Trying to hold an ongoing conversation about race and justice feels like trying to navigate a rhetorical minefield. Watch out. You never know if that next step is going to explode. But it is a conversation that needs to continue. I believe it is a conversation that especially needs to continue in the Church. The question is: “How”?
Here are four principles that recently came to me via an email:
First, you clarify what the Scriptures teach about justice and how God intends for people of different ethnic backgrounds to treat one another.
Second, you highlight the aspects of your theological tradition that illuminate what the Scriptures teach about “race” and justice.
Third, you examine the unvarnished history of how your religious tradition has contributed to or resisted racial injustice in the part of the world you live in.
Finally, you sit with the sociological impact of your religious tradition’s actions to pursue or deny racial injustice.
A few days ago I posted the video of an interview done with Bryan Stevenson, of Just Mercy fame, and Timothy Keller, discussing grace, race, and justice. As a follow up, I thought I’d post this message by Keller.
In this video Tim Keller tackles the tough subjects of Race and systemic racism. While these terms can be loaded, I hope you will take the time to listen to the perspective that Keller lays out.
The sixth and final gathering of Race and the Church took place in Richmond, Virginia on Saturday November 19. The second session of the morning featured Dr. David Prince, Pastor at Ashland Avenue Baptist Church on Lexington, Kentucky, speaking on Pursuing Diversity in Predominantly White Churches.
The sixth and final gathering of Race and the Church took place in Richmond, Virginia on Saturday November 19. The first of two sessions that morning featured Dr. George Robertson, Senior Pastor of the historic First Presbyterian Church of August, Georgia, and Moderator for the 44th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in America. Dr. Robertson’s message was Walking the Path of Love.
The fourth gathering of Race and the Church took place in Richmond, Virginia on Saturday July 16. The featured speaker was Jemar Tisby, Founder and President of Reformed African American Network (RAAN).
UPDATE: For those interested, Tisby outlines his Theology of Race in a May 2017 article from ByFaith magazine.
Leonce Crump’s bio, from the Race and the Church RVA web page:
Originally from Louisiana and raised Catholic, Léonce began following Jesus at age 16. Always an athlete and a talker, Léonce outran his first mall security guard (and pregnant mother) at age 3, and spent most of his grade school years talking with his principals on the subject of public speaking during class. He has been in ordained ministry for 9 years, is a graduate of the University of Oklahoma; and holds Masters degrees in Criminal Justice, with a focus on Case Law, from the University of Tennessee, Missional Leadership from the now defunct Resurgence Theological Training Center, an; is currently finishing his Masters of Divinity at Reformed Theological Seminary.
At Oklahoma he was an All-American wrestler and played a short while on the Sooner football team. He experienced an extended time of rebellion and running from God during college, but after 22 months of living as though he were not a Christian he surrendered to Jesus and ultimately to God’s calling into ministry. After college Léonce competed to make the world team in wrestling, played professional football for the New Orleans Saints and coached collegiate wrestling.
Prior to planting his present church, Léonce had served in 3 churches, starting and leading 3 college and young adult ministries. In 2006 he felt called to plant a church and settled on the under-served area of downtown Atlanta; and in early 2008 he and his wife began the process of planting Renovation Church, in partnership with Acts 29 and Perimeter Church.
A prodigious reader and engaging speaker, Léonce regularly speaks and preaches across the country at conferences and churches of all denominations. Léonce enjoys boxing and MMA, studying theology, history, leadership, church structure and poetry. He likes Soul music, jazz/standards, and Bossaniva. He also loves to lift, keep up with wrestling, football, and rugby, playing with his kids, hanging with the homeless dudes.
To view the first two gatherings of Race and the Church RVA:
The second gathering of Race and the Church in Richmond, Virginia took place on Saturday morning March 12. The theme was: Why Do We All Look the Same? A Cultural & Theological Analysis of Underlying Church Dynamics; featuring speaker Dr. Alexander Jun.
Alexander Jun is a professor at Azusa Pacific University, a TED Talk speaker, and author. He has published extensively on issues of post-secondary access for historically underrepresented students in under-served areas. Jun is also a respected Ruling Elder in the Presbyterian Church in America.
GRACE & PEACE 