Troy Jackson
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Troy Jackson has served as Senior Pastor of University Christian Church (UCC) in Cincinnati, OH for fifteen years. UCC is a part of Christian Community Development Association, a network of churches and organizations working to reshape urban neighborhoods. Under Troy’s leadership, UCC established Rohs Street Café, a seven-day-a-week community coffee shop committed to community engagement, the arts, and social justice. Through Rohs Street Café, UCC has been a partner in the formation of La Armonia Hermosa, a line of coffee from Guatemala emerging from direct trade relationships with coffee farmers in the village of Santa Maria de Jesus.

In addition to his work with UCC, Troy is a community representative at Hughes High School in the church’s neighborhood and is actively involved in faith rooted community organizing efforts in Cincinnati and throughout Ohio. He has been very involved in calling for comprehensive immigration reform and the Dream Act, and is currently serving as faith outreach director for the We Are Ohio campaign, an effort to repeal the anti-union Senate Bill 5 in Ohio which limits collective bargaining by public sector workers.

Troy is a graduate of Princeton Theological Seminary and earned his Ph.D. in United States history from the University of Kentucky. Troy’s book Becoming King: Martin Luther King, Jr. and the Making of a National Leader (The University Press of Kentucky, 2008) explores the critical role the grassroots Montgomery Movement played in the development of King. Troy’s other publications include his work as an editor on The Papers of Martin Luther King, Jr. Volume VI: Advocate of the Social Gospel (September 1948-March 1963) [Berkeley, University of California Press, 2007). Troy is also a regular blogger on Sojourners “God’s Politics Blog.” Troy lives in Cincinnati with his wife Amanda and their three children, Jacob, Emma and Ellie.

Blog Entries by Troy Jackson

An Open Letter to the 1 Percent

Posted December 12, 2011 | 17:45:36 (EST)

As a new board member of Interfaith Worker Justice (IWJ), I'm pleased to share the following letter approved by the IWJ board last week:


To Whom Much Is Given, More is Required:
An Open Letter to the One Percent

During this time of financial crisis and economic...

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Fred Shuttlesworth: Much More Than a Footnote

Posted October 12, 2011 | 16:35:27 (EST)

On Oct. 5, 2011, the United States stopped to remember the life and accomplishments of Steve Jobs. Retrospectives on the brilliant Apple co-founder filled the airwaves and overloaded Twitter. A few hours before I learned of Jobs' death, while at a gathering at a church in Cleveland to work against...

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Jesus' Call: Move From Greed To Greatness

Posted September 30, 2011 | 11:25:26 (EST)

We live in a world of competing values: greed vs. sacrifice.

On the one hand, we are taught to look out for number one, to pursue the best for ourselves and our loved ones. We are taught by those in power that greed is good for everyone. We know...

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Politicians Should Consider the Poor

Posted September 7, 2011 | 12:02:34 (EST)

I love how Psalm 41 begins: "Happy are those who consider the poor; the Lord delivers them in the day of trouble."

Unfortunately, here in Ohio and around the nation, our politicians seem to be employing the exact opposite strategy: "Blessed are the politicians who consider the rich; for their...

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Join A 9/11 Walk

Posted August 18, 2011 | 14:59:40 (EST)

As the tenth anniversary of 9/11 approaches, many of us are wondering how best to honor the many victims of that tragedy and its aftermath.

I found my own answer when a friend asked me to join him and a few others on a walk with some Muslim and Jewish...

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A Faith-Full Labor Day Weekend

Posted August 10, 2011 | 16:11:21 (EST)

Socrates famously said that the unexamined life is not worth living. Sometimes I wonder if the Church that fails to robustly examine the life's challenges in light of faith is a church worth having.

Let's be honest. The Church has done a great job avoiding serious theological examination of many...

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Fighting for the DREAM

Posted June 21, 2011 | 12:22:15 (EST)

I first heard about Bernard Pastor via Facebook, from a former member of my church, who is now teaching English in Japan. The caption on Facebook simply said, "This is crazy!" with a link to a story by Mark Curnutte of the Cincinnati Enquirer. When I read the

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