In whatever manner you process the events that transpired in Ferguson, Missouri and Baltimore, Maryland after the deaths of two black men, I think we can all agree that racial tensions are higher than they have been in a while. The shooting at a historic African-American church in Charleston, South Carolina brought out both the best and worst in America. The best was the overflowing love and support for that church and community. The worst was the backlash at efforts to remove the confederate flag from public places. Racial issues seem to elude efforts to bring peace and harmony among the diverse American population.
On the basis of what Christians believe, one might assume the church has been on the side of the angels when it comes to race relations. As mentioned Sunday, we believe all humans have the image of God upon them. We are also called to love without distinction (which always proves harder than it sounds). There have been and are some great developments at times in this regard, but the history in America of race and the church has been a real mixed bag. Too much of it is a sad and embarrassing story.
Next week, Pastor Tag will talk about our own denomination and our current wrestling with some sinful aspects of our founding fathers’ beliefs. I’ll leave that topic for Tag, but I want to touch on aspects of the church in America in regard to race, with the admission that some of this “history” is really anecdotal. I’ve talked to some pastors who have told me what they understand of our history. I’ll refer to one website with some helpful history.
We all know the basic history. Africans were brought to America as slaves. Through the care of some Christians, many Africans did come to believe in the gospel of Jesus Christ, and some white Christians showed great compassion and interest in their well-being. Even these people seldom had enlightened views of black people’s capabilities, and few respected their cultural forms. There were vocal Christian opponents of slavery, but some very orthodox Christians who were defenders of the practice and enablers of the practice of slavery. Sometimes the church used its influence to discourage insurrection among the slaves. It was very difficult in the South to oppose slavery in the church without paying a steep price. In the North, abolition could flourish both inside and outside the church.
Worship life among slaves probably varied. There were some African congregations that formed before the Civil War. Some slaves worshipped in their masters’ churches. Think about the odd experience that must have been - the oppressor seeks to influence you by their faith. Many of us have visited old churches in the South and learned that the slaves worshipped in the balcony. That itself says a lot about the attitudes of the day, but from a missionary standpoint it is hard to reach people deeply who don’t feel your respect. The music and liturgy of worship ignored the cultural forms and practices of the slaves, assuming them to be inferior. They were not welcomed in the full life of the church. They did not become elders, deacons, and leaders. They were subjugated even in the church of Jesus Christ.
After the Civil War1 freed slaves began to form their own worshipping congregations. I’m told that some white believers aided in the formation of these churches, but it is unclear whether their motives were always Christ-centered. These churches also became centers of community life, and looked after the interests of the members. Naturally they became an organizing center for meetings seeking the interest of the members. Many of them became cultural centers as well as churches. Thus, even to this day, African-American churches are more comfortable discussing matters of politics and policy in ways that are uncomfortable in a church like GCC. While there are today, of course, many varied expressions within predominately African-American churches, worship styles and practices of the black church formed because the church was a place that welcomed and accepted the cultural expressions of Christianity which white churches rejected.
There is a strange irony in the involvement of white churches in the civil rights movement in the 1900’s. Theologically liberal Protestants (denying miracles, biblical inspiration, the virgin birth of Christ, the resurrection) were typically supportive of efforts of African-Americans to take their right and equal place in American society. The movie Selma accurately depicts the involvement of some white clergy in the civil rights movement. The love and brotherhood ethic of Jesus was a driving force behind this, even while the Jesus many of these white Christians served was believed to be only human and not divine. Meanwhile, many theologically orthodox Christians (with some exceptions) either sat things out and focused on “spiritual matters”, or actively opposed the changing of the social order and supported segregation. This long history has bred an obvious and natural mistrust that has kept the church of Jesus Christ largely segregated, and often at odds with one another.
Charlottesville is no exception to this division. At a recent meeting of black and white pastors, an older pastor recounted that during the 1950’s there were active black/white clergy dialogues that made some progress. However, the issue of desegregation of public schools created a rift that caused white pastors to retreat from these interactions with their black Christian brothers. Over the years other efforts have been made to have relationships, with varied success.
Jesus calls us to love our Christian brothers in Christ. Jesus calls us to love our neighbor. Jesus calls us to love our enemy. That is the answer, for sure. However, the path toward full reconciliation is more complex, painful and time consuming that just loving one another. We welcome people of all races and nationalities at GCC, and we do have an ethnically diverse congregation up to a point. We haven’t succeeded in retaining African-Americans as members at GCC, which we have had attend our church for a season. Of course we should keep reaching out to all people regardless, and welcome them. The experience of our black Christian friends in predominately white churches has been mixed.
Thus, we have made efforts to develop friendships with African-American churches as a step to build bridges of love and understanding. Each of us individually can reach out in love and friendship wherever possible. In time, the love of Christ can and will bring us closer together!
In Him,
Don
1http://www.aaregistry.org/historic_events/view/black-church-brief-history