Response 1
The Reverend Deborah H. Piggins
It is a journey of becoming, this intentional anti-racism walk we are on. It is a journey on that stony road we sing of in Lift Every Voice. And it is a journey toward the freedom Jesus offers us. We are on this road together, whether we have chosen it or not, and we are all at different points in the journey. None of us has arrived yet. We are not unlike the ancient Israelites, freed from Egypt by Moses, with a little help from Yahweh, and complaining most of the way, yearning to return to slavery where they were fed by their oppressors.
As with the people who followed Moses, God calls us to journey so that we will be stretched and grow. Can it be that God tests us not so God will know us better (not needed), but so that we will know our selves better and become closer to God? As Moses says to his fellow sojourners, “Remember the long way the Lord your God has led you … to humble you … in order to make you understand that one does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.” (Deuteronomy 8:2-3) Perhaps words like love and justice.
Joe Barndt writes, “everyone is broken and in need of liberation.” He quotes Ephesians (6:12): “We do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age…” In our brokenness we have created structures that entrap us in a system and culture that oppresses all, even those who enjoy white privilege without even being aware of it. We created those systems and cultures; we can dismantle them. That is our work in our baptismal call to be the hands and feet and voice of Christ on earth.
Response 2
By Kevin Thompson, MPA, DTM
Reading this book begs the reader to ask, why set the biblical context in reclaiming an Anti-Racist Gospel in route to becoming an Anti-Racist Church. I ask what better place to start? Regardless of our religious affiliation as followers of Christ, the one thing we all should agree with is that the bible is the word of God, inspired by the Holy Spirit through man. Establishing a biblical context provides a platform, a foundation if you will, and a place that we all can meet in agreement. Taking a biblical point of reference also allows us to face some questions that will challenge our faith in the bible.
If we believe that the Bible is true then everyone on earth came from one man Adam and one woman Eve who were both God’s creation. If this is true, and the bible did not note God creating anyone else who is human, then we are all descendants of Adam and Eve. We are family, everyone together. No one is omitted because of differences in skin, hair, eye color or language. So if you think about it, the idea of treating someone to be less human and torture or kill them because of these aforementioned differences is a little bazaar. Is this the way you would treat someone in your family, your child, aunt, uncle, mom or dad? Of course you said no, but this is what racism validates.
Setting a biblical context provides the opportunity for each of us to pause and ask the question, do I really believe what the Bible says is true. This is the question that I would like you to ponder in the quietness of your room. If you are a follower of Jesus Christ and you believe that the words written in the Bible are true, then I believe that you have an obligation to continue to read this book and take an active role in helping your church become an Anti-Racist Church. We need to treat everyone like they are members of our immediate family and share the love of God with one another. What do you believe? Please share your comments below.
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