Black lives matter

I am writing this on Sunday 7th June 2020 on the day after there were large scale protests in London and other UK cities following the killing of George Floyd - a black man - by police in Minneapolis, USA. These protests were overwhelmingly peaceful but were marred by a small amount of violence. They were, however, unlawful in that they contravened the Coronavirus lockdown laws which outlaw public gatherings.

Even before yesterday's protests, the church elders had decided to make a statement to the church at our Zoom meeting on Sunday morning. You might ask why we felt the need to do that. Is it really relevant to us? There are no black people in the church, and only a handful of black people in Crowborough. We felt that it is important for white people to speak out on this issue. We want our black brothers and sisters to know that we stand with them in solidarity. Also we are aware that silence can be read as complicity: if we say nothing then people will think that we accept the status quo, the way things are.

Here are three principles that can help us as we think about a Christian response to race issues -

1) Every human being is made in God's image and deserves respect regardless of age, nationality, race, gender, colour of skin, or ability. Racism has no place amongst Christians.

2) God is a God of justice. As Christians we should stand for justice. Martin Luther King Jr said, "Injustice anywhere threatens justice everywhere."

3) The Bible says, 'If one part of the body suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honoured, every part rejoices with it.' (1 Corinthians 12:26) If our black brothers and sisters suffer, we suffer too.

I also want to add two personal observations -

Why did so many people protest? Why did they defy the lockdown laws and expose themselves to the risk of Covid-19 (which disproportionally affects black people)? I believe that it is because, as a community and as individuals, they have experienced decades of deprivation and discrimination and that they believe that now is an important moment when they need to make themselves heard. They have experienced decades of deprivation and discrimination in education, in housing, in employment, and in the criminal justice system. Now they sense that there is an opportunity for change that must be seized. Things are bad for black people in the USA and have been for more centuries. The ending of slavery more than a century ago did not end discrimination against black people. Nor did the Civil Rights movement of the 1960's. Things are also bad for black people in the UK, living in a British society which historically grew rich on the back of the slave trade. While we cannot agree with law breaking and violence, we understand the anger and frustration that has led to it.

And why did the police officers in Minneapolis kill George Floyd? We might never know the answer to that question, but here is my guess. I think that the police officers were afraid of George Floyd and reacted out of fear. Why were the police officers afraid of George Floyd? Because they had the mindset that black men are dangerous, that they are inclined to crime and violence, that they pose a threat. Fear leads to hatred, and ultimately hatred leads to aggression and injustice. How do we overcame fear? By getting to know those who are different to us: people with different skin colour, people with different abilities, and - for us who are Christians - people from different denominations.

At this point I want to recommend a book that I read recently. Ben Lindsay is an Elder in a Newfrontiers church in South London. He is a black elder in a white majority church. He writes from that perspective, combining examples from real-life stories, his own experience of growing up in a white majority church, together with theological reflection. He analyses race relations in the UK and in the Church and he highlights where the church is falling short. Finally, he shows us how we can work together to create a truly inclusive church community.




That brings to the point where we realise that words are not enough. We need to take action. Let me suggest three things that we can do -

(1) Speak out against racism wherever we find it - in the church, in our workplaces, in our families.

(2) Take every opportunity to get to know people who are different to us: people with different skin colour, and people who are different to us in all sorts of other ways.

(3) Pray. Pray that justice will prevail and pray that the church will be a truly prophetic community, showing the world how people from all sorts of races and backgrounds can be joined together in meaningful harmony.