Racial Heresy | Making Racial Reconciliation a Spiritual Practice

White Liberals are often assumed to be allies to the struggle for equal rights and justice. They are supposed to be the friends of People of Color...the only ones we can trust.

But does that position ever become merely a badge of honor? And what are the signs that should let everyone know that a White Liberal might not be your ally?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x5oLsIspyDU

I - the Black guy - Fr. Jabriel, encountered something intellectually interesting and practically disconcerting...

Intellectually interesting because I'm often amazed at how pride works. It truly is the mother of all vices.

And in the Western dynamic, pride is incredibly hard to escape.

 

That becomes even more confounded by race. And when White liberals are confronted by race...even if especially if #AccidentalRacism. (OMG That song was ridiculously lame and shortsighted...)

 

Anyway...

 

In this work of racial reconciliation, no one should expect anyone to get everything totally right, 100% of the time.

But we should be able to expect humility...

 

But White Power prevents White Liberals from being humble, when Black people are involved

...Or other People of Color, I'm sure...

[spp-tweet tweet="White Power prevents White Liberals from being humble"]

And that reality leads some White liberals to do incredibly offensive things, like what we discuss in this episode.

 

I call it Nigger-Gate...

 

Check out our discussion and let me know what you think? How should this issue have been handled? How should it be handled? Do you think it will ultimately be handled in a way that brings about true healing...why or why not?

We'll take up that discussion in our Facebook Group...

If you aren't a member, click the banner below to complete the application

If you want to test your fragility to see if you can read some of the systemic moves of Western Christianity to institutionalize racism & supremacy, read this.

Resources for this Episode:

Ta-Nehisi Coates has an incredibly clear explanation for why white people shouldn’t use the n-word

An Almost-Sermon on Starbucks, sanctuaries, conference room tables

The war machine is returning to public view...

You know, it never went away. It just went virtual...drone strikes from remote locations right here in America.

But with our war-footing on the rise, we ought to reconsider our positions.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wYJ8SS9pQN4&feature=youtu.be

We like to live in grey area on war...

We want to have our patriotism and our Christianity...our love of Country and our love of God.

But can we hold the two in tension without abandoning one or the other?

It's kinda profound what we uncover as we explore that question in black an white...

Or with Black and White lens...

War and Patriotism Shaped by Racial Experience

I mean...Fr. Cayce was a Marine! IS a Marine...

...I know brother: "once a Marine, always a Marine!"

And despite the legacy of military service in my family, I did not...would not...could not serve.

Do you care enough to understand why? And to consider how that "why" shapes my perspective?

How do we Reconcile Patriotism and Faith?

We want to know your perspective on the two. What do you do with the tension? And how do you keep your Christian identity from being corrupted by your American identity?

These are deep questions - if you let them be - so, come into the group to discuss!

If you're not a member of our Facebook group, click the banner below

Good Christian Virtues are hard to come by...especially these days. So, we have to hold on to the appearance of good.

Even to our own detriment...

Even if it means embracing trauma to oppress ourselves...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7g8Gge--D-E

We have to uphold the (false) image of our good Christian virtues...of the good Christian virtues of American society.

[spp-tweet tweet="Can #WhiteSupremacists have #GoodChristianVirtues & should #BlackPeople praise them?"]

I mean: that's what makes us a great nation, right? That we're good...and Christian?

So, we cannot allow anything to sully that image - especially not the truth!

A few weeks ago I (Fr. Jabriel) had a crazy experience. Well...in my mind it was crazy. I'll tell you about it in this episode, and you can judge the experience for yourself...

Anyway...

It got me reflecting on how White supremacy infects and affects the human psyche at such a deep level that we'll do incredibly strange things. Clearly, the effects of White supremacy are long-lasting. As Fr. Cayce said, it's an artificial intelligence that's supremely adaptive.

The exploration we share in this episode will present another point of contention with American Christianity. And in this Easter season, I think it's critical to consider how we are going to walk in newness of life, as people of faith.

So what to do with the Good Christian Virtues of White Supremacists?

What do you think of the idea of celebrating White supremacy? Especially praising it in church...most especially when it's done by non-Whites?

That's the discussion for our Facebook group. Are you a member?

If not...click the banner and fill out the membership application.

This group is a safe space for transformative dialogue across color lines. We learn, we grow...

Resources for this Episode:

Black Power: Our God-Given Call to Make America Great

Founding Fathers and Slaveholders

History of Steel Pan Music

Rising Stars Youth Steel Orchestra

You can watch and listen to some of that sweet pan music, here...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zyl6xga5WTQ

Challenging White supremacy is something we must do at all times and in many different ways.

The thing is - White supremacy is so prevalent that we are always presented with opportunities for challenging the power structure. #ThanksBeToGod

On the side, Fr. Cayce is a photographer...

If he were Black, I guess that'd be his "side hustle." But as a White man, it's just his hobby! LOL

Anyway...

As a bootleg (very good) photographer who's a theologian, he stumbled across the gem presented in the featured picture of this post.

What are your first thoughts when you look at it?

 

 

Did you see the White folks standing around watching a lynching? No...?

Look again...

 

Some say I see race everywhere...

Well, it is everywhere - thanks to White supremacy. So if we want to not see race everywhere, we have to put in the work. Not just avert our eyes.

Hence our emphasis on challenging White supremacy

In this episode of Racial Heresy, we are sharing a first!

For the first time, Racial Heresy was recorded with a live audience...

We had the pleasure of being invited to Convergence Church to share in a series they were doing on race. The focus on art is of particular interest, especially with the discussions about what churches should be doing with Confederate stained glass windows and other racially charged artwork.

Now, we're inviting you to join in the discussion on the images of White supremacy in Christian art.

Join our safe space for dialogue...

What do you think about the place and power of art to confront racism?

 

Here are some more of Fr. Cayce's "hobby" work! LOL

What has Racial Heresy been up to?! We've been hard at work praying, thinking, arguing, and PUSHING the BOUNDARIES of racial reconciliation to explore redemption & humility - What White and Black folks need before we can be reconciled...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ucOXd2LJecQ

White Supremacy works to keep White folks deluded into thinking they are above their sisters and brothers. White Supremacy works to keep Black folks confined to a position of inferiority.

How then can we reconcile?

"But I don't believe that I'm superior to anyone!" and "I don't believe I'm inferior to anyone!" - you might not, but our culture certainly does.

How can we reconcile one with another when our society tells White people constantly that they're better? How can we reconcile our culture reminds Black people constantly of their subordinate status?

[spp-tweet tweet="White people need to humble themselves or be humbled, if we're to have #RacialReconciliation...right?"]

Jesus' Gospel of humility challenges White people to surrender the idolatry of Whiteness. Christ calls on us to reject White superiority and White privilege. Jesus' Gospel of redemption assures Black people of their fullest identity as beloved children of God made in the image of God. Only when White folks step-down and Black folks step up can we begin the deep work of reconciling as equals.

In this episode, we engage a deep conversation and exploration on themes that need to be embraced in order to achieve true and lasting reconciliation. We need tangible ways to lead our society into reconciled relationship. And these are some of our deepest thoughts toward that end.

Yet they still need fleshing out, and that's where you come in...seriously! So, take a listen to this episode then add your thoughts.

What do you think about the role of redemption and humility in reconciliation? How do you think we get humility to be part of the lexicon and praxis of White people.

 

Join the Conversation on Redemption & Humility!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s95xrwINCtM

We have a habit in America of celebrating progress. It's the hallmark of an exceptional society. The great example of this habit is how we talk about racial progress in America. To be the great nation we claim to be, we have to pretend as if everything is getting better and moving in the right direction.

But is that really the case? Are we moving in the right direction?

We're supposed to trust the racial progress as evidence that America is moving in the right direction...that while racism still exists, America is not as racist as it once was. And if anyone suggests that America is a racist society, that person is looked at with scorn.

At this point, I'm thinking I (Fr. Jabriel) should have had the White man write this...

Certainly, the thought flashed through the minds of a few of you: "man he's racist!"

But bear with me...because if you think that statement was bad, wait till you hear what I say about Brown v. Board of Education. LOL

As we come up on 50 years since the state sponsored assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., what should we think about the racial progress we've made as a country? Shouldn't we at least examine things closely and consider the evidence?

If we can do this, there's a chance we can indeed become the great nation I believe is possible. If we can do this, we can indeed become the Beloved Community and a More Perfect Union. But in order to do so, we must consider the things we discus in this episode of Racial Heresy.

[spp-tweet tweet="Is #RacialProgress in America nothing more than #ToxicCharity or is it flat out #Deception? And does the difference even matter?"]

Where do you stand on America's Racial Progress?

Let's start with the baseline that we still have work to do. But, do you think we're heading in the right direction? And more importantly, how do you view the dynamic between toxic charity or flat out deception?

Join us in the sanctity of our private Facebook group, and let us know what you think!

The "forgotten man and woman" in America isn't just the typical Trump supporter. There's also a forgotten, forgotten man and woman...rendered somewhat invisible as Ralph Ellison suggested. Yet if we find empathy for them, we find that our faith is shaped by the work and that our faith shapes the work of reconciliation. Raising Bertie as an example of this dynamic, we'll learn how to create bridges of trust that make this work possible.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A5X7yUboee4

Bertie County, North Carolina, presents one of those interesting dynamics for exploration. With all of the issues facing rural America that contribute to the sentiments of feeling forgotten by the Nation, Bertie reminds us of those who remain forgotten - even in the midst of our newfound focus on rural life.

Why is this the case? And how do we enter into those spaces?

This is the focus of our conversation with filmmaker, Ian Kibbe. Raising Bertie is a documentary about three Black boys in Bertie County as they become men...using their lives as a lens for viewing the particular issues that face Black rural America.

Rural space isn't regularly part of the discussion in American Society. Much less part of the discussion are the Black sections of rural America. Through our discussion with Ian, we dive into that dynamic and explore ways to engage deeper.

Ian share deeply - so deeply that we had to schedule a second part! There was so much more to explore and we know that you will benefit greatly from the discussion.

So we invite you to share in the discussion!

Join the Facebook group and enter a safe space for working out the issues that prevent us from creating Beloved Community.

Then share your thoughts: What would you like to hear more of in part two? How aware are you of the issues of Rural America and of Black Rural America? How do you respond to Ian's questions for the Church?

Resources Mentioned in this Episode:

Raising Bertie (Documentary)

Raising Bertie (Educational Materials)

Vivian Sanders: Bertie County Hive House

Ian Kibbe

Racist American History is a thing we can agree exists, right? And with all the talk about Confederate Monuments and what to do with them, it's appropriate to explore the divergent answers that each hope for reconciliation. Then we can see how best to achieve the goal of Beloved Community.

A while ago, Fr. Cayce & I (Fr. Jabriel) recorded an episode that we never released. I don't know why we never got around to releasing it...I guess so we could release it now! LOL

[spp-tweet tweet="What do we do with #Racist #AmericanHistory?"]

But it's timely now. Our Country has been in a recent uproar about Confederate Monuments. Most on the Right have made it clear that we need to honor those who took up arms against America. Most on the Left have made it clear we need to deface that history altogether.

Which of these is the solution? Or is there an alternative?

In this episode, we're not talking about Confederate monuments. We're actually discussing the institution of slavery and how to effectively teach it in schools - if at all. I think you'll be surprised by our discussion!

So, we want to share this with you as a foundation for discussion. And we invite you to share your responses in our Facebook group.

What do you think is the appropriate solution and approach to these issues? And how does that solution bring healing?

Also, please take a moment to write a review for our show!

White supremacy has come out the shadows to reveal itself as a present force in America. If you thought this was a thing of the past, you know have proof otherwise. What should be the Church's response to the White Supremacist violence we've seen? How does the Church become a force for good in these times? What do you want/need to see from the Church, in the face of racism?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQGMKA7F1No

In the wake of Charlottesville and the defenses of White Supremacy, we use this episode of Racial Heresy to consider a possible response from the church that is more than just platitudes.

[spp-tweet tweet="The #Church needs to use more than empty words to respond to #WhiteSupremacy in Western #Christian theology"]

We tried using BeLive.tv for this episode, but the quality of the service was spotty in the intro. So please bear with that piece...it gets better. But in the episode, we speak about the forgotten tool of excommunication and discuss how it might help us to create Beloved Community. But we want to know what you think!

Become a Racial Heretic & Share Your Thoughts!

So what do you think...what are your questions about excommunication? And do you think it's a tool we should become skilled at using in the face of White Supremacy...and other egregious sins? What do you think of the explanation on how excommunication is to be used?

Boldness is not something mainline denominations are known for. We tend to tip-toe around issues, trying not to offend the diverse perspectives held by those in the pews.

But the Episcopal Church, in its most recent General Convention, determined that Racial Reconciliation was going to be the focus of the church. Some parts of the church embrace that call. Many parts of the church play lip-service with it...others still ignore it as anathema to the Christian mission (huh?).

I (Fr. Jabriel) myself was told by a Diocese that I "am a polarizing figure" because I make White folk uneasy by "always bringing up racial issues."

In his "Letter from a Birmingham Jail," Dr. King had to chide White Christian Clergy for their penchant for gradualism. He too made White folk uneasy by "always pushing the race issue."

The more things change...the more they stay the same.

So, the question in my mind (that I've infected Fr. Cayce with) is: what must the church do to have boldness for racial reconciliation?

Well, it just so happens that I have a relationship with "America's Reinvention Expert," Steve Olsher. Steve hosts a weekly podcast (actually a few days per week) on reinventing oneself so you can live boldly into your calling.

[spp-tweet tweet="The Church cld use more #Boldness when it comes to #RacialReconciliation."]

No - he's not clergy...he doesn't work for the church. So, this episode won't be deeply theological. Yet, he's helped me develop Blacks with Power, and I thought he would have some helpful insights to answer this question of boldness in the church - especially as it pertains to racial reconciliation.

So, what do you think about Steve's guidance on how the church (and churches) can embrace boldness for their commitment to racial reconciliation? What do you think you can do differently...should do differently...in your ministry to live out the Baptismal Covenant?

We'd love for you to share your answers and questions with us. We've created a safe space for these dialogues, that you can join by visiting here.

Resources Mentioned in this Episode:

What is Your What?

Becoming Beloved Community