Bless the Lord, O my soul, and let all that is within me bless His holy name. Amen.
I am not ashamed to call myself a Christian.
I am not ashamed to stand and recite the Creed every Sunday morning. I do believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty (Although, for the record, I also believe that Father is one of many ways God can reveal Godself to us– to some, God is Father; to others, Mother, or Friend, or Companion… God can be revealed to God’s children in infinitely-many ways.) I do believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God. I do believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Giver of Life.
I am not ashamed to proclaim the Gospel as the Good News to all God’s people (in Christ there is no Jew or Gentile, male or female, slave or free) for salvation. I use the word “salvation” here not to mean fire insurance, but rather, hope for healing, liberation, peace, and restoration of right relationships for all of creation. (Which, if you ask me, is way more amazing than just an admit-one, individual get-out-of-Hell-free card.)
I am not ashamed of the faith that calls me to “seek and serve Christ in all persons, loving my neighbor as myself” and to “strive for justice and peace among all people and respect the dignity of every human being.”
I am not ashamed to call the whole Church Universal my home, and the whole Communion of Saints my family. I am not ashamed to follow in the footsteps of the Saints who have come before me, nor am I ashamed to take part in the formation and shaping of generations yet to come.
I am not ashamed to claim the legacy of the Resurrection– that new life comes out of death, that joy comes out of suffering, that violence will never claim the final word, and that God can make all things new.
I am not ashamed to call myself a Christian. Nor am I ashamed of the Gospel.
But I’m often incredibly ashamed of actions, ideas, and words that Christianity is used to justify.
Last night at the Grammy Awards, several artists mentioned the tragic loss of a young life that occurred last year in Ferguson, Missouri. Prince explicitly used the words “black lives matter” during his speech, and Beyonce incorporated the “hands up/don’t shoot” gesture into her rendition of “Precious Lord, Take My Hand”, which Mahalia Jackson famously sang at the funeral of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Both that gesture and the hashtag #BlackLivesMatter have become cultural symbols of Mike Brown’s death in Ferguson, as well as the broader problem of prejudice against young men of color– prejudice that has, on far too many occasions, proven fatal for its young victims.
With the recent release of the movie Selma (which I still need to see), it’s hard not to link this issue with the Civil Rights Movement of my parents’ generation. #BlackLivesMatter is perhaps to my generation what “Ain’t Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me Round” and “We Shall Overcome” and “Woke Up This Mornin’ with my Mind Stayed on Freedom” were to those who marched in Selma and boycotted buses in Montgomery. Racism is still alive in America. Eric Garner, Mike Brown, Tamir Rice, Trayvon Martin, and countless other lives cut short far too soon are proof of this. Beyonce’s musical performance last night very deliberately and explicitly made this connection– we are fighting the same fight in 2015 as Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King, Jr., Coretta Scott King, Medgar Evers, and their contemporaries. We may be equal at lunch counters and water fountains and on public transportation in 2015, but not we’re not equal at the business end of a gun. And, like the previous generation of civil rights warriors, we can’t let nobody turn us ’round. We must continue the fight for the equality and dignity of every human being. We must keep working toward the fulfillment of Dr. King’s dream.
Right on! What a beautiful, timely message, right? I certainly think so.
But many would disagree.
Last night, droves of people took to Twitter, enraged that Ferguson had been invoked as a civil rights issue, and placed alongside the events of the Civil Rights Movement that took place in the 1960s. “MLK and Rosa Parks were heroes,” many people said. “Mike Brown was a thug and a hoodlum.”
I’m fairly certain “thug” and “hoodlum” were levelled at plenty of young black men and women who participated in walk-outs, sit-ins, boycotts, and marches in the time of Martin Luther King, Jr.– too. I’m fairly certain Rosa Parks was breaking a law, too. And there were racists who claimed blacks weren’t suffering any actual injustice in the 1960s, too. Funny how that 20/20 hindsight works, isn’t it? And yet, even though we can see what happened just a generation ago, we seem hell-bent on repeating and continuing it.
What really infuriated me last night, though, was the fact that people were using Christianity— or at least their interpretation of Christianity– to justify their racism, their prejudice, their bigotry, and their hate. The same people who were thrilled that religious music and religious language were being used during an awards show were horrified that the same awards show was being used as a platform to promote the idea that black lives matter.
And that, my friends, is the kind of thing that makes me deeply ashamed of my fellow Christians.
We can’t just say the name of Jesus and call that Christianity. We can’t just sing songs about him and go to church and maybe toss a few bucks in the plate every once in a while. That’s all well and good, but that’s not Christianity.
Christianity isn’t about public piety. It isn’t about using churchy-sounding words or singing religious songs. It’s not about giving lip service to God.
It’s about sharing with the world what Jesus shared in the temple when he read from the book of Isaiah:
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
Or, to use the words of African-American theologian James Cone, “There can be no Christian theology which is not identified unreservedly with those who are humiliated and abused. In fact, theology ceases to be a theology of the gospel when it fails to arise out of the community of the oppressed.”
Christianity is about proclaiming that abundance, inclusion, hope, peace, freedom, and love will ultimately win– not greed, bigotry, despair, fear, or hate. It’s about proclaiming the Good News of salvation– redemption, restoration, shalom— to all God’s people. It’s about the first being last and the last being first.
When you proclaim the message that hate wins, the Gospel is no longer being proclaimed.
When you justify violence, the Gospel is no longer being proclaimed.
When you favor one group of people over another, the Gospel is no longer being proclaimed.
When you hate, exclude, oppress, abuse, or hurt anyone, the Gospel is no longer being proclaimed.
When you say that some lives– gay lives, Muslim lives, transgender lives, prisoners’ lives, homeless lives, and yes, black lives– don’t matter, the Gospel is no longer being proclaimed.
Christianity isn’t just about believing in Jesus– it’s about following Jesus.
And if you can put MLK and Rosa Parks on a pedestal while calling Mike Brown and Trayvon Martin thugs, you aren’t following Jesus.
If #BlackLivesDon’tMatter, you aren’t following Jesus.
So, if you’re so inclined, be a racist all you want. Hate people. Support violence. Vote for policies that exclude, disenfranchise, and harm other people. Deny the image of God in those who look or act or believe differently than you do. Be the antithesis of that “freedom” ideal you claim to love.
But don’t you dare claim do it in the name of Jesus.
25 thoughts on “Thoughts on Ferguson, the Grammys, and the Gospel”
Kitty Swain-Evans
What I find unsettling is that we cannot say #AllLivesMatter and mean it. Even though blacks or muslims or gay people have more prejudice aimed at them and suffer the effects of hate more often, I do not think we should be segregating people when declaring whether their life matters. As long as any segregation exists it will fuel pitting groups of humanity against one another.
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Anna Marion Howell
Yes, all lives matter. But, in the culture we live in, not all lives are assumed to matter– for example, young black men, who are not just considered disposable but are in fact being actively gunned down by law enforcement. That white lives matter goes without saying. That black lives matter has to be explicitly stated.
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Kitty Swain-Evans
We may have to agree to disagree here because I think singling any one group out, no matter how deserving, fans the flames of resentment and distrust.
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streever
There isn’t such a thing as segregation against white people, however.
Saying All Lives Matter *immediately after black lives are taken with no justice for the killers* is insulting, racist, and divisive. Don’t hog the spot. If folks want to affirm that black lives matter, in protest against a society that thinks they don’t matter, either join those folks or keep quiet.
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Kitty Swain-Evans
Keep quiet… Really??? Because I have a different point of view, I cannot participate in the discussion. How does that “respect the dignity of every human being”? I am sorry but you sound angry and want me to feel guilty about it.
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mrsmariposa2014
While I can agree on many thoughts here, I neither agree with an all-inclusive nor a fire insurance stance on salvation. It is certainly meant for all, but not all take hold of it. It should be more than a get-out-of-hell free card but grace is not license to all find our own God, our own way and still get to heaven. To me, that is what saying some have God the Mother or God the whatever does.There is one way and one truth. Not many.
As to black lives matter and Ferguson, certainly they matter! God’s heart breaks over such as these, as well as gays caught in sin and calling it lifestyle. He loves us all too much to make excuses and leave us in sin.Hence, the cross had to happen.
We as Christians ought to leave excuses behind as well. We do no one any favors by dismissing the realities of sin.
Yes, there is real racism rife in this sad old world. But there is a reverse just as prevalant, the kind that shrugs off the theft involved here as nothing, the intimidation, hitting, and attempt to take the gun of an officer as nothing because of the skin tones of each person involved.
I have to wonder had it been reversed, if a black officer would’ve been congratulated for sticking it to whitey. If it would’ve been considered justified payback.
I hope you understand though I am blunt here, I have no wish to alienate or debate. You are a great writer and I enjoy your style.
In the end, though, perpetuating all this divisive behavior, we as Christians just create more division.
The message should be ALL lives matter.Black, white or whatever.Gays and straight. Enough to actually extend the truth across the lines instead of shouts back and forth across it. Enough not to allow it all to deteriorate to leaping on every case as racism, or validating sin.
There should be a way to live and love in Christ that neither condones nor condemns, that loves enough to see things as they really are, not what suits a vendetta or an ongoing perpetuation of sin.
To be able to say, I and the Lord love you enough to tell you the truth.You may not like it, but that’s ok. I will speak with passion but I will not ram it down your throat.You speak, too, but please don’t ram yours down mine.
And then, we ought to pray. And pray hard. As I do daily I can balance truth and mercy.
Blessings and prayers to you, my dear.
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mrsmariposa2014
Oh, and I don’t believe MLK would be all for these divisive actions.It wasn’t his style. He may not have even seen this as an injustice once he knew all the facts of the case.
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Paige Hanks
The elephant in the room is that many of the folks who want all lives to matter only want to recognize this in the face of racial tension. I work and live in a community with great divides due to diversity that is never openly addressed. I see evidence of African Americans feeling disenfranchised in ways whites never will. Saying #blacklivesmatter should then mean #alllivesmatter by default, since white lives already do.
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Anna Marion Howell
YES. THANK YOU. MY POINT EXACTLY. I’m glad someone gets it.
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mrsmariposa2014
Excuse me, but because I’m white I have automatically mattered to this world more? I have lived a beautiful, magical fairytale nondiscriminatory existence? Nope. I have been sneered at, abused, shamed for my color, my sex, my faith,my social status, my very existence.Besides, it’s foolish to think I should bow my head in shame because my ancestors did somebody else’s wrong, or because there is racism, and I’m white, I must pay. Slavery sucked,discrimination sucks but it was.not.me.There comes a time to stop punishing and actually make a real effort towards peace and not more division! I want to behave in a peaceful, kind Christian manner but the real elephant in the room is that this Ferguson case was scooped up by the media, whipped into a frenzy with just enough disclosure of facts and assumptions to get the ball rolling.The entire truth still doesn’t matter to some. That way there remains another pet case so a banner can be waved. I know lots of wonderful people of many races, but I believe there is a group of blacks who don’t just want peace and equality but superiority and blood. Only revenge for years past will satisfy. Some agree it is their due. I, however, find no good in being shoved down to place them higher. Nor should there be room for it in Christian thought.I think it is so sad what happened in Ferguson. I do. I pray for all involved. But to take this as excuse for yet more division? It brings nothing but more of the same.Blessings to you all. I know you think I am some witch who doesn’t mean it but I do.Ok. I’m out.No more debating.This has touched a raw place. If I keep on,I will not be the Christian I want to be.
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streever
No one said that your life was perfect. Stop projecting.
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Kitty Swain-Evans
Thank you for putting this into words. I actively try to live the Episcopal Baptismal Covenant by “respecting the dignity of every human being” and divisions of people seems to be counter-productive to true respect and peace.
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streever
The writer isn’t the one dividing people.
Racism divides people. The writer is acknowledging that racism is an ugly, brutal reality.
Black Lives Matter doesn’t divide people. Black Lives Matter *acknowledges an existing division*.
Why is this so confusing? It’s actually incredibly obvious when we stop worrying about ourselves as white people (which is the divisive thing that you two are doing).
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Anna Marion Howell
Preach!
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seashellseller
Exactly right on Anna. Preach it.
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seashellseller
Most seem to looking at this from the personal (not me, or me too) and not the systemic issues that leave some out and giving others incredible privilege. The door swings wide for some – so wide we don’t see the door at all. But slams on many.
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streever
Anna, this is a good & powerful piece. Thanks for writing it. It’s amazing to see (fellow) white people opining on it that you’re the one dividing people. That’s the ugliness of white privilege I guess; we accuse the people trying to fix the racial divisions of being the dividers.
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Anna Marion Howell
I’m pretty sure the definition of privilege is being in a position to deny that it exists.
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streever
Absolutely, and it’s ugly to see it used.
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Kitty Swain-Evans
Rather than constantly pointing out that there are divisions, wouldn’t a more useful discussion be “How can I, as an individual, contribute to fixing this?”
Yes, there are divisions and yes racism is awful. What can I do today to contribute to fixing the system? Those that can contribute to improvements that matter may get to the point of saying “why bother?” if everytime they try to engage in constructive conversation, they are told to “Keep Quiet”. Keeping quiet has been working so well for us so far.
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streever
Kitty:
How is it constructive conversation to ignore everything being said about racism & instead ask that people stop criticizing your unintentional racism?
It’s (obviously) an unintentionally racist act on your part, but appropriation of “Black Lives Matter” into “All Lives Matter” is wrong. You can be helpful by supporting Anna and other people who speak up about racism.
You can be constructive and helpful, as an individual, by posting “Black Lives Matter” and thoughtfully reading the *many* Black writers who have explained why that’s the hashtag.
You can be helpful by listening to the voices of the victims of racism, instead of subverting and co-opting their message.
What isn’t helpful is what you’re doing; appropriating the message of the marginalized and subverting it to be a feel-good statement that doesn’t challenge you.
Reflect on the discomfort you feel with “Black Lives Matter”. Wrestle with yourself over it. There is a time for action, and a time for quiet contemplation.
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Kitty Swain-Evans
But by limiting yourself to black, you ignore many other marginalized or oppressed people like gays, latinos, people with mental health issues, and more recently, muslims.
Who speaks for them?
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streever
Kitty:
Do you honestly think that black people speaking up about being killed by police need to speak for *all* other minorities? Why would you ask them to do that?
Yes, it’s good to speak up about other abuses. However, it’s absolutely wrong for whites to appropriate and co-opt the language of marginalized people so that they can ‘speak for’ other marginalized people.
Do you honestly believe that there are no latino/latina activists speaking up for themselves? You can amplify their voices without co-opting and appropriating Black Lives Matter.
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Anna Marion Howell
I’m a gay, transracially adopted, disabled person of Arab descent who is proud to say that black lives matter.
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arekexcelsior
You again make an excellent point here. Dr. King may be viewed as a secular saint now, but at the time, he and others in the movement were reviled.
But let’s say that Mike Brown was a thug. Let’s say that all of the things that people have said about the black men gunned down by police (or by vigilantes in the vein of Zimmerman) were true.
Why would that justify their death?
Why would police officers need to so routinely use force?
At my alma mater, UC Davis, there was a famous case of pepper spray being used on people who were already secured.
Officers in our culture have been put into a position where they view themselves as embattled and under siege, the “thin blue line”. That means they have become soldiers (against their own neighbors) rather than servants.
So what’s going on here goes beyond just people being shallow and hypocritical in their faith. The shallowness and hypocrisy of the faith comes from the lack of love, the way that people allow their fear of crime to cloud themselves to the fact that no one benefits from a world where cops shoot civilians.
And the worst part is that even the same people who can one day defend the shooting of an Amadou Diallo or a Trayvon Marton or a Mike Brown can the next complain about being given a speeding ticket or talk about how big government is overreaching.
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