A LETTER TO MY PREDOMINANTLY WHITE CONGREGATION

Photo by Ehimetalor Akhere Unuabona on Unsplash

Dear Congregation,

As the Most Reverend Michael Curry, Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church, lamented in his Pentecost sermon, we face two pandemics. One is a virus which began contaminating our world this past year. The other is a virus which has plagued the history of humanity. Both pandemics affect bodies, livelihoods, and relationships. One pandemic is caused by the COVID-19 virus. The other is caused by racism. While we have been doing our part to quell the spread of COVID-19, now is the time to do our part to eliminate racism—from our institutions, policies and practices, and interpersonal actions.

The recent deaths of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd (among countless other Black Americans), the ensuing protests and violence, and the co-opting of religious buildings may be overwhelming. You may feel confused, scared, frustrated, ashamed, uncertain, angry, disappointed, or lost. You may also feel liberated, empowered, hopeful, and inspired. These challenging times engender complex reactions. This letter is to help us make sense of the complexity and provide perspective on our current situation. 

To state clearly—Racism is a sin. Oppression is not of God. Injustice cannot be allowed to survive. Our entire belief system is predicated on worshipping a loving, liberating, and life-giving God who breathed life into creation, called it “good,” and came to Earth to reconcile humanity to God’s self. 

A rift in this relationship between God, humanity, and creation? That is sin. 

What does racism do? Racism arbitrarily classifies people into groups based on the color of their skin as a way of, historically, justifying oppressive economic systems which exploited Black people and, contemporarily, dividing humanity into an “us” versus “them” dichotomy to, again, justify oppression. Said another way, racism gives white people the power to decide in whom the image of God resides, who is worthy of God’s love, and who is included in God’s kingdom. This socially constructed classification system creates a rift in humanity, thereby separating humanity from unity with God. That is sin.

God made all people in God’s image. That includes people of all races, genders, sexualities, abilities, and languages. To oppress, marginalize, or condemn anyone based on their God-breathed identity is not of God. Rather, from the prophets to Christ himself to the entire communion of saints, we are taught to “do justice, love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8). This means perpetuating injustice, either actively or tacitly, is antithetical to our belief system. 

We have seen many protests conducted in the last few days which fall in line with our belief in a loving, liberating, and life-giving God. These protests protest racist systems, policies, and practices. Oppression. Injustice. The deaths of Black and Brown lives at the hands of white supremacy, both within our police force and by rogue actors. Corrupt systems. Silenced voices. Spiritual, emotional, and physical pain. 

These protests are the results of 400 years of Black oppression at the hands of white institutions in the United States. 

Moreover, protesting—both peaceful and non-peaceful—is in our country’s DNA. The United States of America was founded on protests and violence. The (predominantly white) colonists took to the streets in outrage over taxation and lack of representation. They met, petitioned, marched … and even looted merchandise and set buildings ablaze. Let us not forget that these protests occurred on lands seized from Native/First Americans and cultivated by enslaved Africans. We praise the white colonists’ actions. We praise them so much that the Constitution of the United States guarantees the rights to peaceful assembly and petition the government for a redress of grievances (read: protest) for generations to come. 

Today, the protests we observe resulting from George Floyd’s unjust death resemble the earliest protests of our nation. Most of these protests are peaceful. Some, however, have resulted in the destruction of businesses, property, and physical well-being. In all cases, we as Christians must lean in to the nuances of these demonstrations, pushing ourselves to prioritize people over property. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. famously said, “the riot is the language of the unheard.” He then asked, “What is it that America has failed to hear?” This is the question we must ask.

What have we failed to hear that brought us to our current reality? These protests-turned-riots did not emerge from thin air. Rather, they are the result of pain. The result of oppression. The result of the sin of racism. Throughout the history of the United States, Black Americans have tried every form of protest and resistance to oppression. They staged uprisings during enslavement, spoke in code through spirituals, and aided one another to freedom. They sought political office, formed organizations, and reclaimed appropriated identity. Black Americans and allies have marched. They have sat peacefully in restaurants and on buses. Most recently, protesting has taken the form of kneeling during the National Anthem, writing articles, and creating movements like Black Lives Matter to raise social awareness. All the while, white Americans have criticized these various forms of protest (read: attempts at justice and equity) as “not right” (read: not white enough).

When constantly told that no matter what you do is not enough, when society questions if Black lives actually do matter, and when you are both explicitly and implicitly silenced, it is no wonder that rioting results. As Kareem Abdul-Jabbar writes, “I don’t want to see stores looted or even buildings burn. But African Americans have been living in a burning building for many years, choking on the smoke as the flames burn closer and closer.” No one wants to see destruction. Yet, the felt need to riot is understandable when it feels as if it is the only chance at survival. 

This is where the Church can do our part in this pandemic caused by the sin of racism. We are a Body moved to participate in enabling all of creation to not just survive, but to thrive. We are charged with seeing the image and likeness of God in all persons, and treat others as living dwelling places of the Holy of Holies. We are called to be living representations of our loving, liberating, and life-giving God. 

For some, this may mean attending protests and putting your body on the front lines. For others, it means donating to campaigns. It could also mean showing concern and compassion towards your Black sisters and brothers, reaching out, checking, and creating space for anger, lament, and even hope. In the words of the Rev. Dr. Willie Jennings, allow yourself to be righteously angry over racial injustice which privileges property over people. For white people in particular, it means educating ourselves and white community members on the history of race in the United States, racism, anti-racism, systemic oppression and injustice, and whiteness. For all of us, it means prayer. Prayer for our communities of color, for white people striving to be better allies, for police (as individuals and as an institution), struggling business owners, justice, forgiveness, unity, and love. 

No matter what course of action you choose to support Black and Brown lives, ally yourself with justice and equity, and fight against racism and oppression—it begins with listening. Listen with your heart. Listen with your head. Listen with your hands, feet, and body. Listen so that “that we may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand; to be loved as to love” (BCP 1979, 833). These challenging times engender complex reactions; but we cannot let complexity stymy us from eliminating racism. 

Hold onto hope. Keep the faith. 

In Love, Peace, and Solidarity:
Your White Deacon+