September 10 - Feast of Alexander Crummell, Priest, Missionary, and Educator

Almighty and everlasting God, we thank you for your servant Alexander Crummell, whom you called to preach the Gospel to those who were far off and to those who were near. Raise up in this and every land evangelists and heralds of your kingdom, that your Church may proclaim the unsearchable riches of our Savior Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.


Read more at the Episcopal Cafe:

"I can see his face still, dark and heavy-lined beneath his snowy hair; lighting and shading, now with inspiration for the future, now in innocent pain at some human wickedness, now with sorrow at some hard memory from the past. The more I met Alexander Crummell, the more I felt how much that world was losing which knew so little of him. In another age he might have sat among the elders of the land in purple-bordered toga; in another country mothers might have sung him to the cradles.

He did his work,--he did it nobly and well; and yet I sorrow that here he worked alone, with so little human sympathy. His name to-day, in this broad land, means little, and comes to fifty million ears laden with no incense of memory or emulation. And herein lies the tragedy of the age: not that men are poor,--all men know something of poverty; not that men are wicked,--who is good? not that men are ignorant,-- what is Truth? Nay, but that men know so little of men."

From “Of Alexander Crummell” in The Souls of Black Folk by W. E. B. Du Bois (1903).

And, at Padre Mickey:

"Today is the feast of Alexander Crummell. He was an African-American and fought racism all of his life. He was born on March 3, 1819, in New York City. His father, Boston Crummell, was a former slave, while his mother, Charity Hicks, was a freeborn black woman. Both of his parents were very active in the Abolition Movement, and the first black newspaper, Freedom’s Journal, was published in their home. Their values guided him throughout his life. His father told him stories of his life back in Africa before he was captured, and these stories created a sense of unity with the people in Africa, as well as with those of African heritage in the Americas and throughout the world. He was also educated in Abolitionism by working with the American Anti-Slavery Society in New York during his youth. He was an intelligent person and one who wouldn’t take “no” for an answer. His tenacity and perseverance were important parts of his personality and were instrumental in his success."

10 Reasons We Don't Like to Talk About Race, Eugene Cho at "God's Politics Blog"

On the "God's Politics" Blog, Eugene Cho offers his top 10 Reasons We Don't Like to Talk About Race. I thought his observations were quite apt...what do you think?

Here's an excerpt, check out his whole post HERE.

In Christ’s family there can be no division into Jew and non-Jew, slave and free, male and female. Among us you are all equal. That is, we are all in a common relationship with Jesus Christ. (Galatians 3.28/The Message)

Why is racism such a difficult topic and issue — including for Christians? Well, here are some of my reasons:

1. It’s hard work. And people can be lazy. And talking about racism is an exhausting conversation because it brings up some deep questions. Reconciliation is hard work.
2. Something called ‘Life.’ There’s lots of other things going on — umm, like the financial recession.
3. Confusion. People don’t like confusion. Folks like clarity and certainty. We like answers.
4. Conflict. People don’t like conflict and, well, the conversation of racism provokes conflict and strong opinions.
5. Fear. People are afraid. Afraid to consider the possibilities that we’re racist, prejudiced, or implicated by our silence. Afraid to consider that we live as victims in a “victimized” mentality. Afraid to consider that we need to “give up” something. Afraid to “count the costs.”
6. Apathy. People don’t care. We’re apathetic. And this is probably the scariest reason.
7. What? We don’t think it exists. What racism? What prejudice? And this is probably as scary as #6.
8. How? People don’t know how to talk about racism. We don’t have an agreed upon framework to engage the conversation and move toward peace and reconciliation.
9. We want to forget the past and just “move forward.” It’s over. Heck, Obama is president. It’s a new day.
10. [Insert additional reasons].

The topics of racism, prejudice, and reconciliation are indeed painful conversations. While I don’t necessarily believe that the answer lies exclusively with the church, I do believe the answer lies with the gospel. It lies ultimately with the message of ’shalom’ that God intended for humanity to live in fellowship with God and with one another — because we are created in the image of God.

Check out the post at God's Politics, and also check out Eugene Cho's own blog at http://eugenecho.wordpress.com

Reflections on the service of repentence at St. Thomas African Episcopal Church

from the VTS Anglican Communion Commentary

10/8/2008
On Saturday, October 4 a number of us from VTS attended a Service of Repentance at historic St. Thomas Church in Philadelphia. The service was part of a solemn two-day observance which constituted a public apology for the Episcopal Church’s involvement in the institution of transatlantic slavery. The service was mandated by the 2006 General Convention resolution A123 which declared that slavery was, is and will always be a sin. The resolution asked the Presiding Bishop to call for a “Day of Repentance and Reconciliation.” The Rev. C. David Williams, president of the Union of Black Episcopalians, said that the Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori’s call for a “Day of Repentance” was “extraordinary.”

In her sermon the Presiding Bishop seemed to let no one off the hook. We heard of the sources of J.P. Morgan’s wealth, even as he initiated the Church Pension Fund. A farm dependent on slaves is part of the early history of Trinity Church in the City of New York. The Presiding Bishop told those gathered that slave labor was utilized in the building of Virginia Theological Seminary. Our church, North and South, benefited from the institution of transatlantic slavery, and there is no shortage of guilt from the top down. The stains of slavery run so deep that a “Day of Repentance and Reconciliation” calls for more days, long days of conversation, repentance and reconciliation. Virginia Theological Seminary will spend the rest of its days dealing with its own stains and involvement in the institution of transatlantic slavery.

In writing resolution 123, John Vanderstar, Executive Council member, said: “I strongly believe that the church needs to confront its past and change its future.” As I listened to the Presiding Bishop’s sermon, I thought of our church and the Anglican Communion and the need we have to “confront” the past and to “change” the future. Our church always needs days of repentance. What are we doing today that will require an apology from those who come after us in the future?

- Barney Hawkins

Episcopal Church to apologize for slavery: from the Philadelphia Inquirer

Rev. Absolom Jones

from the Philadelphia Inquirer:

Posted on Fri, Oct. 3, 2008

Episcopal Church to apologize for slavery

By DAFNEY TALES
Philadelphia Daily News

talesd@phillynews.com 215-854-5084

In what has become the cause du jour this year, the Episcopal Church will publicly make amends for its part in the trans-Atlantic slave trade with a "Day of Repentance" today and tomorrow.

The two-day event at the African Episcopal Church of St. Thomas, at 6361 Lancaster Ave., Overbrook, was mandated by a resolution at the church's General Convention in 2006.

The event begins today at 1 p.m. with presentations on the church's role in the slave trade. Tomorrow, the services are scheduled to begin at 10:30 a.m.

Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori will conduct the service at the church, founded in 1792 by Absalom Jones, a former slave and the first black Episcopal priest.

Jayne Oasin, staff officer for the New York-based Episcopal Church Center, said that the church can't deny its complicity in slavery even after the trans-Atlantic slave trade was outlawed in 1808.

She noted that some historic Episcopal churches were built using slave labor and that members owned or profited from industries associated with it.

"Slavery went against God's law of equality and justice," she said. "This apology is made to the descendants [of those] who were wronged."

The Rev. Martini Shaw, rector of St. Thomas, said that it's fitting to host this event at the oldest black church.

"I'm absolutely ecstatic and excited about it," he said. "When anyone enters reconciliation and the sacrament of repentance, that is always a good thing," he said.

In part, the resolution declared that the "peculiar institution . . . was and is a sin and a fundamental betrayal of the humanity of all persons who were involved."

The Episcopal Church's apology comes in the wake of several apologies made by government and religious entities recently.

In 1995, the Southern Baptist Church was the first religious organization to denounce its role in slavery. Last year, Virginia became the first state to issue a public apology; several states, including New Jersey and Maryland, followed. Last July, Congress issued an apology.

Critics who oppose the acts of contrition say that it's an attempt to seek reparations and stroke white guilt.

But Shaw sees it as redemption for all those who were involved.

"You can forgive a person for the actions taken. We shouldn't forget slavery, but to forgive the perpetrators." *

read it all HERE

Recognition and Repentence for the Slave Trade, from the "Dean's Commentary"

10/3/2008
The past is part of the present. And the Bible stresses the connections across generations: sometimes it is an act of memory (for example, the Eucharist) and sometimes an act of judgment. One pervasive sin that permeates our culture is the presumption of the concept of ‘individual’ that can be disentangled from family, community, and the past. An ‘I’ has emerged in our culture that operates with the illusion that is no need to recognize the connections with the past.

So this weekend is an important occasion. Today and tomorrow, at the African Episcopal Church of St. Thomas in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania there will an act of recognition and repentance for the involvement of the Episcopal Church in the evil trade of slavery. Presiding Bishop Katherine Jefferts Schori will be the celebrant and preacher.

These two days are implementing the resolution A123 from the General Convention of 2006. The past continues to haunt the present in so many ways. As we reflect on our past, so we should resolve to create a new future. This is our Gospel obligation.

The Very Rev Ian Markham
Dean and President

Huckabee on Jeremiah Wright

Very interesting, .... worth watching... Huckabee surprises people again...

Seeking some constructive understanding of Black Liberation Theology...

...we would do well to read a variety of views on Black Liberation Theology and also move our discussion to a more substantive and constructive level than it currently has been in response to the Rev. Jeremiah Wright's statements, and Barack Obama's amazing speech last week.

From the blog, Inhabitatio Dei ...

Black Liberation Theology in Current Discussions

Posted on March 25, 2008 by Halden

For those that have been confused by the rather muddled and frenzied discussions in the media lately about Barak Obama, Jeremiah Wright, and race relations in America, allow me to heartily recommend the various discussions of these things by my friend David Horstkoetter. David is a student at Union Seminary who has studied under James Cone and has a passionate interest in race and theology, and black theology in particular. He has blogged extensively about the current discussions, including some very helpful comments by J. Kameron Carter which clarify elements of this hoopla very well. I highly commend David’s critiques of the innane conservative backlash against Rev. Wright’s willingness to speak the truth about race in America. They are right on the money.

Martin Smith on Race and the Unconscious

The writer and priest Martin Smith has posted a very interesting and provocative essay over at the Episcopa Cafe about Race and Unconsciousness, it is well worth a read. I've posted a bit of it below and you can access the entire essay HERE.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~``

I read with fascination recently the account of an experiment studying interactions between white and black Americans. In the first phase researchers set up individual conversations between African Americans and whites, and the African Americans recorded their impressions. Then the researchers divided the white participants into two groups. The first had made their racism obvious through their insulting tone. The second had conversed respectfully. A second round of conversations took place, and the researchers immediately subjected all the white participants to a set of cognitive tests in private. The results were very interesting. Most of the white participants who pleased the African Americans by their respectful behavior did far worse in these cognitive tests than those who had not been nice! However, if the tests were administered again an hour later the discrepancy in the results between the two groups disappeared.

The researchers propose this explanation: most of the white folk who were behaving respectfully to the African Americans were having to devote a huge amount of energy to the unconscious process of censoring their actual negative impulses. So much so, that it took the brain an hour or so to recover equilibrium and restore normal service to all its functions. The racist whites made no bones about the contempt they entertained for blacks, so their brains weren’t overtaxed at all when they talked with them.

Surely, these are the kind of explorations that should most fascinate and challenge Christians like ourselves. After all we inherit thousands of years of meditation on human experience, and scripture itself is a rich resource of reflection about the conviction that reliance on outer behavior alone to judge the condition of the heart is sheer folly. God is the one that sees through, sees into, sees behind the appearances many human beings can keep up. Episcopalians should be specially concerned since, generally speaking, we entertain a rather Anglo-Saxon devotion to good manners and correct appearances. Our standards of respectful behavior are fairly high, and when we embrace enthusiastically all sorts of slogans about inclusiveness and equality it can easily seem—at least to the white majority—that the work of purging the church of racism has been almost achieved. Actually, though the worst outrages might have diminished, the real work has only started. There is a vast difference between the ability to perform as if we regard one another as equals and relationships based on a far more profound change: conversion, what the prophetic tradition of scripture calls getting a new heart of flesh instead of a heart of stone, and a new Spirit.

Read the rest HERE.