyond getting politicians in office. As a faith leader, he must be beyond the partisanship embedded in politics.
“I’m unwilling to give my devotion to a political party,” Lamar said. “My devotion is to a vision of the world that I believe is a theological and spiritual impulse.”
While he continues to advocate for his community of Washington, D.C., you can find Rev. Lamar fueling his faith by proudly supporting the Poor People’s Campaign, the Washington Interfaith Network or every Sunday at pulpit of AME Church.