“There is a dark shadow upon our land. None of us is unaffected. Yes, institutional slavery may be a thing of the past, and yet our nation is still hobbling forward with the broken bones of racism and hatred. These United States of America are far from united, with the long, dark shadows of our history coming looming into view in heartbreaking, horrifying new ways. Friends, I say this with compassion and love: We are not innocent. There is blood on our hands. We and our fathers have turned a deaf ear to our neighbors. We have used the courts of law to justify greed and bigotry. Even our churches are guilty, using Holy Scripture to justify racism, our racist practices, and slavery. Confession is our task.”
John Perkins, One Blood: Parting Words to the Church on Race and Love. Moody Publishers, 2018, page 178.
Related Posts:
Pastor Note #98: Hearing Our Neighbors’ Cry of Distress: A White Pastor Talks to his White Congregation about Race
Bible Note #50: James 2:1 and “Us vs. Them” Thinking
Bible Note #48: Justice for the Weak–Ezekiel 34:11-22
Bible Note #62: Compassion & the Anger of Jesus–Mark 3:1-6
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