They may not like me for this...
Bishop Katherine Jefferts Schori, and others in the Episcopal Church said they hoped I would continue posting about the "Service of Repentance" held on October 4, 2008. I haven't written much, and debated if I ever would. Yet looking at the commemorative pen given at the event, I couldn't refrain from writing this.
The pen says: "Day of Repentance." And, how true that is! And, that's not just my frustration. It's one shared by many, including Dr. Ed Rodman.
Upon reading the pen, I found myself asking: "Does ONE "Day of Repentance" balance 400 years of slavery?"
There has been little to no follow up from the National Church on this "initiative." Yet as she hid her sins for countless years, she hid her sins on that day by repenting in private - rather than out in the open. It seems that the hiding of sins continues, as the Church has done nothing since to make this initiative more than perfunctory.
As I've said before, there are "Three Steps to Healing: Repentance, Reparations & Reconciliation." Yet, if you stop at step one is that gesture really sincere? Or, was it some way to simply appease the "White Guilt" that holds the majority captive?
Does ONE "Day of Repentance" balance 400 years of slavery?
In "God's Long Summer," Charles Marsh states:
The Episcopal Church - again, by her own admission - helped set Black people at a disadvantage. Even her own Black priests were/are set at a disadvantage. How can she then do nothing to bring about true healing?
I've been waiting to see if something more was coming...some committment to building private schools in Black communities, some efforts to bring parity to the pensions of White and Black priests, some committment to calling the Nation to conscience on the racial disparities that still plague our society...some sort of sign that the somber attitude of the actual service had manifested in a change in attitude post-service. I have seen none and so I wonder:
Does ONE "Day of Repentance" balance 400 years of slavery?
I think there's more that should be done. If this is supposed to be ONE church, it seems to me efforts should be made to making it whole. It would seem that, that is what "Christian love" would require?
Come and Get Your Reparations!
Bishop Katherine Jefferts Schori, and others in the Episcopal Church said they hoped I would continue posting about the "Service of Repentance" held on October 4, 2008. I haven't written much, and debated if I ever would. Yet looking at the commemorative pen given at the event, I couldn't refrain from writing this.
The pen says: "Day of Repentance." And, how true that is! And, that's not just my frustration. It's one shared by many, including Dr. Ed Rodman.
Upon reading the pen, I found myself asking: "Does ONE "Day of Repentance" balance 400 years of slavery?"
There has been little to no follow up from the National Church on this "initiative." Yet as she hid her sins for countless years, she hid her sins on that day by repenting in private - rather than out in the open. It seems that the hiding of sins continues, as the Church has done nothing since to make this initiative more than perfunctory.
As I've said before, there are "Three Steps to Healing: Repentance, Reparations & Reconciliation." Yet, if you stop at step one is that gesture really sincere? Or, was it some way to simply appease the "White Guilt" that holds the majority captive?
Does ONE "Day of Repentance" balance 400 years of slavery?
In "God's Long Summer," Charles Marsh states:
Christian love must shape concrete solutions and new visions for the disenfranchised and the poor.The Episcopal Church - by her own admission - did its share of disfranchising Black people, while supporting and condoning and profiting from the Institution of Slavery. So, how can she feel it enough to throw out an "I'm sorry," while hoarding the gains of her pillage?
The Episcopal Church - again, by her own admission - helped set Black people at a disadvantage. Even her own Black priests were/are set at a disadvantage. How can she then do nothing to bring about true healing?
I've been waiting to see if something more was coming...some committment to building private schools in Black communities, some efforts to bring parity to the pensions of White and Black priests, some committment to calling the Nation to conscience on the racial disparities that still plague our society...some sort of sign that the somber attitude of the actual service had manifested in a change in attitude post-service. I have seen none and so I wonder:
Does ONE "Day of Repentance" balance 400 years of slavery?
I think there's more that should be done. If this is supposed to be ONE church, it seems to me efforts should be made to making it whole. It would seem that, that is what "Christian love" would require?
Come and Get Your Reparations!
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