Thursday, September 17, 2009
A Bit Political, But True...
Jim Wallis posted this excellent article at Sojo.net today. Take a few minutes to check it out, and then let us know what you think in the comments!
Monday, September 7, 2009
Checklist for Allies
Rachel's post a few days ago linked to this article on the role of allies, and within that article, you'll find a checklist for allies -- what should we as allies be doing on a daily basis?
Just for the sake of having that checklist at our fingertips, I thought I'd pull out that link and have it right here in its own post.
Checklist for Allies Against Racism
Just for the sake of having that checklist at our fingertips, I thought I'd pull out that link and have it right here in its own post.
Checklist for Allies Against Racism
Saturday, September 5, 2009
Sunday Morning Segregation
A recent article in the online magazine The Grio provides insight into the Black-White segregation of American Christians during the Sunday morning church hour, and offers starting points for overcoming the division.
Although I wish that the author, Charlton McIlwain of NYU Steinhardt and The Project on Race in Political Communication, had helped us examine the broader racial/ethnic divide of Sundays mornings -- not just the Black-White divide -- still, an understanding of the Black-White dichotomy often serves as an introductory step toward understanding the impact of racism across a spectrum of racial/ethnic groups.
Although I wish that the author, Charlton McIlwain of NYU Steinhardt and The Project on Race in Political Communication, had helped us examine the broader racial/ethnic divide of Sundays mornings -- not just the Black-White divide -- still, an understanding of the Black-White dichotomy often serves as an introductory step toward understanding the impact of racism across a spectrum of racial/ethnic groups.
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Recommended Reading: "Beyond White Guilt"
Friends,
An important article, and probably a helpful one for white allies, on understanding white guilt...and moving from white guilt to anti-racism. From the blog, "THIS WEEK IN RACE."
Blessings,
Rachel
An important article, and probably a helpful one for white allies, on understanding white guilt...and moving from white guilt to anti-racism. From the blog, "THIS WEEK IN RACE."
Blessings,
Rachel
Saturday, August 1, 2009
Speaking the Truth in Love
The Epistle lesson in the lectionary for this Sunday contains the passage on "speaking the truth in love" (Eph. 4:1-16--this quote is specifically from verse 15).
If I had more tenure with my congregation in Spring Grove, I might explore this passage in light of the dialogue that has been re-provoked in our nation on racism due to the Henry Louis Gates, Jr. incident. I think it might be a bit early for that, but I'm wondering if we might have a conversation here about how that issue might intersect with this text?
Was Obama's invitation to the two men to join him and VP Joe Biden at the White House for a beer a move in the direction of "speaking the truth in love" or was it just politically motivated? What are your thoughts? Is it possible to handle issues like this without intimate conversations, whether or not we are the President of the United States?
If I had more tenure with my congregation in Spring Grove, I might explore this passage in light of the dialogue that has been re-provoked in our nation on racism due to the Henry Louis Gates, Jr. incident. I think it might be a bit early for that, but I'm wondering if we might have a conversation here about how that issue might intersect with this text?
Was Obama's invitation to the two men to join him and VP Joe Biden at the White House for a beer a move in the direction of "speaking the truth in love" or was it just politically motivated? What are your thoughts? Is it possible to handle issues like this without intimate conversations, whether or not we are the President of the United States?
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
More on Henry Louis Gates, Jr.
There has been much talk in the blogosphere the past few days since the story of Henry Louis Gates' arrest broke. Here are a few more articles (and within the one from sojo are even more links to more articles) to keep us reading, and hopefully, talking.
The above-mentioned sojo article is here.
And another one from The Nation is here.
Not trying to exclude any articles out there; these are just ones I've stumbled upon.
If you have any that you think we should also be reading, let us know about them!
The above-mentioned sojo article is here.
And another one from The Nation is here.
Not trying to exclude any articles out there; these are just ones I've stumbled upon.
If you have any that you think we should also be reading, let us know about them!
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Invisible Knapsack
I hope by now that you have encountered, heard about, come across--somewhere in your life--the concept of the "invisible knapsack of white privilege," an idea largely attributed to Peggy McIntosh, aimed at revealing the systems of social privileges afforded to whites, in order to help white folks successfully enter the conversation on race and racism.
The invisible knapsack includes, for example:
- "I can, if I wish, arrange to be in the company of people of my race most of the time."
- "I can go shopping alone most of the time, pretty well assured that I will not be followed or harassed."
- "I can be sure that my children will be given curricular materials that testify to the existence of their race."
Reading the news online this morning, it appears that we should add "I can rest assured that, when I enter my own home, my neighbors and police officers will not assume that I am a robber or vandal." The NY Times reports that Henry Louis Gates, Jr., a Harvard professor of African American history and one of this nation's preeminent Black scholars, was arrested at his own home when a white woman called the police to report a burglary in progress. When Gates protested, the police officer interpreted Gates' indignation as "disorderly conduct" and arrested him.
Thinking again about the invisible knapsack as I read the article this morning, and thinking about our Sacred Conversation on Race in the UCC, prompted me to realize that I've never seen an examination of the invisible knapsack carried by white churches. There are churches studying McIntosh's knapsack idea...but that's not what I mean. Here's my line of thought: the invisible knapsack unpacks systemic white racism >> the church is a social institution or system >> white churches participate in, benefit from, contribute to the invisible knapsack of white privilege.
So what are we doing, as an institution, to identify the systemic privileges that are specific to the white church? Privileges, for example, such as:
- We can easily provide illustrated bibles to our children that convey a message that whiteness prevailed among the people of biblical times. (Well, I can't--my children are African American, and racially diverse illustrated bibles are harder to come by--but white churches can do so for predominately white children's education programs.)
- We can assume that it is normative to not talk about race in the context of one's faith.
- We do not have to examine, if we do not choose to do so, Christianity's overt and covert roles in supporting and advancing racialized systems, including slavery (although the church's support of racialized systems is not just something of the past).
Surely the list of privileges carried in the white church's invisible knapsack goes on and on! What would you add?
The invisible knapsack includes, for example:
- "I can, if I wish, arrange to be in the company of people of my race most of the time."
- "I can go shopping alone most of the time, pretty well assured that I will not be followed or harassed."
- "I can be sure that my children will be given curricular materials that testify to the existence of their race."
Reading the news online this morning, it appears that we should add "I can rest assured that, when I enter my own home, my neighbors and police officers will not assume that I am a robber or vandal." The NY Times reports that Henry Louis Gates, Jr., a Harvard professor of African American history and one of this nation's preeminent Black scholars, was arrested at his own home when a white woman called the police to report a burglary in progress. When Gates protested, the police officer interpreted Gates' indignation as "disorderly conduct" and arrested him.
Thinking again about the invisible knapsack as I read the article this morning, and thinking about our Sacred Conversation on Race in the UCC, prompted me to realize that I've never seen an examination of the invisible knapsack carried by white churches. There are churches studying McIntosh's knapsack idea...but that's not what I mean. Here's my line of thought: the invisible knapsack unpacks systemic white racism >> the church is a social institution or system >> white churches participate in, benefit from, contribute to the invisible knapsack of white privilege.
So what are we doing, as an institution, to identify the systemic privileges that are specific to the white church? Privileges, for example, such as:
- We can easily provide illustrated bibles to our children that convey a message that whiteness prevailed among the people of biblical times. (Well, I can't--my children are African American, and racially diverse illustrated bibles are harder to come by--but white churches can do so for predominately white children's education programs.)
- We can assume that it is normative to not talk about race in the context of one's faith.
- We do not have to examine, if we do not choose to do so, Christianity's overt and covert roles in supporting and advancing racialized systems, including slavery (although the church's support of racialized systems is not just something of the past).
Surely the list of privileges carried in the white church's invisible knapsack goes on and on! What would you add?
Friday, July 17, 2009
Welcome to SCOR
Can we talk? ...about race, about our churches, and about the reality of racism as a barrier to Christ's command that we love one another?
The Sacred Conversation on Race (SCOR) Ministry Team is a committee of the Penn Central Conference, United Church of Christ. We are lay leaders and clergy who have gathered with a shared conviction that the issues of race are urgent and relevant to our faith and our churches. It is our purpose to reveal racism as a barrier to Christ's command that we love one another, through methods of education, support and advocacy.
Welcome to the SCOR blog, an opportunity for individuals and congregations of the Penn Central Conference to grow in their understandings of race. Here you'll find conversations, resources, and observations to celebrate diversity and eradicate racism: one person at a time, one congregation at a time. You might also want to visit the United Church of Christ's Sacred Conversation on Race at http://www.ucc.org/sacred-conversation.
The Sacred Conversation on Race (SCOR) Ministry Team is a committee of the Penn Central Conference, United Church of Christ. We are lay leaders and clergy who have gathered with a shared conviction that the issues of race are urgent and relevant to our faith and our churches. It is our purpose to reveal racism as a barrier to Christ's command that we love one another, through methods of education, support and advocacy.
Welcome to the SCOR blog, an opportunity for individuals and congregations of the Penn Central Conference to grow in their understandings of race. Here you'll find conversations, resources, and observations to celebrate diversity and eradicate racism: one person at a time, one congregation at a time. You might also want to visit the United Church of Christ's Sacred Conversation on Race at http://www.ucc.org/sacred-conversation.
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