Racial Justice Resources

Pastoral Note

Dear friends,

Several people have asked to share a list of resources with the congregations about racial justice. I will continue to update this list as I read, learn, and listen. Not all of the voices in this material will agree with one another, however they all seek to affirm human dignity for all people. As you engage this material, listen deeply, try not to be defensive, and pray. As I am challenged by some of the material included here, I know that my discomfort is an invitation to enter the material more deeply. I am willing to have follow-up conversations about these resources with anyone, either one-on-one or in a group setting.

In Christ,

Michael

Confessional Standards

The Presbyterian Church (USA) affirms its theological standards in a Book of Confessions. These confessions guide our interpretation of scripture. Two confessions are especially pertinent in developing a a theological response of race. The first is The Confession of 1967. The overall theme of this confession is the reconciliation of Jesus Christ. The confession directly addresses race in section 9.44a:

God has created the peoples of the earth to be one universal family. In his reconciling love, God overcomes the barriers between sisters and brothers and breaks down every form of discrimination based on racial or ethnic difference, real or imaginary. The church is called to bring all people to receive and uphold one another as persons in all relationships of life: in employment, housing, education, leisure, marriage, family, church, and the exercise of political rights. Therefore, the church labors for the abolition of all racial discrimination and ministers to those injured by it. Congregations, individuals, or groups of Christians who exclude, dominate, or patronize others, however subtly, resist the Spirit of God and bring contempt on the faith which they profess.

The second confession that directly deals with racial injustice to the Confession of Belhar, adopted by the synod of the Dutch Reformed Mission Church in South Africa in 1986 and was adopted by the PCUSA in 2016. This confession can be read in its entirety here. Section 3 deals with racial enmity and separation.

other resource lists

• From the Presbyterian Church(USA).

• From the Episcopal Church.

• From the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America.

• From the National Council of Churches (USA).

Recent correspondence

The Leadership Council of the Presbytery of the Miami Valley sent this letter be shared with congregations.

The Middletown Area Ministerial Alliance released this public statement following the death of George Floyd. You can also read the response from Session.

Statements from General Assembly

The 224th General Assembly (2020) of the Presbyterian Church(USA) made this statement in June:

This 224th General Assembly of the PC(USA) declares that Black lives matter; that our country’s most important institutions have been built to sustain white privilege, to protect white lives and white property at the expense of our siblings of color; and that the church, through ignorance, denial, and in some cases deliberate action, has participated in this injustice. We have been slow to face the reality of systemic racism. We have been slow to acknowledge the pain of our fellow Presbyterians, of our fellow Christians, of our fellow citizens, and of those who have come to America for a better life, whose value has been judged by the color of their skin. We pledge to join hands and hearts with our BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) siblings to actively confront and dismantle systemic racism in our church and in society at large, and to work for a more just, merciful, and peaceful country that allows all of God’s children to flourish.

The 222nd General Assembly (2016) of the Presbyterian Church(USA) made this statement:

Racism is a lie about our fellow human beings, for it says that some are less than others. It is also a lie about God, for it falsely claims that God favors parts of creation over the entirety of creation. Because of our biblical understanding of who God is and what God intends for humanity, the PC(USA) must stand against, speak against and work against racism. Anti-racist effort is not optional for Christians. It is an essential aspect of Christian discipleship, without which we fail to proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ.

Historical documents

The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., wrote a letter from the Birmingham Jail to the white clergy of Birmingham. It is a must read for white communities who seek racial justice.

Presbyterians and Slavery by James Moorhead from Princeton University.

theological Lectures and Interviews

Recent Articles (Will be Updated Soon)

“White Supremacist Ideas Have Historical Roots in US Christianity,” All Things Considered, National Public Radio, 1 July 2020.

Films about Systemic Racism

“Ten films that explore the sin of structural racism.” The Rev. Dr. Edward McNulty, who recently served Blue Ball Presbyterian Church here in Middletown, is also a film critic. He suggests ten films that date back to the 1990s for the Presbyterian News Service.

racial Justice Reading Group

In order to become more informed in the national conversation about race, several people form the congregation have committed to reading current titles on racism in the United States. Here is what we have read, we are reading, and what is on our radar.

Read: Austin Channing Brown, “I’m Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness.”

Reading: Ibrham X. Kendi, “How to Be an Antiracist.”

On the radar: Carolyn Helsel, “Anxious to Talk About It: Helping White Christians Talk Faithfully About Racism.”

21 Day Challenge for Racial justice

The 21-Day Racial Justice Challenge invites individuals and congregations to do something every day to raise awareness about the perniciousness of racism and encourage action in response to that awareness. If you would like to put together a group to do this, Michael and Lisa are willing to help.

Recent Sermons from First Presbyterian Church