Today we’d like to introduce you to Rev. Dr. Jay Augustine.
Hi Rev. Dr. Jay, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I realize now that I am predictably where I’m supposed to be. For that realization, I’m thankful to my late parents, Henry and Jeanne Augustine. I’m a social justice advocate, author, pastor and professor who promotes human equality in each of the roles I shared.
I grew up in New Orleans and graduated as student body president from St. Augustine High School, an all-boys, all-black institution that was founded to help black boys reach their full academic potential while also focusing on leadership development and social service. “St. Aug” sharpened my perceptions of social inequalities and influenced my decision to become a lawyer. Years later, after graduating from Howard University and serving as a US Army infantry officer, I returned to New Orleans and graduated from Tulane Law School. During a very successful career in law practice and public service, God called me to ordained ministry. That meant attending seminary, doing a post-master’s fellowship, and earning my doctorate at Duke University. In the last two years, I have written two books and been in the public space promoting human equality during a time when a sizable contingent of America is headed in the opposite direction. Indeed, as I think about my story, I’m predictably where I’m supposed to be.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Things have most certainly not been easy. I operate from the perspective that if I do my part, God will do God’s part. I get up early each day and generally get to bed very late each night. I juggle responsibilities as a husband and father, as well as a pastor and professor who often travels on speaking engagements. It’s not easy and has never been. Each morning and evening, when I drop to my knees to pray, I am encouraged by an old expression of mother wit, “If God brings you to it, God will also bring you through it!”
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
In addition to being very proud of my service as a pastor and professor, I’m most proud of my work as as author who is deeply grounded in social justice. Called to Reconciliation: How the Church Can Model Justice, Diversity and Inclusion (Baker Academic, 2022) unpacks the work of reconciliation in the United States while also arguing for the church to be an exemplar in creating cultures of belonging by championing both cognitive diversity (types of thinking & training) and identity diversity (race, ethnicity, gender, etc.). After having been on podcasts and a national speaking/book tour, I’m waiting on the much-anticipated release of When Prophets Preach: Leadership and the Politics of the Pulpit (Fortress Press, 2023), a book that calls the American church to task for not doing more, in the image of prophets of old, in “speaking truth to power” and calling out things like the rise of white Christian nationalism, antisemitism, and the very real need for meaningful immigration reform.
My work as an author also complements my academic work as a professor, teaching courses on social justice and racial equality, and my national work as the general chaplain of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., the first intercollegiate social service fraternity established for black men.
In thinking about what sets me apart from others, I’ll humbly share that it’s the diversity of my gifts. I’m blessed to be a good writer, I’m often told that I’m an excellent speaker, and I consistently get feedback that I’m a great professor. I feel blessed because my diverse gifts are all connected in promoting the equality of all people.
Can you talk to us a bit about the role of luck?
I have indeed been lucky because some amazing opportunities have resulted from me being in the right place at the right time. Much more than being lucky, however, I am also a person of tremendous faith. That means, rather than attributing my good fortune to “luck,” I regard it as God’s unmerited grace.
Pricing:
- Called to Reconciliation: How the Church Can Model Justice, Diversity and Inclusion (Baker Academic, 2022) $19.99 via Amazon
- When Prophets Preach: Leadership and the Politics of the Pulpit (Fortress Press, 2023), $19.99 via Amazon
Contact Info:
- Website: www.jayaugustine.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jayaugustine9/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jayaugustine9B91/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/jayaugustine9
Image Credits
Image Credits: Gregory Davenport
