Juneteenth: There is No Fear in Love
A version of this post was originally shared with leaders of the Ohio River Valley district via email on June 19, 2020.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO LIVE IN FEAR. THE REMEDY IS TO LIVE IN LOVE.
Today is Juneteenth, the day celebrating the emancipation of human beings held against their will in slavery in the United States. The Union General Gordon Granger read orders to the citizens of Galveston, Texas that the war between the states was over and that those held in slavery were now free. Even though the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863 had technically freed this nation of slavery, it did not come to full fruition until the defeat of the Confederacy in 1865.
Today, United Methodists in the Ohio River Valley District are leading a number of Peaceful Witness events against systemic racism. You can learn more about them and decide where to join in by clicking here.
Last week we looked at the text from 1 John 4. I just can't get it out of my head. In my last months as Senior Pastor at Hilliard UMC, the Rev. Karen Muntzing and I preached a sermon series using Bishop William H. Willimon's wonderful book titled Fear of the Other: No Fear in Love. The premise is there is no fear in love. And yet, how do we account for all the fear that is in our culture? The book is an easy read, but it is provocative. Let me share with you the contents:
Chapter 1: Saved by the Other
Chapter 2: The Other My Enemy
Chapter 3: Learning to Fear Like Christians
Chapter 4: Loving the Other in Church
Chapter 5: Jesus, The Other
The book is packed with 90 separate texts from Hebrew and Christian tradition scriptures. The texts clearly identify that humanity has struggled with difference, but that God is the creator of difference and through the life and teachings of Jesus and the early Church difference was embraced and celebrated. The way to overcome fear of any kind - but especially fear of the other - is love.
The scripture from 1 John has given me some ideas of why this may be.
Why are we so afraid?
Many of us have never had to consider flexing the muscles of inclusivity. Well, that is different now. You may not think it is different now, but it is. It has been different for a long time. More attention is being focused in a heightened way. Its relevance has taken on new meaning with Covid -19, racial and social unrest, Black Lives Matter, and in the new landmark ruling on discrimination relative to LGBTQUIA+ by the US Supreme Court.
An Unpeeling Onion
Work by dominant white culture towards inclusivity has been described as being similar to an unpeeling onion. Many believe that this work is not fast enough. What would it take to quarter the onion and allow all the petals to come forth? Something new? Something bold? Would you be afraid?
In 2011, Collin Woodard wrote a book titled, American Nations: A History of the Eleven Rival Regional Cultures of North America. You can find a link to The Business Insider article about the book online.[3] The book is worth a read, so I encourage you to find it. The cultural differences between these areas, of our nation is a clear. It calls us to make a deeper commitment towards engagement in the public square regarding a whole host of issues. But we cannot engage unless we learn how to listen to each other and to talk with each other. In short, we need to learn not to be afraid of the other.
The church has a voice in the public square. The church has a voice for justice and inclusion. However, we must confess that dominant culture sections of the church have been silent for a long time. And sadly, they've silenced others, through job loss, dislocation or isolation. There's that word again - Other - . The way we engage in the public square is different based on culture. Woodard's book simply points us to a place where we need intense work on cultural competency to understand where each other is coming from. Would it be possible for us to stop our denials that keep us comfortable (I believe denial is the most abused drug in our culture) and begin to think very differently about how we can become the beloved community - a community that acknowledges our multicultural identity. This is the way God created us -- and it was called good. Woodard doesn't give voice to theology or an understanding of God, but we do. And we must also understand that the cultures we live in speak loudly into our ears.
We can flex those unused muscles
Almost a month ago I sent out a call to action letter that identified some ways to get into shape spiritually and to work towards overcoming systemic racism. God gave us our muscles for beloved community at our creation! Take a deep dive into the scriptures see how God created difference for the benefit of each other, to share and to be creative and to work together.
Order Willimon's book and use it for a sermon series, or a book study or delve into the 90 scriptures and decide for yourself how to flex some muscles you might not even know you have. But you do have those muscles, because God put them there.
And because God put them there, think about ways that you might foster and create beloved community where you live, speaking out for the marginalized and flexing those spiritual muscles in new ways. You don't have to live in fear. The remedy is to live in love.
CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION:
Read: 1 John 4
Read: Fear of the Other: No Fear in Love
Pray these prayers:
Almighty God,
to you all hearts are open, all desires known,
and from you no secrets are hidden.
Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts
by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit,
that we may perfectly love you,
and worthily magnify your holy name,
through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Merciful God,
we confess that we have not loved you with our whole heart.
We have failed to be an obedient church.
We have not done your will,
we have broken your law,
we have rebelled against your love,
we have not loved our neighbors,
and we have not heard the cry of the needy.
Forgive us, we pray.
Free us for joyful obedience,
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
Service of Word and Table I, The United Methodist Hymnal, The United Methodist Publishing House, Nashville, TN. 1989, page 6.