Stories

At Eden Theological Seminary, the Press Hall tower stands as more than a landmark. It is a witness, a quiet but steady sign of our presence, our faith, and our calling in the world. This February, the tower shines again but this time in honor of Black History Month.

We light the tower to remember.
To honor the faith, resilience, creativity, and leadership of Black communities whose stories are inseparable from the story of the Church in America.
To acknowledge the generations who carried hope when hope was denied, who preached peace in the face of violence, who sang joy through sorrow, and who embodied love amid injustice.

Black history is sacred history. It is woven into the life of the Church, into movements for freedom and dignity, into hymns, sermons, organizing, and everyday acts of faithful courage. It is a history that reminds us that theology is not only written in books, but lived out in bodies, communities, and collective struggle.

As a seminary committed to justice-rooted theological education, Eden Theological Seminary lights the tower as an act of witness, gratitude, and as a call. A call to tell the truth about the past. A call to listen deeply. A call to form leaders who understand that faith and justice cannot be separated.

The light on the tower does not end with remembrance. It points forward, toward our beloved community, toward liberation, toward a Church that reflects God’s radical love for all people.

May this light remind us that hope still shines.
That peace is still possible.
That joy is resilient.
And that love, rooted in justice endures.

We invite you to look up, reflect, and join us as the tower bears witness this Black History Month.