Created by Nikia S. Robert, PhD · Abolitionist Sanctuary
Where is your church? Condemnation · Complicity · Courage · Change
Measured by the 5C abolitionist virtues — compassion, care, creativity, courage, community — and their carceral vices
The Four Churches 2×2 typology assesses four types of church responses based on their teachings and practices. The goal is for churches to locate themselves and move from the left quadrants of Condemnation and Complicity to the right quadrants of Courage and Change — eschewing punishment and embracing accountability for more just and equitable communities beyond punishment.
Instructions: As a leadership team or congregation, rate how true each statement is of your church today. Each response is worth 1–5 points. Then press Score Our Church.
The dot marks your church's position. Horizontal axis: punishment (left) ↔ accountability (right). Vertical axis: impact of ecclesial responses (weak → strong). The arrows of the typology point rightward — the direction of progress.
Bands per quadrant: 6–13 Low presence · 14–22 Moderate presence · 23–30 Strong presence. Punishment Index = Condemnation + Complicity (lower is better). Accountability Index = Courage + Change (higher is better).
Each bar is a pair balance: Virtue subscale (2–10) minus Vice subscale (2–10), from −8 to +8. Bars to the right pull your church toward Courage and Change; bars to the left hold it in Condemnation and Complicity.