History of Racism

Most predominantly White churches would agree that the Gospel challenges the racism that is causing so much tension in our society. Yet, there are plenty of deeply shameful and horrifying chapters in our church story of either attempting to justify or deny the sin of racism in our faith journey. In our contemporary churches, many of our members prefer to either deny that racism is still a problem or are paralyzed with guilt but feel helpless to significantly address it.

Many good-hearted and ethically caring members of my churches preferred that we not speak about racism. Some of their reasoning went like this:

1. That is a political issue, and religion and politics don’t mix.
2. There are no easy answers, and it will make people feel guilty.
3. Scripture tells us to love everyone and speaking of racism causes division.
4. I come to church to be inspired, not to be harangued by political issues about which good people disagree.
5. I’m sure you could add to the list.

Yet most pastors at least feel vaguely guilty about the inability to offer direction for how the church can address in a healing way a major issue that is tearing our society apart. My intention is to offer you some guidelines for how your church might address racism in a way that can also enable your members and the church to grow spiritually in the process.

GOD’S IMPERFECT CHURCH

I am particularly interested in the fact that God almost never works through perfect communities of faith. Most of biblical stories are about the dialogue between God and God’s chosen people who continually exhibit the strengths and weaknesses of the rest of the world. As a prime example, was there any of the Ten Commandments that David didn’t violate, and yet God spoke of David as a man after His own heart, and it was through his family line that the Messiah was born. Can you think of any of Jesus’ disciples who were perfect? Yet it was through such imperfect people, that Christ chose to work to heal the world.  It is a core part of our faith that this clay pot (the church)  (2 Corinthians 4:7)embodies a faith that can offer Good News for our often fractured world.

I’m hopeful that I can offer you a suggested process by which you can engage the members of your congregation in a conversation that will both nurture them personally and deepen your churches spiritual journey.

Celebrating God’s Imperfect Church

I think it was Loren Eiseley who said if humans had designed the universe, they would have made one disastrous error—they would have tried to make it perfect from the beginning. I think of that when I think about God’s church.

THE PROBLEM WITH PERFECT CHURCHES

When churches set out to be perfect, they encounter similar problems to humans who try to be perfect. The first issue is that of self-righteousness. Their response to their imperfections is either to beat upon themselves for their failures or to attack those they blame for their failure. Second, they quickly become judgmental of others in an attempt to score a small victory through comparison with others of lesser quality. But, perhaps most significant is that they are incapable of dealing with shame, which results in the numbing of their sensibilities toward God’s work in their midst.

Perfect churches distance themselves from the imperfect world and quickly develop a reputation for being judgmental. Ask people who don’t attend church what bothers them about churches and many, if not most, will say that they are always judging others.

FITTING INTO THE WORLD

On the opposite end of the spectrum are the churches who have learned all too well the adjustments necessary to organize a successful church. The idealism of the Gospel must be adjusted to meet the reality of the world is you want to be successful. As some would express it, “You have to be realistic.”

Thou shalt not kill may be one of God’s commandments, but it would be unpatriotic to apply that commandment to certain government-sanctioned actions. What if a military chaplain emphasized such a commandment to the soldiers under his care? Can you imagine how long a church would last if it always lent to those who would borrow and gave to those who would beg? Forgiving each person seventy times seven times would communicate that the church had no standards. Loving your enemy and doing good to those who persecute you cannot be applied to national enemies or even those who have disparaged you in a religious debate. Jesus may have prayed to God that we be one, but surely that doesn’t apply to the heretics among us. And how unrealistic is it for us to try to be perfect even as our father in heaven is perfect.

GROWING COMFORTABLE WITH COMPROMISE

So, we don’t want to be self-righteous and judgmental and yet when we shave off the sharp edges of the Bible and Jesus’ preaching, do we finally become so comfortable with the world’s way that we lose our message to the world. We may bristle at those who accuse the church of being hypocritical, but behind that response do we bear a deep sense of shame?

WHAT WAS GOD THINKING?

What did God have in mind when Abraham was called to form a people of God? Did Jesus have an incompetent screening process when he called his disciples? Did God not understand human nature and had a failed plan when the church was formed?  OR

DID GOD HAVE A BETTER IDEA?

23:1 The LORD is (your church’s name)  shepherd. (your church’s name)  shall not want.

2 He makes (your church’s name)   lie down in green pastures; he leads (your church’s name)  beside still waters;

3 He restores (your church’s name)  soul. He leads (your church’s name)  in right paths for his name’s sake.

4 Even though (your church’s name)  walk(s) through the darkest valley, (your church’s name)  fear(s) no evil; for you are with (your church’s name) ; your rod and your staff– they comfort (your church’s name) 

 5 You prepare a table before (your church’s name)  in the presence of (your church’s name)  enemies; you anoint (your church’s name)  head with oil; (your church’s name)  cup overflows.

6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow (your church’s name)  all the days of((your church’s name)  life, and (your church’s name)  shall dwell in the house of the LORD (your church’s name) )

You might even substitute your church’s name and pray this out loud right now. See how it  touches you as you consider what is admittedly not an easy journey.