| RMN's Berryman, Lightsey, and Parr are live in Ferguson |
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Practicing Biblical Obedience in a racist nation
by Reconciling Ministries Network |
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| “Not our children!” rallied clergy in Ferguson, empowered by the leadership of young activists.
RMN board director Rev. Dr. Pamela Lightsey and executive director Matt Berryman are in Ferguson today following the announcement by the grand jury that there will be no indictment for the killing of unarmed teen Mike Brown by Police Officer Darren Wilson in August.
“We’re here in non-violent protest because an injustice has been done,” said Lightsey, who marched with a clergy group that closed several street corners near the St. Louis courthouse today, keeping silence for four and half minutes to commemorate the four and a half hours Mike Brown’s body lay in the street.
Boston University School of Theology associate dean Lightsey expressed her profound sadness last evening when she arrived in Ferguson and traveled immediately to W. Florissant Street where she encountered blazing vehicles and buildings and a police force that incited protesters’ anger.
“Black people hear this announcement and feel betrayed,” said Lightsey. “The rage is palpable, and rage comes from the deep pain of the racial wound in this town and our country.”
Lightsey, Berryman, and Rev. Lois McCullen Parr of Chicago marched with the clergy protesters, led by the young people who organized today’s marches. The group stopped to pray at each corner, calling on the power of God’s spirit to bring justice and peace to Ferguson and the nation.
“The parallels of the way that oppression works against LGBTQ persons and black and brown people in systems that are rigged to protect the status quo reminds me of W.E.B. Du Bois who said, 'a system cannot fail those it was never meant to protect.,’” said Berryman. “When pastors are put on church trial for practicing ministry with all people, the institutional discrimination enshrined in The United Methodist Church's Book of Discipline sets the stage for punishment,” he explained, “and we see this happening in Ferguson where the institutional discrimination of the police force and the judicial system has pre-determined the outcome.”
“If you feel the horror you have to do something about it,” said Parr. “The Gospel compels us to speak, to walk, to demand justice,” she said.
“We practice Biblical Obedience in the prejudiced church and we practice Biblical Obedience in the racist nation,” said Berryman. “While moments like these feel like Good Friday, we live with the Christian hope that redemption and resurrection are on the horizon.”
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Why Ferguson matters to RMN
by Rev. Andy Oliver, RMN director of communications |
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Woman signs a board placed along Ferguson’s West Florissant Ave Photo: Scott Olsen/Getty Images
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I am saddened titles like the one above need ever be written.
It might not seem obvious at first as to why an LGBTQ organization would advocate against oppression that falls outside the realm of human sexuality and gender identity. Some might feel that if RMN embraces the immigrant, speaks out about racism, denounces sexism, or calls out privilege, RMN is "muddying the waters." Let me suggest instead, we do not control the makeup of the waters of justice and righteousness that roll down like an ever-flowing stream. The river isn't under our control. RMN understands our mission to point to the waters of baptism that are fully inclusive of LGBTQ people... waters that call us to ministry as lay and clergy, as singled and partnered. However, these aren't calm waters to be controlled. These are raging waters that drown oppression and discrimination of any kind.These are not RMN's waters to muddy. God alone controls the rushing waters of justice.
Reconciling friends, think about what first brought you to RMN. Remember your desire for freedom from oppression and injustice that you yourself experienced or that you witnessed in the life of your child or friend. Is not this desire intimately connected with the desires expressed on the wall pictured above? Before I die, I want to... live, see justice, see my brothers live, be loved equally, know the truth, stop violence. Are the voices of power and privilege calling for the status quo in Ferguson not echoes of voices in our own church that value the harm to an institution's unity over harm to perpetrated against LGBTQ children of God? Are clergy that are attempting to silence angry voices in Ferguson not unlike clergy in our own church who attempt to silence angry LGBTQ persons?
Deep in those waters in 1966, a clergy person who practiced non-violence named Dr. King reminded us that "a riot is the language of the unheard." So what can we do? We can listen.
The next Michael Brown is attending school this morning in your local community. He is one of your many neighbors who the system does not work to serve and protect—much in the same way The UMC does not serve and protect many in our Network. If you want to do justice, listen and help stories of oppression and injustice be heard. Don't fool yourself into believing that we will ever achieve full inclusion in The UMC by ignoring Michael Brown.
Our struggle is one and our place is in the raging waters as witnesses for justice. |
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Job opening to plant inclusive churches
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Urban Village Church is searching for candidates who are called to/interested in planting Gospel-inclusive churches to apply for our 2015-2016 Church Planting Residency. It's a full-time, salaried position.
Particularly we're looking for folks who love Jesus, are passionate about urban contexts, committed to radically inclusive (multi-ethnic, anti-racist, LGBTQ-welcoming) church, and can interpret a distinctively Wesleyan understanding of faith to secular folks. |
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Sojourners offering a free trial subscription, featuring special edition on LGBTQ Christians
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Long-term evangelical consensus about LGBTQ people is being challenged at every turn. In the January Sojournersfeature story Tackling the Hard Questions, David Gushee says it’s time for Bible-believing Christians to take a new look at what scripture teaches us about gays, lesbians, and the church—and what it doesn’t say. Subscribe today to get this issue on LGBT Christians and the church!
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Also in this edition:
- Disputable Matters by David Gushee on five books that are changing the evangelical discussion about LGBT Christians and the church.
- Margaret Atwood on “the Meek” – The first in a series on the beatitudes by some of Sojourners’ favorite authors. Atwood kicks it off with a reflection on this oft-misinterpreted saying of Jesus.
- The Public Private Life of Thomas Merton – One hundred years after his birth, what particular magic draws seekers of every generation and of such remarkably diverse backgrounds to Merton?
- More Merton! – “Wisdom and Discontent” contains reviews of books by and about Thomas Merton.
- Jim Wallis on “Orthodoxy and Orthopraxy” – Wallis writes about the theology that Sojourners was founded on 43 years ago and the belief that our mission was, is, and always will be centered in Jesus Christ.
- Culture Watch – Danny Duncan Collum on “The Internet’s Toxic Waste Dump” and the exploited workers who clean it up. Also: reviews of Black Prophetic Fire; With a Little Help from Our Friends; and Contested Land, Contested Memory.
Click here to receive your copy of Sojourners’ January issue!
P.S. Get the January issue and save $10 with a risk-free trial offer! |
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