Q Chats | Anti-Racism | Week 3
Q Christian is a community comprised of people with diverse backgrounds, differing theological beliefs, and a variety of ethics. Q Chats are designed to be a deep dive into self-discovery by learning from one another, and spiritually growing side-by-side. Q Chats cannot be effective without you! We invite you to participate. Share your thoughts, stories, and perspectives. Your influential voice can make a difference in the lives of others.
When you think of racial equity in the Church, where do you see the need for change(s)?
Bukola Landis-Aina
There are cultural differences in worship styles which contribute to church being incredibly self-segregated. Finding ways to diversify worship within one’s tradition or denomination to incorporate different music styles and languages would be a great place to start. Also, selecting diverse leaders at the top and more equal, less hierarchical co-leadership models could help immensely.
Sarah Ngu
Moving beyond individual and interpersonal racism, and tackling institutional and systemic racism. More protests and community organizing, not just soup kitchens and clothing drives. See the Emmaeus Collective for more.
Assessing whether resources (e.g. salaries, budget) are allocated for POC vs. White people on a church and denominational levels.
Assessing representation of POC on all leadership levels (on a church and denominational level)/
Examining how “whiteness” impacts theology and liturgy, and incorporating theologies and liturgies from non-white cultures and contexts.
Erica Lea-Simka
American White Supremacy continues to be fueled by pastors, authors, and other faith leaders who teach and organize racially-violent theology. These faith leaders teaching racist theology and “Christian” terrorism must be held accountable. Violence, in this case racism and White Supremacy, are longtime national and global problems, but pastors who encourage White Supremacy terrorism are particularly culpable.
Laura Beth-Buchleiter
The presence of voices in diverse, inclusive spaces needs to be more prolific. To have been in church all my life, educated at prominent Bible schools, and engaged in various ministry functions and still only in the last couple of years have been exposed to frameworks such as Womanist Theology, Black Theology, Feminist Theology, and Liberation Theology betrays the narrow minded, thin space most western churches sit in. Exposure is the key to reconciliation and renewal. And that require deliberate, open-minded effort on all sides.
Kevin Garcia
EVERYWHERE. Racism, white supremacy, and empire is at the roots of nearly all of the Christian tradition. If the institutions we are a part of are unwilling to make the proper changes to ensure restorative justice happens, then we must be willing to start new communities, firmly rooted in an intersectional approach to justice and a deeply committed to the collective liberation of all creation. Policy changes won't cut it. It must be a repentance of the entire Body.
