Rene John
“Sing a song full of the faith that the dark past has taught us;
Sing a song full of the hope that the present has brought us;
Facing the rising sun of our new day begun. Let us march on till victory is won.”(LEVAS)
From days of old singing was not just a way to past time, it was a way to share what was on our minds. Our ancestors sang songs which expressed their hope for the future. One such song continues to be Lift Every Voice and Sing.
In this spiritual is expressed our past, present and future. Joseph Barndt stated that “in shaping an anti-racist church the first and most important task is to give birth to an anti-racist Christian identity.” He continued “as with any birth, this includes a long period of pregnancy and gestation that is risked-filled, often painful, and has many potentially dangerous complications. And likewise, as in any other birthing process, when it is completed, the exciting and joyful celebration of the newborn will far outweigh the agony of the delivery.”
The Rev. Canon Petero Sabune at the African evensong for Sudan Darfur on October 30, 2011 reminded us that the birth is just the beginning. Much work remains to be done, and we cannot even dream of abandoning what we have worked so hard to bring to fruition.
The Rt. Rev. George Councell reminded us at the beginning of the 2011 Anti-Racism conference “we are just becoming.” Using as a reference Luther’s Understanding of Becoming Christians. Our history is long and our story can be told from so many different perspectives. Ruth Councell and Corinne Peters tell the story on canvas, in their wonderful exhibit ‘Overcoming Racism.’ It is the story of Jews, Hispanics, American Indians, Blacks, and Asians. The story of Delores Huerta, Thurgood Marshall, Jackie Robinson, Cesar Chavez, Rosa Parks, migrant farm workers and many more.
Joseph Barndt reminds us that “the pathway we have been following to ending racism leads directly to the doors of our home churches, to face our congregations at their segregated Sunday morning worship services.” He also reminded us that it is not just about “outreach” but rather it begins with “inreach” into the center of our sanctuaries.”
How can we be about the business of building the beloved community? Anti-racism is also however not about doing, but about being. At Trinity Cathedral where I serve as Dean we are working hard at being the beloved community. The congregation is comprised of a healthy representation mixed races and nationalities, living in communion with God and each other.
Barndt has prescribed six steps to achieve identity change and becoming an Anti-Racist Church:
“Building a common analysis: Programs of anti-racism training are instituted throughout the church, resulting in a common analysis of systemic racism and a growing understanding of racism as a barrier of effective diversity.
Undoing internalized socialization: A consciousness of internalized racial oppression and white power and privilege emerges within the church, along with an increasing commitment to eliminate inherent white advantage.
Learning accountability to communities of color: Cross-racial relationships are deepened and white people begin to develop accountability to communities of color.
Auditing and evaluation: The analysis is applied to all levels of the church through auditing and evaluation.
Reaching a critical mass: A critical mass of old and new church leadership and membership claims an anti-racist identity and a vision of an anti-racist institution.
Institutionalizing the anti-racist identity: A transition to stage five is initiated by a formal decision to institutionalize an anti-racist identity within the institution’s identity documents and throughout the structures and culture of the institution.”
I would like to end with another popular spiritual.
“We shall overcome,
we shall overcome,
we shall overcome some day
Oh, deep in my heart, I do believe,
We shall overcome some day.” (LEVAS)
We shall overcome some day and live in peace because God is on our side and we are not afraid. Or are we?
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