Remembering Ron Sider

Ronald J. Sider. Courtesy Eastern University.

“We have lost a brother who spoke so prophetically and articulately to the uneasy conscience of the American evangelical. He was grounded in the street level realities of social and economic inequity, and we are so thankful for the way his personal authenticity shook the complacency of the American church. Although one may not have shared a common political platform, a generation will honor the way he dared to breach the harmful structures and perspectives that darken and imprison the poor and disadvantaged. Ron Sider’s call to God’s greater fullness was a beautiful blessing to the families of the earth.”

- Brad Gill, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Frontier Ventures, and Editor of the International Journal of Frontier Missiology

Dr. Ron Sider; Christian leader, author, scholar, and activist best known for writing Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger, died on July 27, 2022. At William Carey International University, we mourn Dr. Sider’s passing and are grateful for his tireless advocacy for justice, heart for the poor, and legacy of scholar-activism.

An influential figure for holistic Christian engagement, he founded Christians for Social Action (formerly Evangelicals for Social Action) in 1978. He worked tirelessly and humbly to catalyze the church to action on behalf of the poor and marginalized. A pioneer for racial justice, environmental responsibility, and civic engagement, he demonstrated a commitment to both academic scholarship and action. He will be greatly missed, but his influence lives on in generations of Christians committed to serving Jesus by serving the poor.

At WCIU, our faculty and staff are committed to developing scholar-practitioners to effectively serve communities around the world and address the roots of human problems with transformational solutions. May we, too, model the humility and boldness of Dr. Sider as we pursue a verdant and flourishing world, ripe with wholeness and peace for all peoples.