Harlem

Prominent Black Church in Harlem Accused of Gender Bias in Lawsuit by Woman Seeking Senior Pastor Position

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NEW YORK – A lawsuit has been filed against the Abyssinian Baptist Church in Harlem, accusing the church and its search committee of gender discrimination. The lawsuit claims that a Yale Divinity School Professor, Eboni Marshall Turman, was denied the position of senior pastor due to sexism. The Abyssinian Baptist Church, which has been in existence for over 200 years and gained fame as a megachurch, released a statement in response to the lawsuit. They stated that while Marshall Turman and others were considered for the role, she did not meet certain requirements that other … Read more

Gender Discrimination Lawsuit Accuses Prominent Harlem Church of Bias in Pastor Search Process

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New York City has a long history with the Abyssinian Baptist Church, considered a flagship of the Black church in America. Located in Harlem, this megachurch gained prominence under the leadership of Rev. Adam Clayton Powell, Jr., who served as pastor from 1937 to 1972 while also holding a seat in Congress for 26 years. Eboni Marshall Turman, a believer in Abyssinian, aspired to become its first female senior pastor and was ordained as the church’s youngest pastor in 2007. Following the death of long-time senior pastor Calvin O. Butts III in 2022, Marshall Turman, … Read more