A Statement from President Dr. Rick Reed from Heritage College & Seminary

Our Heritage faculty and staff join with many others around the world to pray for God’s mercy on our broken world during time of great sorrow and upheaval.  We lament the tragic, brutal death of George Floyd which has surfaced the injustice many Black brothers and sisters live with in an ongoing way.

It could be tempting for us in Canada to dismiss this as a problem largely beyond our borders.  But as we listen to the voices of Black Canadians and other minorities around us, we quickly discover that racial prejudice adversely affects Canadians too.  This is a time to humble ourselves before God, asking for His grace and guidance to love our neighbour as ourselves (Matthew 22:39).

As Christians we reject racism as contrary to God’s heart and His revealed will.  The Bible affirms all humans are created in God’s image and possess equal worth and dignity (Genesis 1:27).  Although hostility and division have characterized human history, God’s plan is to bring us together under Christ as part of His Church (Ephesians 1:10, 2:14).

When Linda and I served in a pastoral role in Ottawa, we loved the fact that over forty languages were spoken in the congregation.  We delighted in the diversity of languages and cultures represented in the church. It was for us a foretaste of heaven when people from every “tribe and language and people and nation” will unite to give glory to the Lord (Revelation 5:9).

Our commitment at Heritage College and Seminary is to be a place where all students are treated with Christ-like love.  To this end, we will actively listen and learn where we fall short and what actions we can take to be part of the solution.  We recognize our responsibility to educate and equip spiritual leaders who understand the implications of the gospel and embrace the racial diversity God intended for the body of Christ (Ephesians 3:6) and the absolute equality and value of all.  We do this as an expression of our devotion to the Lord Jesus Christ, the One who laid down his life to reconcile us to God and to unite all who trust in him as equal members of God’s household (Ephesians 2:19).