Faith-Based Organizing by unknow

Author:unknow
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781506470153
Barnesnoble:
Publisher: 1517 Media
Published: 2021-05-04T00:00:00+00:00

7

Racism

Introduction

Scripture boldly proclaims, “See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God; and that is what we are” (1 John 3:1). Love comes from and unites us to God. Consequently, we are all children of God. This goes beyond our divisions and makes us one. God calls us to share the gift of love with all in the world. What was initially a reminder to God’s people long ago remains relevant for our time: “Take good care to observe the commandment and instruction that Moses the servant of the Lord commanded you, to love the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways, to keep his commandments, and to hold fast to him, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul” (Josh 22:5).

This ancient reminder echoes Jesus’s summary of the law: “You shall Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself” (Luke 10:27). Saint Paul reiterates, “‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore, love is the fulfilling of the law” (Rom 13:9–10). So who is our neighbor? Are we to love people of different races or ethnicities as we love ourselves?

Every comment, every joke, and every disparaging look in reaction to a person’s skin color, ethnicity, or place of origin is an expression of racism and a failure to acknowledge another human being as a sibling created in the image of God. Racism ignores the reality that all human beings share a common origin. All people are siblings, equally made in the image of God. Without such acknowledgment, the result is prejudice, fear, and often hatred of the other. Racism persists in churches, neighborhoods, nations, and the world.

The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) social statement “Freed in Christ: Race, Ethnicity and Culture” is clear: “Racism—a mix of power, privilege, and prejudice—is sin, a violation of God’s intention for humanity. The resulting racial, ethnic, or cultural barriers deny the truth that all people are God’s creatures and therefore, persons of dignity. Racism fractures and fragments both church and society.” The statement continues, “Racism, both blatant and subtle, continues to deny the reconciling work of the cross. God’s forgiveness frees us from the enslavement of racism. For some this may mean giving up power or privilege: for others, it may mean giving up anger or prejudice. Let us know this reconciliation in our lives.”1

Because racism leads to inequalities, it is a direct cause of poverty that explains why some people endure unequal treatment or status. If society is to address poverty, it must deal with racism, a major component of community power structures. Understanding the relationship between racism and power in a community is critical for resolving poverty issues.

Undoing racism is key to unlocking the door to forms and patterns of poverty that emerged during the early history of the United States and remain intact today.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.