We live in a world that wants a theology of comfort and we are inspired by a Gospel that offers a theology of the cross. (Philippians 3:17-4:1) A theology of the cross invites us to be vulnerable and willingly make sacrifices because God will accept our sacrifices as a worthy offering. (Romans 12:1).
Because of our history of race relations, there has been a natural benefit to being White and male. There is also a benefit in not rocking the boat of institutions, including the church. We benefit from cooperating with the status quo.
Knowing that God was in Christ reconciling the world to God’s self, we believe that God does not desire the types of divisions, racial and otherwise, that split humanity. As Christians, we recognize that God invites us to a ministry of reconciliation. But many churches fear that directly addressing
racial division will result in conflict that will disrupt and even
split our Christian community.
We don’t mind enlarging the pie so that others can also benefit from our vision of the Good Life, but it is difficult to risk the part of the pie that we presume to be rightfully ours. Our faith extends to expanding the pie and asks what part of the pie that we already possess are we willing to sacrifice to effect reconciliation. The theology of the Cross points to our mission of reconciliation through the cross.
points to our mission of reconciliation through the cross.
Our churches exist in a society that is challenged by racial divisions, societal tensions, and evidence of injustice and discrimination.
Not only the previous “legal” separation of races in the era of slavery and Jim Crow laws, but even the current cultural separation leads people to distance themselves. Housing patterns, patterns of worship, attendance at social events, the places where we relax and lower our defenses, are frequently separated from other races.
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