Three years after the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis brought crowds into the streets for a summer of protests, Christian groups are quietly launching initiatives that address the still-fraught racial divisions among their members and in the wider society.
In New Orleans next week, leaders of the Southern Baptist Convention, which has been roiled by unrest over teoría crítica de la raza and other racial issues in recent years, will hold a forum on racial reconciliation. Meanwhile, representatives of mainline and historic Black Protestant denominations will discuss their plans for “eradicating racism,” in the words of a session planned for a three-day meeting in Philadelphia.
“We need to have honest conversations with people who don’t look like us to find out why we have these differences,” said Fred Luter, a former president of the Southern Baptist Convention and the first African American to lead the nation’s largest Protestant group. “We need to talk about it, we need to discuss it and we should be able to discuss it in a Christian-like manner and hopefully come up with simple steps of what we can do to bring about unity among the races in the SBC.”
On Monday, as delegates to the SBC’s annual meeting gather, Luter said he expects about 300 people at the racial reconciliation event organized by the Unify Project, a campaign Luter founded with another former SBC president, Ed Litton, with the advice of Dallas megachurch pastor tony evans. The Unify Project aims to bring pastors and churches together for meals and to help them speak out and jointly provide community service.
In 2018, in Memphis, Tennessee, the SBC’s Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, then headed by Russell Moore, co-sponsored an event on racism timed to the 50th anniversary of the assassination of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., in an attempt to advance the racial history of a denomination that supported the Confederacy during the Civil War. But since then race has again become a sore point for the SBC.
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Luter said he hopes the gathering, which is co-hosted by the ERLC, will turn the SBC to a new direction. “All we can do is hope,” he said. “That’s my hope, personally.”
In Philadelphia, the 10 denominations that comprise the 21-year-old Churches Uniting in Christ have convened to address how its member groups can work on “a shared mission to combat racism,” one part of an eight-point agenda that also includes commitments to promoting unity, celebrating the Eucharist together and continuing theological dialogue.
“Our hope is to set some goals for the next three years that will focus on how we can continue to work on racial equity together and how we can continue to dialogue with each other,” said the Rev. Jean Hawxhurst, a United Methodist ecumenist and vice president of CUIC.
Bishop Jeffrey Leath of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, a member of the CUIC Coordinating Council, said the gathering will consider how their work fits with that of other ecumenical groups working on race issues and how their representatives can address a range of forms of biases.
“Black and brown communities should be committed to working on issues of anti-bias as we work along with our white brothers and sisters on anti-racism,” said Leath, who also is the ecumenical officer of the AME Church. “The African American and various Black and brown communities are plagued with classism, colorism and xenophobia in ways that are just as egregious as racism.”
The meeting will also include a prayer walk past some of the city’s historical sites related to slavery.
The inaugural National Unity Weekend, happening June 10-11, grew out of an event at the National Museum of African American History and Culture last September, when white, Black and Asian American evangelical leaders toured the museum together to raise awareness of systemic racism. The tour was organized by Let’s Talk, founded in 2021 by Bishop Derek Grier, pastor of a nondenominational church in Dumfries, Virginia.
For the past two years, Let’s Talk has sponsored first monthly and now quarterly Zoom calls for dozens of Asian, African American, Hispanic and white evangelical leaders. “We began to talk heart to heart — we wanted to listen as well as be heard,” said Grier. “And as important as conversation was, we recognized nothing changes without action.”
Over the weekend, more than 130 churches and ministries who have committed to help their communities will perform local volunteer service, with some distributing food boxes at sites run by Pat Robertson’s Operation Blessing. On Sunday, the clergy of many of those same congregations will give sermons about racial healing based on the same verse from the New Testament’s Letter to the Galatians: “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”
“It’s vital that we not only preach it and teach it, but we also demonstrate it,” Grier said of the combination of community and worship services focused on racial unity that he hopes will become annual activities. “Folks will no longer just be informed by CNN or MSNBC or Fox News. They would have heard from their pastor what the Scripture says, what Jesus teaches about these very, very important issues.”
Adelle Banks es editora de producción y corresponsal nacional de Religion News Service.
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17 Respuestas
“ Folks will no longer just be informed by CNN or MSNBC or Fox News…”
It would behoove everyone who loves Jesus to find out how far mainstream media manipulates and deceives by simply watching the chronological timeline of events regarding George Floyd.
https://www.georgefloyddocumentary.com/
Just about every societal problem in America today can be traced back to the ruling authorities creating and sustaining them for the purpose of deceiving and controlling the masses.
We are currently at war – a war over what the truth really is, and many people are dying. Fourth and fifth generation warfare strategies are being used by the powers that be on ‘We the People’.
Remember – Jesus said be harmless as doves and as wise as serpents.
“Jesus said be harmless as doves and as wise as serpents.” [Kenly Wayne].
I really like the first part of this admonition. The second part leaves me thinking that I probably don’t understand the fullness of the Biblical “serpent” metaphor.
My own sense, is: that every step one takes from any moment of grasping the truth as to harmlessness; is then challenged by what we tend to encounter as world and otherness (and self). So we have to be sensible and intelligent about what we so encounter: so clear-sighted objectivity needed. There also seems to have to be a dynamic of self not taking it personally, so being crucified by what is unjust in what is encountered, but redeeming one’s part in it by being harmless in response.
I think that, if and when we can abide by the admonition, then as you suggest, the unifying imperative has a chance of working out. It seems to me that dying to yourself, while sustaining personal integrity, leaves us not obstructing unity.
“ The second part leaves me thinking that I probably don’t understand the fullness of the Biblical “serpent” metaphor.”
Colin, me neither, but I know Jesus said it in the context of the sheep/wolf metaphor. Sheep are dumb prey with an overruling herd mentality. Wolves are a cunning/sly apex predator.
Christians are programmed via the church (using passages like Rom 13) and formal education to not think of government as a wolf. And so the big bad wolf has learned how to use modern technology (TV/internet) to deceive, or propagandize, the masses of sheep into consuming fruit from their tree of knowledge, when in fact it’s clearly not total reality.
So when Jesus-lovers, or journalists, point to events (like the George Floyd one) without referencing the con – they are in reality enabling the manipulative liar (big bad wolf), and are securing their own chains of bondage to a false reality (script/narrative), which is far from being wise.
I see the government not as the worldly power sometimes standing in opposition to God and sometimes being the mechanism by which his purposes are accomplished even for good at times.
If one thinks that the wolves to beware of are the government and media, they are likely to miss the wolves prowling among us within our churches.
That video is well worth watching. “The media” and how they report facts, must be constantly monitored and it is becoming quite difficult. Even a line in this story describes what happens in Minneapolis as “protests.” That is an incredibly weak description of what happened, when in fact, a good portion of the city I love burned. Words matter.
Perhaps someone can explain how attacking the media and/or “being right” about George Floyd will bring about racial healing, especially in the church and among Christians. Isn’t that what this article is about?
¿Qué me estoy perdiendo?
From my perspective, I fail to see how “well you’re wrong about George Floyd” or “it was a riot, not a protest” will bring healing. It’s right fighting all over again. Ok, so George Floyd deserved to die and cities were full of riots. You’re right. Now what?
When are we going to put our swords down, stop cutting each other down, and figure out a path forward across racial lines?
Marin, isn’t the cure always in proportion to the cause? Maybe switching the subject to another “problem” will help clarify.
What if, hypothetically speaking, true reality is that 9 out of 10 mass shootings were sponsored/engineered covertly using the latest technology (SSRI’s, pyschotronics, mind control techniques, synthetic biology, etc.) by our tax dollars in some shape or form?
Wouldn’t logic and common sense then suggest that it would be ludicrous to advocate more “gun control” legislation as a genuine cure?
Wouldn’t the primary obligation of everyone, especially those who love Jesus, then be to focus, expose and stop the cause of the 90%, and then address what issues remain?
Churches have an obligation to get to the root of the cause (yes, it’s a sin issue for sure), but sadly, are seemingly unaware they are being manipulated/distracted by a false reality when they eat from the powers-that-be’s tree of knowledge.
Does that help to see why I addressed the fact that the chronological timeline of the George Floyd event proves it was not simply an organic circumstance that churches should be working hard to overcome? Did you watch the documentary?
A big part of cure is to address the hurt. I see ZERO of that in your response. If you see someone starving to death, you don’t ignore their hurt with “lack of food isn’t the REAL problem.” You feed them FIRST.
Do you respond to a person who lost a loved one in a mass shooting with “it’s all engineered”? I’d hope you would tend to the fact they are hurting from their loss FIRST. (BTW I don’t believe that at all).
A big part of racial reconciliation (which is what this is about) is both sides being able to express their hurt and what they need, with the other side REALLY hearing them. That means NOT making assumptions about others’ needs or hurts. I don’t know if you’ve ever been in pain, only to be met with “you’re not really in pain” or “you don’t need what you think you do, I’m right and I’ll tell you what you REALLY need”. I can tell you from personal experience that response does NOT bring about healing or reconciliation. It brings about frustration and resentment; the other person is NOT listening and is actually being condescending to what I’m saying I need.
Leading with compassion is to be a Christian response, is it not? No one will listen if you can’t start there.
I cannot watch anything with footage of George Floyd; when I saw that man crying for his mama under the cop’s knee, it broke me. I cannot believe any Christian can watch that and respond with conspiracy theories ahead of compassion.
Calling what happened in Minneapolis a “summer of protests” is grossly inaccurate. Truth and words matter. The path to reconciliation can’t be paved with platitudes and half truths. I’m not trying to be difficult, but I found it incredibly irresponsible to call a widespread, ruinous riot a “protest.”
Truth and words do matter. There were some protests going on. To label all of them as riots is a dishonest exaggeration.
Why can’t people admit BOTH were going on? Oh yeah, it won’t suit their narrative.
“ Leading with compassion is to be a Christian response, is it not? No one will listen if you can’t start there.”
Marin, though I wasn’t writing a comprehensive strategy of how churches should deal with events, I start with trying to discern what the truth is before I feel anything. Since I despise being manipulated, I simply question everything in a world full of technological deceit and political trickery.
Churches need to refuse to marginalize and silence people as “conspiracy theorists” who simply point out blaring inconsistencies in the official narrative.
Wishing you all the best in Christ!
Kenly –
While I believe NO ONE likes to be manipulated, we must not let our mistrust of institutions blind us to meeting and addressing the hurt and needs of others. I actually believe that is what’s feeding a lot of our hateful division.
A Christian saying “I’m not gonna help you, because I believe it’s a scam….” is causing people in need to miss the gospel and become mistrusting – or even resentful – of Christians.
Remember people will know us by our love. Not our refusal to love until we can see if we are right.
Wishing you the best!
I love it that people are coming together to be able confess their feelings and begin to heal in the process.
There is so much racial tension in our country today. “Everybody get together, try to love one another right now”…..
“There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” [NT, Paul].
The truth and contradictions here, are difficult for me to compute. The best I can do is think that, if and when “we” are all mediated (temporarily or in a self-sustaining manner) by one understanding (belief and faith); then the generic truth of this NT testifying is had.
The contradictions then arise across the concomitant of the crucial “we”.
A Church congregation come together. If all goes well the truth is had for that congregation. But the wider human world later suggests that this congregational “we” is only part of a wider human world. And Mr Smith may remember that he’s not too keen on Mr Jones.
More deeply, the congregational we’s dependence on shared Christian faith and belief, sharpens the distinction between that “we” and a secular, agnostic and atheist otherness.
The truth and contradictions of Paul’s testimony, arise simultaneously. By the same token of ideally mediating a Christian “we” who are “all one in Jesus Christ”, a crucial division between this “we” and all others who will not or cannot commit to this understanding of Jesus Christ is also mediated.
Reliance on the Bible then arguably speaks more to “separation” than it speaks to any other theme. So truth wrapped in contradictions is encountered.
I’m going to have to pray to find hope in this. Don’t get me wrong: everything sounds amazing. But I want to see what happens AFTERWARDS.
The reason why we aren’t moving forward is that we (as Christians) attend events like this, quote scriptures on how we are to love one another, and say “Amen”…but then go back to right-fighting among our respective tribes. “We are right over what happened to George Floyd!” Yeah, but how is being right bringing about reconciliation?
We need to find a way to be in relationship with one another, not mere acquaintances who commune a few times a year at events. Relationships require consistent nurturing through giving, communicating, listening, and ministering to one another. Through relationship, we will be able to find and connect on those things we have in common (our love of Christ, desire to provide for family, etc), and learn how to listen, empathize and work through things we don’t have in common. Without relationships, we are left making assumptions about others, arrogant presumptions about what others need, and taking defensive stances rooted in right fighting and trying to surpass misunderstandings.
So while I’m pleased at these racial reconciliatory efforts, I’m awaiting what happens when everyone returns home – to our respective segregated communities and congregations amidst a ramping up election season (that’s sure to be as divisive as ever). I’m not expecting much, but I’d like to be wrong.
The George Floyd manipulation to achieve a specific outcome continues. I remember here in greater Chicagoland, pallets of bricks were strategically placed up and down Michigan Ave. Days before the violent riots began. Local residents found it strange that overnight, bricks neatly stacked on pallets appeared, construction companies were asked “are these yours?” No; we haven’t any projects in these areas. Who placed these bricks then? BLM and Antifa groups were found to be recruited then bussed into downtown Chicago, then at the precise moment, MSM in synchronized lock step, began showing damning videos of Floyd being handcuffed, police kneeling on him. As the violent riots, anarchy increased nationwide, Rental vans from U-Haul, were intercepted by our local Police, carrying multiple BLM/Antifa rioters at high speeds, out to suburbs to deliberately/ violently burn, loot, destroy. It was a deliberate destruction of private property, organized by some nefarious organization. Black private businesses were burned in Chicago’s south& west sides. Innocent black families became victims. Police were told to stand-down by our Mayor. Our liberal Christian churches bought this MSM narrative hook-line-sinker. It’s a complete disgrace we will not as Christians research and find out truth of what really happened. It truly was evil, to further divide and conquer us sheeple.
Rakas –
I lived right off Michigan Ave (near Mag Mile) at this time and regularly walked the area both to commute and to get my dog his exercise. I saw NONE of this. Can you give addresses as to where these piles of bricks were? I would walk from Old Town through Gold Coast and as far south as the Loop daily. Saw nothing of the sorts.
As a matter of fact, I actually saw the opposite: police out in full force MINUTES after the video was released; the mayor’s message to remain calm and stay indoors; people of all colors coming together to board business up, clean up grafitti, talk, and console. I had lived in that area for 8 years and commented on how refreshing it was to see neighbors who usually pass each other with little acknolwedgment come together as a community. And yes, there were churches out there rolling up their sleeves to help out too – including groups from Moody. I even my dog walker this way (he sprung into action when my then-puppy got glass in his paws).
It’s unfortunate you saw such hate and divison when I saw community and support. I actually hate it took such tragedy for people to come together.