S.J. Creek, RNS and Ferguson’s Churches

From S.J. Creek at Religious News Services (see the full story at the site):

Media coverage of Ferguson paints a picture of spontaneous, emotionally charged crowds. But my observations on the ground suggest a different story. Since day one, local churches have been key players in what’s happening on the ground in Ferguson.

I recently moved to St. Louis to take a position with a local university. Like any good (read: geeky) sociologist, I began my summer by reading up on history of my new home city. That was before St. Louis’ history was blown wide open for the whole world to see. Since the shooting three weeks ago, I’ve spent some time in Ferguson and in Clayton, registering voters and standing in solidarity with citizens demanding justice for Mike Brown.

Churches can be found at every event. Clergy and laypeople are demonstrating, marching, cleaning up, or working to create order. This involvement isn’t surprising. There is a well-documented and deep seeded history between black churches and the push for civil rights in America.  In the words of C. Eric Lincoln and Lawrence Mamiya, the black church is “the cultural womb of the black community.” But churches are doing more than political organizing. They’re serving and caring for the community