Charleston and the Role of the #BlackChurch

Charleston and the Role of the #BlackChurch July 6, 2015

conviction

*Note: This post is a response to a friend’s sincere question about how she needs to address her community in regards to the events in Charleston. She wanted to know more specifically how she should describe and talk about the Black Church when most of her friends worry that the Black Church is symbolic of how we continue to focus on things that separate us.

Shauntae Brown White offered this response.

The term “black” (HBCU, church, school) is usually in reference to the fact that we could not be a part of the mainstream institution at one time, so we started our own in response. We were not allowed to worship fully with with parishioners at white churches and so we founded our own. In 1787, Richard Allen and others founded one of the first black denominations, the African Methodist Episcopal church in Philadelphia in response to racism faced by the church was was made up of white congregants. The black church is really the only institution that is autonomously run by black folks–the leadership, the decision, etc. 

Black institutions have not only survived and thrived with very little resources. Simply, historically, we did not have the same access to wealth, resources and were treated unfairly in state budgets (i.e. colleges), and yet, we have been able to produce some pretty remarkable people who have done remarkable things. I can spend a whole post on that.

The black church’s mission has always been different than white churches. We preach salvation through Jesus Christ. That is primary. But the black church also has served community needs, psychological needs, help to mobilize political activism. There is also an aspect of social justice that is intrinsic to the black church. I was profoundly disappointed when I learned a Christian school in Cary NEVER, EVER talked about Ferguson, Eric Garner or Michael Brown to its student body! Fortunately, they did bring up Baltimore and its injustice in an English class and chapel. Social justice and black Christianity go hand in hand. 

When I hear white people say, “Why do we have to call out our differences?” To me they are really saying, “Let’s all pretend we are the same. I don’t want to be reminded of inequality, historical discrimination, racism or the like.” It only benefits white people for us to act like all “the church” is the same. Its not. Even in my experience of dealing Southern, Christian white women the last couple of years does not remind me they are Christians. What stands out to me are they white middle class women. Now, by no means has this been my experience with all white women, or southern white women, or white Christian women. I went to a private Catholic school and had a great experience. But, Catholicism has had more connection to social justice than Southern Baptist or any other white denomination. However, the differences have never been so profound to me as my recent experiences with Southern, Christian white women. 

Now I know there are other white denominations other than Catholics who have taken strong stands against slavery and racism. So, I didn’t mean to imply that. But, of course Southern Baptist just acknowledged and apologized for slavery within the last 20 years. And, interestingly, in a non-critical or thorough observation, Evangelicals were silent during these incidents over the last year (Ferguson, Garner, etc.) I think more did speak out about Emanuel. But, heck, that one should be a given.

Would the same people to whom you are referring welcome me or other black folks in their church with open arms? Would they allow me to bring my cultural traditions to the church? Not convinced, and thus, we will have a need for Black institutions and the Black Church. 

Dr. Shauntae Brown White is an Associate Professor of Communications at North Carolina Central University. She is also an editorial reviewer for the Rhetoric Race and Religion book series

 


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