‘Social Justice Pastor’ Dr. Jonathan C. Augustine Is Inspiring Generations

Durham, NC –  Americans have been in a constant fight for social justice for decades. This month, we have seen injustices committed against Asian-American women in this country, and the past four years there has been a steady rise of atrocities committed against the Black community as well. Amid all this, we need to remind ourselves of the people that strive to fight for social justice around the country. Rev. Dr. Jonathan C. Augustine, a senior pastor in Durham, is one of these people and is one of the most influential people when it comes to fighting for social justice.

Dr. Augustine (aka Pastor Jay) is currently the Senior Pastor at the St. Joseph AME Church in Durham. Originally from New Orleans, he also serves as national chaplain of the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. He has been a member of the fraternity for 30 years now, initiated in Howard University’s Beta Chapter. A former law professor, practicing attorney, and judge, Pastor Jay also served the country in the military as a U.S. Army infantry officer. Through all these platforms, he has dedicated his time and efforts to promote social justice and equality for minorities and marginalized groups.

At the core of his beliefs is one of equality and unity. Pastor Jay often says, “that which unites is far greater than that which divides,” and this message is often passed along through his sermons and teachings. He strongly believes that all humans have value, and this has pushed him in his pursuit of social justice and equality.

Pastor Jay received his undergraduate degree from the prestigious Howard University in Washington D.C. and following his graduation, he served in the military. After decorated military service, he earned his Juris Doctorate from Tulane University and served as a law clerk to Louisiana Supreme Court Chief (then Associate) Justice Bernette Joshua Johnson. He later earned his Master of Divinity degree from United Theological Seminary, as a Beane Fellow and National Rainbow-PUSH Foundation Scholar, before completing a fellowship at Princeton Theological Seminary. Pastor Jay earned his Doctor of Ministry degree at Duke University in 2020.

As a practicing attorney, Pastor Jay worked on many cases, a lot of them having to do with social justice. He successfully represented a class of plaintiffs in Carter v. St. Helena Parish School Board, one of the oldest federal desegregation cases in the United States, having originally been filed by Thurgood Marshall, then-counsel for the NAACP.  Following this, he spent time teaching as an adjunct professor at Southern University Law Center and Jarvis Christian College. He served in the administration of Louisiana’s governor as executive counsel and director of legislative affairs for the Louisiana Workforce Commission.

All this experience has heavily influenced his time as a senior pastor. He served as senior pastor at the historic St. James AME Church in New Orleans, the oldest predominantly Black, Protestant church in the city. In his role as senior pastor in both St. James and St. Joseph, he has often drawn from his experience to deliver his sermons. “Many of the things I preach about are things I have researched in the past,” he said, speaking about using his experiences in his preaching.

Today, Pastor Jay is deeply troubled about the state of the country. “I think right now we are at an interesting point in American history. I often compare it to the phrase, ‘there is nothing new under the sun.’ I think about the period after Reconstruction when the troops were taken out of the South. The Redemption period where white nationalization came about.” This is something that deeply worries him, and is what fuels his desire to advocate social justice.

He believes that there are two aspects of society that are vital for every person, the power of the vote and the power of education. “ I want the next generation to learn from the past and continue to fight for social justice. Voting and education are extremely important. I hope that the future generation continues to fight for this.”

Today, as senior pastor at St. Joseph AME Church, Pastor Jay strives to promote the rights of minority and marginalized groups. Throughout February he dedicated his time to the social justice of the Black community and in March he has done the same for women around the country. He still publishes papers on social justice. His most recent paper was a biblical connection to immigration, following the many issues faced by immigrants in the U.S. It is, thus, easy to see that Pastor Jay continues to serve his community and the marginalized communities all around the country.

Rev. Dr. Jonathan C. Augustine has dedicated his life to promoting social justice and now serves as an inspirational figure for current and future generations. His message is clear, all humans have equal value, and fighting for this should be an important part of every person’s life. He continues to help the African American community through these difficult times. St. Joseph recently partnered with Duke Hospital to lend a hand to the community during the pandemic by turning into a clinic for a day and administering vaccines. His work and dedication are simply awe-inspiring.

Pastor Jay is married to St. Joseph’s First Lady, Michelle Burks Augustine. They have two children. 

For more information on Rev. Dr. Jonathan C. Augustine please visit www.jayaugustine.com/ and for information on the St. Joseph AME Church visit www.stjosephame.org/