Racism and grace

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During the last week I’ve been pondering the tragic events in Charleston in which a young white man who was raised in an ELCA congregation shot to death nine people gathered for Bible Study and prayer at Mother Emmanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church. Yesterday I was grateful to see our Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton at the service for Rev. Clementa Pinckney representing our faith community with those who were mourning, as President Obama preached a powerful word about grace. 

I don’t have easy answers to the issue of racism in our society.  However, here are several reflections I would like to share with you, people of the ELCA Rocky Mountain Synod:

  • As a middle-aged white American male, I live in world of constant privilege based on my race, my gender, my economic status, my nationality... to name just a few factors. When it comes to the reality of racism, I cannot pretend to understand the experience of my African-American brothers and sisters or other people of color in this country. What I can do is to listen and to learn—to bear witness to the pain I hear expressed, to acknowledge the many ways in which this particular sin has wrought devastating consequences in the lives of countless men, women and children. What I can do is to seek to come to terms with my own racist attitudes and actions (conscious and unconscious), recognize and repent of my own complicity in systems that promote racism today. What I can do is weep with my brothers and sisters at the senseless loss of innocent life, join my voice in the call for an end to injustices rooted in racism, and work to change systems that keep racism in place.
  • The sin of racism is part of our larger sinful reality rooted in what Franciscan Richard Rohr calls “dualistic thinking”—our human addiction to engaging life on the basis of categories that divide us one from the other. The bondage of dualist thinking means that my ego will always seek to address my inner pain, fear, shame and alienation by creating scenarios in which I come out “ahead” in some way. This requires categories of thinking and acting based on “us/them,” “either/or,” and “win/lose.”  At its heart, racism is symptomatic of the spiritual bondage in which we are all held. Which means that while we are called as communities of faith to challenge unjust systems and work to change the external reality of racism, as Christ’s church we are also called to the inner journey of addressing the dualism that makes racism “necessary” in our minds. Authentic worship, prayer, community and spiritual practice are tools to help us along the way. It’s only when you and I are truly grasped by the truth that there is no fundamental separation between me and each of my neighbors—whom God loves with equal passion—that we experience the power of salvation.
  • Dualistic thinking and racism end where all sin ends: grace. Grace is the experience of God’s unconditional love. Grace is the power that allows the family members of those who have been murdered to forgive the perpetrator. Grace is the experience of being forgiven. Grace is what recognizes that the motivation for violence and hatred and racism is the same—and resides within each and every one of us. Grace is what makes repentance—a turn-around possible. Grace is what wakes us up and allows us to live with courage and compassion and hope, even in the face of great suffering and evil. Grace is recognizing the presence of Christ crucified and living in every moment of the journey we share.

Easy answers? No. Yet intentional conversation matters. I invite you to share your thoughts and reflections, and to join me in exploring how this tragedy might move us more fully into God’s grace-filled future for all.

Yours in Faith,
Bishop Jim Gonia

Comments

Rod Schofield said…
I so value your reflections. As another white male of privilege I have much work to do to increase my awareness and advocacy efforts and I appreciate your comments that call us all to enter into both discussion and action. The hymn, "They Met to Read the Bible," that was sung at my daughter's congregation this morning was a significant contributor to the healing that must occur within all of us and our congregations. Thank you for your contributions to that healing.
7:20 PM
Virginia Fink said…
Perhaps we should begin to examine how we have learned to be white in our racist society. This includes how we first learned about race and how to respond or not respond to racial injustice. For many of us have accepted the passivity and turning a blind eye to the extreme and insidious violence that persons of color encounter. We have not learn how to stop these in other white persons. We have not read or engaged in conversations with important African American religious scholars such as Martin Luther King, Vincent Harding Katie Geneva Cannon, Renita Weems or Emilie Townsend. I think it will take work, study and prayer to overcome the shame, fear and ignorance that we now live with and think that this is normal. I am glad you stepped up and began the dialogue and I hope the dialogue continues and deepens so that change can happen. Dr. Virginia S. Fink. Cross of Christ Broomfield
8:48 AM
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