Thoughts on Honoring Dr. King’s Legacy in Our Churches

Aloha and here I am again, inspired this time by our national holiday celebrating Dr. King. Many have rightly pointed out that his message has been whitewashed and mellowed out over time, with an emphasis on the quotes that can be applied to the messages of those who profess colorblindness rather than those who believe justice requires some uncomfortable “come to Jesus” moments, as the rapper Common said. And let’s remember that many white church leaders and the FBI very much wanted to put a stop to the nonviolent civil rights movement.

If you read my last piece, you know that I have experience with churches, some of which preached colorblindness despite being diverse and multicultural and some of which decided we all needed to address the elephant in the room when congregants were grieving over the latest youth of color whose life had ended at the hands of authorities. Some churches find it important to acknowledge that some people need to worry about such things or can relate to such things far more than others. And beyond acknowledgement, there’s service, advocacy and devoting time and effort to benefiting those our society doesn’t always prioritize. There’s also seeking atonement and reconciliation… but even reconciliation is a manipulative term IF you take it to mean that both sides in a clear power differential should act like it takes them both the same amount of effort and heartache to forgive. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict comes to mind. But that’s a different issue!

I find it sad when parents say they teach their children to be “colorblind.” Maybe while they’re still little, it might be okay to shield them, although people of color don’t really have that privilege. For one thing, there’s a good chance that people can be taught to act colorblind without actually being so. For example, the Senate Chaplain Black spoke at Washington National Cathedral for the holiday weekend and pointed out that most people never invite someone home to dinner who doesn’t look like them — so how colorblind can we be? (although his message was overall quite positive).

Also, again, so-called colorblindness fails to acknowledge that aforementioned power differential — that some people were enslaved and others were the slave traders and owners, that some people were allowed to go to the best schools and restaurants and bus seats and others were not, and some regions of the United States fought integration until not so long ago (as even Disney movies corroborate), that so much beautiful music and culture originated from one people but then others stole the credit, that your appearance determines how likely you are to be mistreated or harmed by law enforcement or become incarcerated … there’s SO much more that I can’t even go into here. Just read some Ta-Nehisi Coates or Cornell West or Frederick Douglas or Langston Hughes or binge Blackish.

So for a church: I think every local church ideally would be diverse, but it can’t be forced. It should represent its extant community, which in turn will reflect the fallen world we live in as well as God’s kingdom that’s coming. That said, if your church is all white either in composition or culture, there might be a problem. I actually would not say the same if your church is all made up of people of color. There should be safe spaces where people don’t have to wear themselves out explaining things, even to well-meaning people. That being said, multicultural churches can be amazing especially when they do reflect that diversity along with their locality. We should always be conscious, however, that it probably costs people of color more to be in that multicultural church than it does white people, and that they are not just symbols or tokens to show how progressive we are, or sounding boards to help us understand, even though we do need to understand.

All this being said, many of us wear more than one identity — a.k.a. intersectionality. So it’s not so simple. I understand this a little as a woman whose parents are a European American and a first generation Middle Eastern immigrant… in 2001 and in 2019. I’m also proud to be part of a military family, in which context we ideally all need to be and are on the same team. Nothing about me is a short story. Incidentally, I’ve barely addressed immigration yet, but maybe later.

I should also add the obvious — people of color are in no way monolithic, and some will not even agree with the perspective here.

But churches… do the country and the world a favor and embrace the God who embraces justice for those who have not been treated right. Some already do. And multicultural churches, don’t just bring out your people of color to lead on certain weekends. How about all year round? And of course, learn from each other… but without tiring those whose experiences need to be understood the most. And if you believe either figuratively or literally that God made each of us in his image, let’s try to see that in each other in all our diversity. Let’s pray, talk and act about it.