A Pandemic of Racism: A Pastoral Letter

The following pastoral letter was sent to Ohio River Valley district leaders on June 3, 2020 in response to racial tensions throughout the United States.

We renounce the spiritual forces of wickedness, reject the evil powers of this world, and repent of our sins. We accept the freedom and power God gives us to resist evil, injustice, and oppression in whatever forms they present themselves. We confess Jesus Christ as our Savior, and put our whole trust in his grace, and promise to serve him as our Lord, in union with the church which Christ has opened to people of all ages, nations and races. – UM Hymnal, Baptismal Covenant, Renunciation of Sin and Profession of Faith

I am writing to you today with a call to action. Leadership is needed now more than ever from me, and from you. I have high expectations for myself and you. Let me explain. Recent events have, once again, drawn our attention to the topic of race in the United States. The deaths of George Floyd in Minneapolis, MN; Breonna Taylor in Louisville, KY; and Ahmaud Arbery of Brunswick, GA, along with the countless other black and brown bodies before them, have left us, our congregations, and our communities grappling with where to go from here. The call I’m issuing today is for white people, like myself, who, because of skin color and cultural descent, have privilege resulting from unjust systems and social structures. We must demand and work toward the end of systemic racism through collective anti-racist actions. While signing letters and offering prayers are important, now is the time to act. At the end of this letter I have offered actions you can take. To prepare for them, let me begin with some reflections on the moment in which we find ourselves, including the leadership call in congregations and community.

OUR PANDEMIC OF RACISM
Community is important, because it is the place where we share our values, but it can also become a place to preserve one’s deeply held beliefs. What if those core values diminish the dignity of others, whether consciously or subconsciously? What if our own “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness” comes at the expense of another person?

Many promote the belief that the United States is an exceptional “Christian nation.” But how can such a theory be true when systems of oppression have been maintained over a 400-year time frame, with founding documents such as the 3/5 Compromise of 1787? This document declared that enslaved African Americans should be counted as 3/5ths of a person for the political purpose of representation in Congress. The realities of this nation are so deeply ingrained in our way of life, even though they clash so stunningly with the teachings of Jesus. Because of cultural influence, the apostasy against Jesus’ teachings goes unnoticed. Perhaps H. Richard Niebuhr was right 65 years ago – we are indeed, “cultural Christians.” So, I am encouraging all leaders to think about some next steps to do more with your leadership in the area of anti-racist teaching and leading.

ANTI-RACIST ACTION STEPS

Here are some opportunities to demonstrate leadership within your congregation and community. Please choose at least one of the following anti-racist actions: 

1. Lead a sermon series on racism in scripture and compare it with what we are experiencing today.

Check out this short list of texts: OT: portions of Genesis 1, Deuteronomy 10: 17-19 and NT: Matthew 18: 21-35, Acts 8: 26-40 portions of Galatians 3, portions of 1 Corinthians 12, portions of James 2.

2. Lead a study of these resources:  

3. Lead your people in a letter writing campaign to your local elected officials promoting racial inclusion and changes to public policy.

4. Find a podcast, blog, or friend of color who is willing to describe what it is like to experience racism. Listen deeply to their experience and understand that if you are white, you are a perpetrator of racism and have been traumatized, too.

5. Join us in peaceful witness against racism on June 19, 2020—Juneteenth. More details will be shared with you soon.

6. Sign up to take the IDI (Intercultural Diversity Indicator). This is a powerful tool to help you understand where you are regarding cultural competency that helps you set measurable goals for growth in awareness and appreciation of other cultural groups.

7.  Read and study the Cincinnati Collaborative Agreement, the US Justice Department of Justice's standard for local police regarding use of force and accountability to community. 

Please let me know which of the 7 action items you will be leading by clicking here and completing a quick survey. I would like this done by June 17 and will contact you again if I haven't heard from you. This will be on the Church Conference agenda in the Fall. 

We must act.

Sincerely Yours I am,
Rev. Dr. Todd D. Anderson

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