Rev. Dr. Charlie E. Dates

CTL-E-5072 · Person · clergy · 2010s–present

VERIFIED evidence grade of this record

Senior pastor of Salem Baptist Church of Chicago (since January 2023) and Progressive Baptist Church of Chicago (since 2011); PhD in Historical Theology from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School; founder of the Spend in the Black Commerce Corridor initiative, the Progressive Center for Counseling & Justice, and the Black Boy Literacy Campaign.

The record

• Also known as: Charlie Edward Dates, Dr. Charlie Dates, Pastor Charlie Dates

Notes

Grew up attending Salem Baptist Church and graduated from its (now-shuttered) Christian Academy — the 2023 succession was framed by Meeks as 'Paul and Timothy' (ChurchLeaders). Departed the Southern Baptist Convention after the 2018 MLK50 conference period; documented in the Truth's Table interview summary but kept out of claims as secondary sourcing.

Relationships

• Bishop Arthur M. Brazier — related to
  Peer Chicago pastor-civic leader (Bishop Arthur M. Brazier, Apostolic Church of God).
• Chicago Bears — affiliated with
  Formerly served as chaplain of the Chicago Bears.
• Melissa Conyears-Ervin — collaborated with
  Both publicly backed Spend in the Black (Treasurer Melissa Conyears-Ervin on generational wealth).
• Rev. James T. Meeks — collaborated with
  Rev. James T. Meeks selected Dates as his successor after prayer and fasting; torch-passing January 2023 framed as 'Paul and Timothy.'
• Rev. Jeremiah Wright — related to
  Peer prominent Chicago Black pastor-scholar (Rev. Jeremiah Wright, Trinity UCC).
• Salem Baptist Church of Chicago — affiliated with
  Senior pastor of Salem Baptist Church of Chicago since January 2023; grew up attending the church and graduated from its Christian Academy.
• South Side — associated with
  South Side ministry across two historic Black congregations.
• Spend in the Black — founded
  Founded the Spend in the Black Commerce Corridor initiative to channel investment into Black-owned South Side businesses.
• Spend in the Black — affiliated with
  Leads the Spend in the Black marketplace events (2025, Easter 2026).
• Stephanie Hart — collaborated with
  Platformed Stephanie Hart's Brown Sugar Bakery through the Spend in the Black initiative; praised her business publicly.

Referenced by

• Spend in the Black — led by → this record
• Stephanie Hart — collaborated with → this record

Sources

• IVP Press author press kit — 'What Hath Justice to Do with Righteousness?' (Rev. Dr. Charlie Edward Dates bio)
• ERLC — Charlie Dates profile
• Oklahoma Baptist University — 'Dr. Charlie Dates Delivers Chapel Message Nov. 4'
• Samford University — 'Biblical and Religious Studies Host Chicago Pastor for 2023 Dotson M. Nelson Lecture'
• Wikipedia — Salem Baptist Church (Chicago) (2023 succession)
• RNS / Baptist Press — Meeks farewell and torch-passing to Dates (Jan 2023)
• ChurchLeaders — 'Chicago Pastor James Meeks to Retire, Pass Baton to Rev. Charlie Dates'
• Truth's Table podcast — 'Church Bulletin: The Black Exodus From the SBC with Dr. Charlie Dates' (episode summary, June 2021)
• Olivet Nazarene University — 'Salem Baptist Pastor Dr. Charlie Dates Speaks at Olivet'
• Black Enterprise — 'Black Churches Lead Spend In The Black Movement'

Record CTL-E-5072 · CultureTechLens Knowledge Graph · evidence grade: VERIFIED · 10 sources · 12 mapped relationships · CTL research: CHURCH-WEALTH-001.
Directory: all entity records · the knowledge graph

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