So far I have been pointing to what each of us as individuals can do to make a difference. In this blog, I want to send an open letter to the church.
Dear Christian Church,
As I look at the racial pain all around and the way it is being portrayed in the national media, it saddens me. The talk, the tone is so negative, and it is feeding more and more into the darkness that is already out there. I don’t blame the world for the reaction to the crisis it is facing. I don’t expect them to have real solutions. They are at a disadvantage. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. once said, “Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.”
Dear Church you have a pivotal role to play. You have the Light. You know the only real Love. The world is lost without your voice. Without your direction. It is time to stand and lead. Now is the time to speak out. You can remain silent no longer!
Sincerely,
Those looking for Answers.
The writer of Ecclesiastes shares these words of wisdom,
There is a time for everything.
A time to tear apart and
a time to sew together,
a time to keep quiet and
a time to speak out.[1]
Many commentators will point out that this verse refers to the mourning process. The tearing and silence are illustrating a time of grief and sewing. And the speaking out, the recovery. One writer paints a picture of the grief process. “Grief is a journey, often perilous and without clear direction. The experience of grieving cannot be ordered or categorized, hurried or controlled, pushed aside or ignored indefinitely. It is inevitable as breathing, as change, as love. It may be postponed, but it will not be denied.”-Molly Fumia[2]
The seven (7) stages of grief are described as:
1) Shock or Disbelief
2) Denial
3) Anger
4) Bargaining
5) Guilt
6) Depression
7) Acceptance and Hope
If we take that approach where are we in the grieving process with race relations in America? I would argue that the nation is going through Stage 3 right now: Anger & Bargaining. In this stage you may observe these warning signs:
“Frustration gives way to anger, and you may lash out and lay unwarranted blame…on someone else…You may rail against fate, questioning ‘Why me?’ You may also try to bargain in vain with the powers that be for a way out of your despair.” [3]
There is an expression of grief in the Old Testament. In 2 Samuel 1:11, David and his men tear their clothes in mourning for Saul and Jonathan. Job had a similar response upon hearing of the loss of his children in Job 1:20. In the Bible, tearing of clothes is a sign of anger and frustration.
Is what is happening in our cities right now a modern day version of grief and frustration? Is it a sign of a section of the society tearing their clothes screaming out in pain? Is society hoping someone notices just how deeply it is hurting? If that is that case what is the church’s response? Is it time to be silent? Or is it time to stand and speak out? If the church takes up the mantle to speak out, it needs to discern the proper place to express itself. And the discipline to refrain from speaking at other times.
Where Does the Church Need to Speak out?
It needs to happen from the pulpit. It needs to be discussed in the community. In any and every forum that the church has influence. But not in a guilt-inducing way. Lord knows we have had too much of that in the past. It needs to be addressed with great love and care for people. We have hit people over the head for far too long now. Often in my experience, people have no idea their views and attitudes are wrong. They have no idea their behavior could be regarded as offensive or hurtful. It is what they have been taught. It is how they were raised. It is not just the attitudes on one side of this conflict. Views across racial lines need to be challenged but challenged with God’s love for all humanity as the heart of the message. Perfect love drives out a lack of awareness. Perfect love draws people into meaningful conversations where reconciliation can take place. Perfect love heals the hurt, the anger, and the resentment.
What Is the Message the Church needs to speak?
The same article on grief discussed the final stage of the process: Acceptance and hope. “During this, the last of the seven steps in this grief model, you learn to accept and deal with the reality of your situation. Acceptance does not necessarily mean instant happiness. Given the pain and turmoil you have experienced, you can never return to the carefree, untroubled YOU that existed before this tragedy. But you will find a way forward.”[4]
The task of the church is to help society find a way forward. We can’t return to the days before the rift that was caused by the sins of our forefathers. We can’t undo all the evils we have done to each other in the past. But we can find a new way forward. We need to accept the modern realities. We must understand we still have lots of repair work ahead. But our goal is clear: replace the darkness of hatred with divine light. Replace the destructive speeches with a message of hope. It is time for the church to stand and to speak to the strongholds of the world. You possess the keys to forgiveness and reconciliation.
[1] GOD’S WORD Translation. (1995). (Ec 3:7). Grand Rapids: Baker Publishing Group.
[2] Fumia, Molly. (2003) Safe Passages.York Beach, ME: Conari Press.
[3] http://www.recover-from-grief.com/7-stages-of-grief.html
[4] http://www.recover-from-grief.com/7-stages-of-grief.html
Other posts in this series can be found on the blog under the category of Caught Between Two Worlds:
https://revheadpin.org/2016/07/19/fearfully-made
https://revheadpin.org/2016/06/07/diversity-in-the-church/
https://revheadpin.org/2016/07/05/dealing-with-race-in-america/
Becoming Bridge Builders 
I cannot fathom the change that can take place if all churches would understand this and speak out. What awesomeness! Thank you! It would be interesting to know of commitments to this.
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Yes could you imagine the change that could take place.
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But what are the words we are actually to use? Just as any issue, we need to use racial issues to lead to a discussion of the Gospel, that we are all sinners and are destined for hell … regardless of skin color … but that Christ has died for everyone’s sins and offers eternal life. The racial divide pales in comparison to this. What if we could achieve perfect racial harmony, but no one comes to Christ and is saved? That is a far greater tragedy than the racial divide.
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You are on point. The message is centered on the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ
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Interesting that you compared US society and our lashing out phase of grief to those same expressions in Samuel and Job. I pray that every member of Christ’s church throughout the world may meditate on what you call us to do: drive out the darkness of hatred and replace it with divine light. And that God may illumine each and every one of us in what we can tangibly do to help society. Thank you for this post.
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Thank you Gospel for the comments. That analogy hit me as I see the hurt and pain all around.
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With love you have laid the gauntlet down to the churches. The model you have of the grieving process works and when followed it would not be accusatory, rather shedding light and forgiving. I feel like crossing over the pond and joining you to get some church leaders to understand this message and move.
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That is encouraging. I wanted love to come through in this post. I am glad it came through loud and clear. Come join us.
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Okay, I’m on the way.
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🙂
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True words!
I think one of the largest hurdles facing the American church right now is that it is often as racially segregated as inner city neighborhoods. (Of course, I’m speaking in generalities. This isn’t the case everywhere…)
How can we spread a message of equality, compassion and concern for all of our brothers and sisters in Christ, across racial lines, when our congregations fail to reflect a wealth of racial diversity?
It’s painful to sit through yet another sermon on racism, when the speaker is white and so is nearly everyone else in the audience… White Pastors need to be the ones seeking out connections with congregations representing the real-life experience as POC, and invite speakers to their own congregations to have them share from the pulpit.
The church itself has to embody the racial unity Christ would have us strive for in our society, before its messages of unity and compassion can be taken seriously. Just my opinion though;)
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I actually did a blog on diversity in the church. You have hit the nail on the head. How do we talk about race in a way that impacts the audience? Tough challenge when we all look the same in the pew.
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You know, I have a lot to say on the subject… But the covert racism within my own denomination is one of the (many) factors leading to my rejection of the organized church institution.
I pray. Pray hard for a glimpse of the kind of unity we will experience in the next life. But American hearts are so hardened…
I read the other day, in Ezekiel, how all lives belong to God. But when we as human beings discriminate based solely on input from our sensory perception…
God have mercy on us all. And may God provide the faithful with His guidance. That we may see each other as He sees us all– as His children.
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great series, Keith. I really hope you’re able to get this book together
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I have passed the review process of on publisher.
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awesome!
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So very true. My brother is not a Christian and I see how he is angry about all the racial comments from the black community because he doesn’t think racially. He has friends of every color and yet he feels like he’s being attacked by being told black lives matter – because they do – but ALL lives matter. He doesn’t see the hurt and the darkness that is driving all the strife. He gets angry and defensive rather than seeing the illness and loss of hope.
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Thank you for the affirmation Joanna. I used your quote in a Bible study proposal. This series of blogs now may also turn into a Bible study for the church as well as a book.
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I think that’s a great idea!
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