Wherever two or more
are gathered, God is among them and dissension may await them.
Nowhere is this more true than when the gathering is focused
on race relations.
Because we are ashamed, we avoid thinking about our own participation
in racism either as the dehumanized or the dehumanizing actor.
Too often we use the language of meritocracy and tolerance instead
of the language of love and accountability, which would bring
the issues of race relations closer to home and give us a role
in addressing them.
We all continue to be wounded to varying degrees by the racism
or racial privilege bequeathed to us. To be able to address
the larger history of racial injustice, we must first confront
our personal hurt. Otherwise we continue to thwart the interconnectedness
God created us to have. There cannot be justice without relatedness,
relationships without trust, and trust without accountability.
Racial relations are human relations, albeit challenging ones.
Where two or more are gathered, there may be a unique opportunity
to reassess personal and collective truths. Where two or more
are gathered, there is a chance to dismantle the lies our society
bombards us with that says some of us are better than others
and another’s plight is only caused by his or her own
actions. Where two or more are gathered, there is sacred space
for healing and for God’s transformative power to work
in us and through us, if we choose to be accountable for the
way our being affects the life of our spiritual siblings.
—Elder Shaya S. Gregory, former young adult intern, Office
of Women’s Advocacy, General Assembly Council |
