Church and Social Justice
I recently had the opportunity to be a part of an online conversation called “Race, Justice and the Kingdom of God”. It featured a number of influential black leaders and pastors and two white evangelical pastors all from the Portland area. The conversation was hosted and moderated by Michelle Jones, Spiritual Formation Pastor at Imago Dei Church. It was such a powerful reminder that for many of us white evangelical pastors and leaders, we truly don’t know what we don’t know. Further, it was a powerful discovery that in order to break through our unconscious incompetence, we need to listen to the voices of those that have been impacted and oppressed by social injustice. I wanted to share some of the conversation as a way to help us all journey towards a response that reflects Jesus.
Here are some of the principles I heard from this conversation:
Listen – One of the primary things that these leaders imparted was the reality that white people are used to having a voice even the dominanat voice. A result of this is that white folks have a way of “whitesplaining” everything. Multiple scenarios were shared where a white leader would hear something from a black leader and then turn around and restate what they had heard as a way to teach or explain it. This practice not only expresses an ignorance, it shows an inability to listen. “Listening” means not talking. Further, pastor Eric Knox said, “There is an idea that the white narrative sees it all, but it is just one perspective.” He then went on to talk about how the white perspective often believes that it is all knowing, all seeing, and even all powerful. This can lead to viewing the black and brown community as a project rather than the image of God in humanity.
Silence is a verb – I know it sounds contrary to the last principle, but the principle is to first listen and then do something about it. Silence and inaction are a form of oppression. Imagine that you witness an adult beating a child. Would you simply stand by and not say or do something? To respond in that way is an action and it’s a way of being complicit in the act. Watching injustice and not responding is not a neutral response.
We can’t stand with oppressed people without confronting and changing oppressive systems. We reflect Jesus when do so with a posture of humility, a surrendering of perceived authority, and a heart for reconciliation. You can’t reconcile without acknowledging the wrong that has been done.
I think that many white evangelicals are afraid to speak up. I have heard some of us saying that to speak up would be political. And therefore, we wait in silence. In fact, I recently heard a sad story of a friend who is a white evangelical pastor who has an adopted black son. In response to recent events, he posted “Black Lives Matter” on social media. What followed were an array of comments shaming him for having made that political statement. Uggh…Injustice is happening, it’s time to stand.
One of the presenters at the conference, I believe it was Mark Strong suggested that we each watch the full George Floyd incident and listen to what the Holy Spirit speaks to us. I know as the video rolled on, I couldn’t hold back tears. The imago dei displayed in this now lifeless man as onlookers beg the police to get off of him. It’s not just that he couldn’t breathe, as Pastor Richard Probasco of New Song Church said in an interview with John Mark Comer of Bridgetown Church, “it’s not just, ‘I can’t breath’, it’s that you don’t want me to breathe and you have the power to keep me from breathing.” I know much work has been done to discredit the violent act by spoiling Floyd’s character. There is no amount of character defamation that justifies this abomination.
What is God stirring in you? How will you respond?