← Autodidact Archive · Original Dissent · Stigmata
Thread ID: 17923 | Posts: 14 | Started: 2005-04-23
2005-04-23 12:43 | User Profile
| **[font=helvetica,]Perspective: ââ¬ËRacism is our sin tooââ¬â¢[/font]** ***Among Lutherans, no one should be considered an outsider*** **By [url="http://www.thelutheran.org/0002/authors.html#donnella"][color=#606420]Joseph A. Donnella II[/color][/url]** | |
| [left]Does race matter? It shouldn't for Christians. Yet it does. Week after week, Christians declare that water is thicker than blood. We confess that our baptismal oneness in Christ is stronger than our differences of race, politics or anything else. But many Lutheran congregations remain vestiges of separatism. In the United States, Sunday morning at 11 remains one of the most segregated hours of the week. [/left] Racism blinds Christians to the fullness of God's kingdom. Scripture reminds us repeatedly that all of God's children, "all tribes and families and nations," are welcome in God's kingdom ([url="http://www.gospelcom.net/cgi-bin/bible?language=English&version=NIV&passage=Revelation+7:9&search=&showxref=yep&showfn=yep"]Revelation 7:9[/url]). But often congregations can be unwelcoming or even hostile to those who are racially, ethnically or culturally different. I've participated in Bible studies with white pastors who have rationalized that people of color aren't interested in Lutheran theology and practices, that Lutheranism is by nature Germanic-Scandinavian. This puzzles me. The majority of worshiping Lutherans worldwide are people of color. Yet virtually every African American, Latino, American Indian, Asian and African pastor I know can recount similar experiences of theological and cultural bigotry. The ancient Mediterranean, Near Eastern and North African world was largely free of prejudice and racism based on color as a means for demeaning or oppressing people. (See Frank Snowden, Before Color Prejudice: The Ancient View of Blacks, Harvard University Press, 1983.) Early Christians honored and welcomed African people as fellow believers. Notions of black inferiority, enslavement or segregated worship weren't sanctioned. The early church's doctrine and practice was, "In Christ Jesus there is neither Jew nor Greek, male nor female, slave nor free, for all are one" ([url="http://www.gospelcom.net/cgi-bin/bible?language=English&version=NIV&passage=Galatians+3:28&search=&showxref=yep&showfn=yep"]Galatians 3:28[/url]). Racism is a sin, a disease that plagues our nation and congregations. Racism kills. It engenders a loss of compassion, a turning toward greed and arrogance, toward protecting privileges and the right to victimize. Those who oppress, whether they do so intentionally or not, violate God's rule for humanity. God calls us to a better life and a radically new way of being human. We can't continue with business as usual. Lutherans can't afford to continue using their central theological confession that they are justified by God's grace through faith as an excuse for doing nothing, idly waiting for God to repair the world's disorder. We are called to share in God's work of repairing this world. Christians must actively engage in anti-racist behavior. Lutherans must expand notions of who belongs and who doesn't. If God's kingdom is meant for all people, then all people must be able to perceive themselves as belonging in Lutheran communities. [left]Jesus offers us a clue for moving toward this future ([url="http://www.gospelcom.net/cgi-bin/bible?language=English&version=NIV&passage=Matthew+25:31-46&search=&showxref=yep&showfn=yep"]Matthew 25:31-46[/url]). He challenges us to see each person as a manifestation of Jesus. [/left] |
[url="http://www.thelutheran.org/0002/page13.html"]http://www.thelutheran.org/0002/page13.html[/url]
2005-04-23 23:49 | User Profile
[QUOTE=Stigmata]
| [font=helvetica,]Perspective: ‘Racism is our sin too’[/font]
Among Lutherans, no one should be considered an outsider [/QUOTE] That Lutheran statement is a typical example of a "tradition of men." In contrast, here's a recent statement on this issue published by the Orthodox Church that I think reflects a true Christian perspective: "Christian patriotism may be expressed at the same time with regard to a nation as an ethnic community and as a community of its citizens. The Orthodox Christian is called to love his fatherland, which has a territorial dimension, and his brothers by blood who live everywhere in the world. This love is one of the ways of fulfilling God's commandment of love to one's neighbour which includes love to one's family, fellow-tribesmen and fellow-citizens. The patriotism of the Orthodox Christian should be active. It is manifested when he defends his fatherland against an enemy, works for the good of the motherland, cares for the good order of people's life through, among other things, participation in the affairs of government. The Christian is called to preserve and develop national culture and people's self-awareness." Okiereddust2005-04-24 00:11 | User Profile [QUOTE=wild_bill]That Lutheran statement is a typical example of a "tradition of men." [/QUOTE] That page is from the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America, the liberal Lutheran denomination. I don't consider these types of Lutherans or other liberal Churchman as Christians, just communists in clerical drag. Like Stigmata and other types of NS Christian bashers are basically communists in Nazi fetisch drag. Stiggy, you should get to know these liberal Churchman better. You'd find you have a great deal in common in your hatred of our white Christian cultural traditions. Its just they're a little cleverer than you are. wild_bill2005-04-24 00:14 | User Profile [QUOTE=Okiereddust]That page is from the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America, the liberal Lutheran denomination. I don't consider these types of Lutherans or other liberal Churchman as Christians, just communists in clerical drag. Like Stigmata and other types of NS Christian bashers are basically communists in Nazi fetisch drag.[/QUOTE] Ok, the ELCA are certainly bad, but what's the position of the other denominations on the issue of ethnic or racial loyalty/preservation? I'd be curious how many actually have an official position on the matter. Okiereddust2005-04-24 00:24 | User Profile [QUOTE=wild_bill]Ok, the ELCA are certainly bad, but what's the position of the other denominations on the issue of ethnic or racial loyalty/preservation? I'd be curious how many actually have an official position on the matter.[/QUOTE] Well I submitted one [URL=http://www.originaldissent.com/forums/showpost.php?p=94886&postcount=1]on the conservative Presbyterians (PCA), [/URL] which surprised me. Overall though you could do a big search, but by and large I think these things are pretty much like corporate EEO statements. Everyone feels they have to put out some boilerplate words for political sake, so you have to read between the lines to determine what's really going on. I don't know if its worth the trouble. Nobody really reads doctrinal or positional positions much anyway, least of all the Church members. Its in the internal nuances that the truth lies, and these are hard to pick up on or interpret for the outsider. Walter Yannis2005-04-24 07:12 | User Profile [QUOTE=wild_bill]Ok, the ELCA are certainly bad, but what's the position of the other denominations on the issue of ethnic or racial loyalty/preservation? I'd be curious how many actually have an official position on the matter.[/QUOTE] You know that the Catholic Church officially teaches that a healthy nationalism is an integral part of God's plan of salvation. You also know that the Catholic clergy at all levels roundly ignore that teaching. Catholic dogma is correct, but the institution is weak and corrupt. :alucard: The Orthodox have been most consistently, well, ORTHODOX in regard to the doctrine of nationalism. Here's a tip of the hat to Constantiople for that.:notworth: Stigmata2005-04-24 07:25 | User Profile [QUOTE=Okiereddust]Stiggy, you should get to know these liberal Churchman better. [/QUOTE]They're your co-religionists, Okie, just like these: [img]http://www.ru.ac.za/institutes/iser/research/heritages/Pictures/religionfull001.jpg[/img] Texas Dissident2005-04-24 07:42 | User Profile [QUOTE=Stigmata]They're your co-religionists, Okie, just like these:[/QUOTE] I'm quite pleased to share a common faith with African Christians. To see how the Gospel is spreading on that continent and in China, for example, is a glorious thing. Now what would be interesting to me is a listing of your anti-Christian co-religionists, stigmatastein. :caiphas: :osama: :evil: Oh my. Okiereddust2005-04-24 08:21 | User Profile [QUOTE=Stigmata]They're your co-religionists, Okie, just like these: [img]http://www.ru.ac.za/institutes/iser/research/heritages/Pictures/religionfull001.jpg[/img][/QUOTE]What do you know about religion, and who my co-religionists are? I think at certain times African dictators like Idi Amin have called themselves national socialists. Maybe I should put a picture of them, especially the interesting ones like tribesmen bathing in urine, and say their your fellow National Socialists. Stigmata2005-04-25 11:38 | User Profile [QUOTE=Texas Dissident]I'm quite pleased to share a common faith with African Christians. [/QUOTE]Just as, thanks to your Christian churches, you'll soon share a common neighborhood with them. Equal is equal! Quantrill2005-04-25 14:37 | User Profile [QUOTE=Walter Yannis] The Orthodox have been most consistently, well, ORTHODOX in regard to the doctrine of nationalism.[/QUOTE] One thing I really admire about our local Orthodox priest is his willingness to stand firm against political correctness. Yesterday was Palm Sunday for the Orthodox, and he was talking about how the disciples would eventually desert our Lord 'for fear of the Jews.' Keep speaking truth to power, Father. Happy Hacker2005-04-25 14:59 | User Profile Must have been God's carelessness that he forget to list "racism" as a sin in the Bible, especially considering the racial system he set up among the Hebrews. I've never seen blacks being treated as poorly in white churches. Blacks don't go to which churches because they would prefer to go to black churches. Whites don't go to black churches because they are not welcome. Texas Dissident2005-04-25 17:03 | User Profile [QUOTE=Stigmata]Just as, thanks to your Christian churches, you'll soon share a common neighborhood with them. Equal is equal![/QUOTE] Better them than you, stigmatastein. :caiphas: Stigmata2005-04-26 12:04 | User Profile [QUOTE=Texas Dissident]Better them than you, stigmatastein. :caiphas:[/QUOTE] Then I hope for your sake that it is a Christian Negro that rapes your daughter or sister rather than a mere infidel Negro. |