“A Pastoral Statement on Dismantling Structural Racism”
Event Sponsored by ABLE (Atlantans Building Leadership for Empowerment)
Held at the Interdenominational Theological Center, Atlanta GA
12 Noon, Tuesday, March 8, 2016
Remarks By: The Rev. Dr. James L. Brewer-Calvert
ABLE asked five ministers from a variety of denominations to prepare 3-5 minutes of remarks, answering two questions (see below). Following remarks by our speakers, the floor was opened to participants to engage in dialogue with the panelists. ABLE leadership’s hope for the event is to build relationships that will allow us to organize and dismantle structural racism in our city.
- Where do you see structural racism operating in Atlanta today? What impacts does it have?
- What might an organized response by the faith community to dismantle these structures look like? Do you have examples from your denomination or community where this has happened or is happening?
Notes for Panel Discussion
Thank you for your kind invitation and faithfulness, tenacity and grace. I offer for your prayerful consideration a definition, a theology, and a witness.
A Definition
Racism is prejudice plus power. A working definition for structural racism would include language like intentional and operational, embedded and legitimated.
A Theology
A passionately repeated refrain for Amos, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Hosea and Micah was that the Lord said, “I despise your worship, your feasts, and your sacrifices when there is no justice at the gate.” The prophets spoke up and out for sedequah and mishpat, the Hebrew words for righteousness and justice. They grasped that without one there could not be the other. At the core of justice is mercy: the embracing and carrying out of mercy is the embodiment of righteousness. Two relevant Greek words that apply here are orthodoxy and orthopraxis. Orthodoxy means right belief, right worship. Orthopraxis means to do the right thing. Our orthopraxis precedes our orthodoxy. Practice before you preach. What good is it to believe rightly if we don’t practice rightly?
Ministry is about relationships. At the core of relationships are respect and recognition. We all want to be respected and recognized, to be included and involved, to belong and be held. One significant step toward dismantling structural racism is to break it down to the relational level by practicing the art of respect. Appreciate one another for who — and whose — we are; call each other by name; listen to each other’s story; see one another as we truly are: a child of God. If I make the effort to meet you where you are and listen to your story, and you do the same with me, and then we include someone else in the conversation, the circle widens, expands, includes; in time and effort our circles overlap and interact, influence and connect. By the grace of God, by building upon one relationship at a time, we have the power to dismantle any deep-seated need to dominate, deny, or devalue people based on race or religion, creed or gender, nationality or sexual orientation.
A Witness
Wherever and whenever we witness racial prejudice plus power to such an extent that neighbors are oppressed, that the shadows of hate lengthen and dominate the landscape, the antidote is our response to the Holy Spirit’s call to embody justice and righteousness, sedequah and mishpat. Here in our very midst is cause and need for people from all walks of life to unite for the sake of the Gospel. Are you like me, believing that the people, united, will never be defeated? We who would most benefit from working, playing and serving together spend an inordinate amount of energy fussing and fighting amongst ourselves. Our energy would best be served by yoking as one and working for a common cause, that of bettering the whole people of God.
I have witnessed the dividing walls of racism break down, crumble and disseminate when local congregations have participated in pulpit swaps and shared choir concerts; in exchanges of members to discuss and process what we have in common and our uniqueness. Success abounds when faith communities work side-by-side on a common ministry. When we unite as the Body of Christ to focus our energy on a shared community service project or program, protest or prayer, that which once divided falls away, veils of distrust are removed, and new ways are made possible. The Apostle Paul said, “So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see everything has become new! All this is from God, who reconciled us to [God] through Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation…” (2 Cor. 5)
Ministries of reconciliation are effective at dismantling ignorance and building hope. In the last dozen years alone Christian Churches across Atlanta and Georgia have sponsored interracial, interchurch mission projects that have made a difference in folks’ lives. Some projects took all day; others continue to this day. We’ve gathered to watch and discuss the film “Selma” and we’ve co-sponsored free health clinics and the feeding of homeless neighbors. We’ve built Habitat homes and marched miles to bring awareness to human trafficking. Churches that once were isolationists now send their members to interracial assemblies and retreats. Our most recent state-wide gathering focused on ‘Becoming the Beloved Community’.
Does this dismantle structural racism? Maybe, maybe not… Building relationships at the personal level in the community may seem like flinging a smooth stone at Goliath’s head, but, hey, look at how that story ended!
As always, First Christian Church of Decatur, I am delighted to be your pastor. Shalom, James