David Bloom

About David Bloom

David Bloom is an American Baptist minister with forty years of ecumenical leadership experience in Seattle on social justice issues. Bloom directed the urban ministry of the Church Council of Greater Seattle (19••••97) where he developed an active program of public witness, civic education, human rights advocacy, and community organizing. He is a founder of several local organizations that provide shelter, build housing, and organize for social change, including the Downtown Emergency Service Center, Common Ground, and the Seattle Displacement Coalition. Since leaving the Church Council he has been engaged in a variety of organizing and advocacy activities, and in 2009 he ran for Seattle City Council. He recently served as board president for Real Change, Seattle’s award-winning street paper; did social justice organizing for the Church Council; and was a consultant/trainer for the Faith and Family Homelessness Project at Seattle University. He continues on the adjunct faculty at Antioch University-Seattle where he teaches courses on Spirituality & Social Action, Homelessness, Politics & Religion, and Community Organizing. He is director emeritus of both the Rauschenbusch Center for Spirit and Action and the Interfaith Task Force on Homelessness. Bloom is a graduate of Macalester College (BA), American Baptist Seminary of the West (M.Div.), and Princeton Theological Seminary (Th.M.). In 1987 he received the national ecumenical award from the American Baptist Churches USA, and in 2010 he received the Distinguished Citizen Alumni Award from Macalester. He co-chaired the planning committee for the 50th reunion of his 1965 Macalester graduating class, held in June, 2015. He preceded the reunion with a mile road trip visiting 44 classmates in 16 states to gather their life stories since graduation. The class of \'65 set records for 50th reunion attendance and giving percentage. For his leadership the college presented him with the annual Alumni Service Award.

Experience

1. Adjunct Faculty Member (Ret)

   Antioch University Seattle

   Apr 2004 — Present

   For fourteen years, I taught courses at Antioch University in Seattle on community organizing, homelessness, spirituality & social action, and politics & religion. I am still available for guest speaking, consulting, and short-term courses in my areas of interest.

Education

• American Baptist Seminary of the West

  M.Div, Religion

  1967 — 1969

• Macalester College

  B.A., History

  1960 — 1965

• Princeton Theological Seminary

  Th.M., Religious Education

  1970 — 1971