| |
|
home | board | compass
| prayer | eCard |
01/20/2003 Entry: "Racism and the church"
Peter, the Gutless Pacificist has been pondering the question of racism as the US celebrates Martin Luther King Day. He's invited others to respond to a piece by black theologian James Cone. It's been a while since I picked up anything by Cone, but I'm glad to be reacquainted with him:
Race criticism is just as crucial for the integrity of Christian theology as any critique in the modern world. Christianity was blatantly used to justify slavery, colonialism, and segregation for nearly five hundred years. Yet this great contradiction is consistently neglected by the same white male theologians who would never ignore the problem that critical reason poses for faith in a secular world. They still do theology as if white supremacy created no serious problem for Christian belief. Their silence on race is so conspicuous that I sometimes wonder why they are not greatly embarrassed by it.Many Christians will disagree with Cone's analysis. They deny even the possibility of a specifically "black" theology. "God," they say, "is colour-blind."But it is undeniable that the history we inherit shapes who we, how we understand ourselves, how we will talk about God. Each of these stories needs to be heard and understood if the church's "God-talk" is going to reflect the diversity in which we were made - a diversity which bears the image of God. In a deeper sense, our histories are part of "his story", a story of betrayal, denial, rejection, cruelty - but ultimately resurrection and vindication. This should be reason enough for us to give close attention to those who have been, and continue to be, oppressed and marginalised. We prefer to look for Christ in the glory and splendour of heaven. He said we would find him in the stranger.
