From the desk of the Eagle Eye Scribe
To The Council of Temple Lutheran Church:
“There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.” Galatians 3:28
Based in Scripture and Spirit-led conversation, The Adult Café proposes that the congregation of this church,
Request SEPA Synod establish a Reparation Fund for the Philadelphia area acknowledge the generational effects of historical slavery in the US and ongoing racial discrimination.
I was tasked to include what is important to me from a Black person’s perspective. With regards to social injustice, systemic racism, and repentance, reconciliation, and reparations for the oppressed and discriminated against people of African descent, three main things are important to me. It is essential for me to make sure black people are seen in the appropriate light, that they are celebrated for their achievements and contributions to American society despite past and present oppression, and that their needs are clearly articulated and addresses by those who were instrumental in their oppression, and those that can appropriately represent their needs and concerns.Â
Black people have traditionally been cast in a negative light since the early uses of print, mass and broadcast media. From print advertisements of enslaved Africans being sold and auctioned off as a fraction of a person, to being depicted on the big screen as a big lip, big nose sycophant that is happy being subservient and entertaining to white people, to the hoochie mama, sister girl, to the corner boy with the pants sagging down, black people have been shown as uneducated, lazy, welfare recipients, criminals, and even menaces to society. Today Africa is often seen as desolate with starving children with swollen bellies and flies around them. While some Africans are suffering in that way, that does not reflect the continent as a whole. There are many civilized and advanced societies there that are not often shown to the world. It is important to me that that small segment of the black and African population is not seen as representative of black people as a whole. Many black people are trying to survive, without having the same access to opportunity. They are trying to get an education or develop a skill so they can be marketable in the job market. Black people need to be seen as intellectually equal, not a fraction of a person, and viable members of society, deserving all God given rights and freedoms as every other social group.
It is important that people of African descent are celebrated for their achievements and contributions to American society in spite of past and present oppression and discrimination. Many of the scientific breakthroughs and inventions we enjoy today came from the minds of the enslaved Africans. Some enslaved African inventors could not afford to patent their ideas which white inventors completed and took credit for. Many black people past and present have contributed to social changes, education, the arts, music, sports and entertainment. Black people have been able to rise to the occasion and be positive contributors to society despite systemic racism, discrimation, and lack of access to resources and opportunities. Â
The needs of black people should be clearly articulated and addressed by those who were instrumental in their oppression, and by those who can appropriately represent their needs and concerns. The oppressed people should elect someone to clearly state their needs and concerns. We should not be taking our cues from people who are not representative of the black community as a whole. Nor should we lean on any one person or group to do the work of trying to solve problems they did not create. There should be a balance of leaning in to hear the story and struggles of black people past and present, with a resolve to make steps to try to reverse the effects of the oppression through repentance, reconciliation and reparation.Â
Those steps of reversal embrace the way God sees us all as the body of Christ with many viable members. For God does not see Jew nor Greek, our ethnic and/or racial differences. He does not divide us by bond or free, our socio/economic differences. God does not divide us by male or female, our gender differences, social norms and roles that cause divisive gender issues, or the importance of one gender over the other. God sees us all as one; His beloved children. And when black lives matter to everyone, all lives will benefit from God’s grace and provision, because we are aligning ourselves with God’s word, will and way.
Amen.
 Chaplain Nikita Johnson