I fell in love with Jesus in a church of 24 members – all brand new Christians who had recently made a decision that turned their worlds upside down. Our church was filled to capacity every Saturday – mostly with members of other churches who had heard about this church of brand new Christians on fire with a first-love experience. We were a unique bunch. A sampling of ages, backgrounds, cultures and ethnicity. This was one of the most beautiful experiences of my life and my first view of what I thought heaven would be like.
I grew up on the South Side of Chicago (me and “Bad, Bad Leroy Brown” for all you Jim Croce fans!). I was a child of the Sixties, and I had a front row seat in displays of racial tension. I hated every second of it. This fact only made me love my new church and my new faith even more. I was a member of a church that didn’t distinguish on the basis of race. We were all God’s children, and we were one big family . . . or so I thought.
You can only imagine my disbelief when I found out months after my conversion that my church had a separate conference and church structure based solely on race. I was outraged, I was embarrassed, and I was heartbroken. The years that have passed since I became aware of this travesty have done nothing to alleviate any of these feelings. In fact, they have only increased.
I understand the reason for this structure’s initial purpose, and I believe organizing a “Black” conference during a time when, sadly, even the Seventh-day Adventist church treated African Americans with bigotry and prejudice was necessary. However, this is no longer the case. Current conference structure embraces racial diversity, and leaders of all nationalities strongly desire working together. I also understand it won’t be easy restructuring with the intention of integrating conferences, but it needs to be done.
How can we, as Christians who believe that “there is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28) allow this to continue? Our relevance to the young people in our church as well as our community at large depends on our church making some drastic changes in order for us to truly become ONE in Christ Jesus. There is no room for this kind of division along racial lines. It is unbiblical, unchristian, and just plain wrong.
Tami Cinquemani
Martin Luther King, Jr. said that 11:00 Sunday morning was the most segregated hour in America. Sadly, over 40 years later, this is still true. Why is it so hard for the church to embrace Christian ideals?
ReplyDeleteI used to agree with you on this subject. In fact I went off about it one time in front of a Jamaican friend of mine. Apparently there is a lot more to the 2 conferences than just racism. Unfortunately we all to often dismiss cultural differences as racism. And sometimes it just comes down to a matter of we are different. One is not better than the other we are just different, we have different needs, different dreams, etc. Not unlike men and women. Most people are more comfortable with women having their own bathroom, and men having their own. Why do we need more than one bedroom in the house? If any church combines a black church and a non-black church simply because we should not have a "Black" church is simply being racist. I see nothing wrong with having churches that cater to a race, culture, or ethnicity. If people are comfortable together, let them be together. But what kind of church do you have when the membership is just uncomfortable with each other. They feel guilty because of their feelings, and become more racist, trying to prove that they are not. We can have more unity in a global church, by allowing individuals to be with those who are like minded. We should not try to force an eye to be an ear, or a foot to be a hand. Instead we should teach that we are all equal in the sight of God, but we serve him in the way he made us. We are the "body" of Christ, with all the different parts, not the hand of Christ.
ReplyDeleteDS
DS - I think you may have misunderstood my thought. I have absolutely no problem with "cultural" churches - in fact, I think it's a wonderful thing that we have culturally diverse services and churches. We should celebrate that. I want to stress very clearly here that this in no way supports or justifies those who are uncomfortable with the variety of ethnicities in a church rather than a variety of worship culture. I know individuals who justify their racism by saying, "It's just the way I was raised." This will never be okay in my mind. My reference is solely toward a separate "conference" or leadership base. I understand we all need representation for the variety of cultures (Hispanic, Filipino, Islanders, etc.), but the leadership of that representation should be able to work together - not separately doing the same thing in the same area. This is not celebrating cultural diversity. This is the unwillingness to work together which is fiscally irresponsible and, in my mind, simply immoral.
ReplyDeleteThis comment is great1
ReplyDeleteI am sure that Jesus just shakes his head at our petty little subdivisions.
ReplyDeleteMaybe we should look at this differently. So often this kind of thing is cast as moving away from something -- in this case, as moving away from a structure we no longer support.
But I think we might have some success with this if we cast it as moving TOWARDS something. Let's move towards one voice, one church, one leadership.
The road could be rocky. Being a leader in a church means you have some power, and power could be threatened by a new structure. If the structures really are parallel, then we'd have two people in every position. Would the "white" leadership all step down in favor of the "black" leadership? Would the "black" ledership all step down? If we are moving away from something, this gets harder and sets us up for conflict and division. But if we are moving towards unity, and working to achieve what is best for the whole of the Body, maybe we could make some headway. It would not be easy, but I agree it is worth doing.
I like your suggestion to view this as moving "toward" something rather than "away from". I also agree that "power" is the issue, and herein lies the rub. As I said in a previous reply, restructuring would be a challenge and something that would have to be done thoughtfully, prayerfully, and inclusively. However, since integration would be (in my opinion) a move toward what God has intended, I believe this is a process which can be done successfully. One clarification, however - Suggesting we have "white" leadership is very misleading. The Florida Conference is a very racially diverse conference with leadership of all ethnicities very interested in integrating the conferences.
ReplyDeleteRacism will never go away until He comes. It hurts and I know it. I just have to live with it knowing this is temporapy.
ReplyDeleteThough you may be right that racism will continue until Christ returns, doing nothing and allowing the immorality to continue is not acceptable.
ReplyDeleteFor more discussion of a fatalistic mindset, watch this sermon. Andy is talking about caring for the earth, but the same principles can apply to a fatalistic look at racism.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Tami.
ReplyDeleteThe separate SDA conferences duplicating outreach and expenses is both fiscally irresponsible and presents to the world our true condition as a church body; intolerant and racist.. Change in the right direction will come as we members fast and pray for it. (first of all to be manifested individually and then corporately).
Let us now begin to fast and pray individually that the world may know we are true Christians by the love we have for each other demonstrated in our togetherness in all things.
Hi Tami!
ReplyDeleteI appreciate your blog and your willingness to expose the elephant in the room: the fact that, indeed, the very same problems we find outside of the church are very well present inside the church as well. Racism being just one of them. I too believe that it's high time for the SDA church to be unified in its diversity. However, what do you propose? Closing down all the regional conferences? Why?
"You can only imagine my disbelief when I found out months after my conversion that my church had a separate conference and church structure based solely on race" states your blog. The fact is that separate conferences were based solely on race due to discrimination. The same holds true today, trust me. Racial discrimination is alive and well whether it be in the Church, on the job, or in a town hall meeting.
"I understand the reason for this structure’s initial purpose, and I believe organizing a “Black” conference during a time when, sadly, even the Seventh-day Adventist church treated African Americans with bigotry and prejudice was necessary. However, this is no longer the case. Current conference structure embraces racial diversity, and leaders of all nationalities strongly desire working together." Is that truly the case? I beg to differ. Our current structure does not embrace racial diversity...maybe in the books, but not in reality. Not all leaders of all nationalities strongly desire to work together. That's why discrimination is the norm. That's why there aren't more leaders of color in the Church although statistically caucasians are the minority in the SDA worldwide Church. Do you believe the original founders of regional conferences wanted to create an outcast system in the first place?
E.G.W. and her son Edson were the forerunners in advocating rights for SDA blacks, and encouraged the founding of Oakwood (now University) along with the formation of a governing body that would allow leadership to blacks who otherwise would not have an opportunity. I challenge you to take a good hard look at all our NAD conference leadership. Is there really diversity? Are there people of color in leadership...consistently? What about the Florida Conference? What about Florida Hospital Church? When was the last time Florida Hospital Church considered hiring a well credentialed black pastor? There are plenty out there.
I know many black leaders who have tried to be included in the mainstream conferences. However, they were told--sometimes diplomatically, sometimes not--that their race was an issue. So, no, the Church will not be ready to unite until the Church recognizes that all are equal. The SDA Church has yet to recognize that. As a matter of fact, every major denomination in the U.S., over the past few years has offered a formal apology for their part in the racial crisis/slavery in America. Except the SDA Church. That speaks volumes.
So yes, after continuouos rejection, some of a darker hue would rather resort to remaining amongst "their own." Although I'm an advocate for inclusivity and unity, I don't blame'em. The current events prove just how hate-filled many whites still are towards blacks,( i.e: President Obama. ) Don't be fooled into thinking it's any different in the Church. I challenge you to actually sit down and speak to a few black leaders and listen to their perspectives. Hear their side of the story. I have.
I also challenge you to extend a hand across the channels. I commend Florida Conference for trying. Great. However, there's more, much more to be done.
Thanks for keeping the dialog alive.
I'm just old enough to remember the great mantra of the segregationists of the 60's "Separate but equal". Those in positions of power and leadership professed that blacks and whites really didn't even want to mix, that our divergent cultures should embrace separation. After all blacks and whites are fundamentally different, Right?
ReplyDeleteWhile some on the other extreme of the spectrum argued that blacks should have their own organizations because they didn't have representation in the white power structure. Let's form a "Black Nation" they argued, we'll never be allowed to participate in "their" nation.
These and other arguments for segregation find more resonance in our souls than we would like to admit but we must not allow them to find purchase in our actions or lack thereof. We're slowly learning that the truths Christ taught us are true, and important.
The civil rights movement taught us that separate is never equal. Christ taught us that a house divided against itself cannot stand.
The civil rights movement taught us that we find strength in diversity. Christ, through Paul, taught us that every member is a part of one body no mater how different the function of each member, and that to separate members from the body does damage to both.
The civil rights movement taught us that until there is equality for all there is not equality for any. The New Testament teaches us that we are all equal at the foot of the cross.
Let's accept truth, embrace freedom, and do the hard thing.
At what point will there be enough African Americans in leadership of State Conferences for Regional Conferences to feel safe transitioning away from the current race-based structure? How closely would the leadership percentage of State Conferences need to mirror the racial makeup of society or the membership at large in order to trigger change?
ReplyDeleteThe truth is that no percentage can provide guarantees that there won’t eventually be slippage back into powerlessness for Black constituents. No percentage can guarantee that organizations won’t find new, more creative ways to marginalize targeted groups. Changes in representation are an unreliable bulwark against inequities unless they emerge from a fundamental change of heart. The only enduring basis for unity and fairness is mutual respect and friendship that comes from working together, listening to each other, and striving to understand. But how is that possible if we continue to work and minister in separate organizations?
The current structure turns the day of reckoning with race issues into a perpetual tomorrow. It suppresses overt clashes and confrontations that would propel the issue onto the forefront of our thinking. It serves to maintain the status quo by effectively isolating us from one another. The current structure keeps the central issues off the radar and allows us to maintain the tragic myth that things are going relatively well. It enables us to stay safely within our own comfort zones rather than compelling us to stretch and to grow. It keeps us from becoming more together than we ever could have been alone.
All of the positive reasons that are given for maintaining the current arrangement are negated by the shameful self-absorption manifested in the lack of coordination and cooperation between Regional and State institutions. Even though churches and schools may be located only a few city blocks from each other, they operate as if the other didn’t even exist. That surely is evidence of root motivations and perspectives that are far less than wholesome, far less than what the Sermon on the Mount requires. This complete lack of interest and involvement in each others’ worlds becomes especially tragic when we realize that the starting place for healing must be a commitment to dialogue, because dialogue leads to understanding, understanding leads to trust, and trust is the indispensable perquisite for change.
The Methodist denomination in N. America formed its' own version of Regional Conferences in 1939. Primarily through the initiative of the marginalized African American members, their Regional Conference [called a Jurisdiction] was disbanded in 1968. So we are now 41 years behind the Methodists. In 1954 the Supreme Court ruled “separate but equal” to be unconstitutional. So we are 55 years behind our countries top jurists. What happened to the church being the beacon for society?
I would not support dissolving Regional Conferences and then having them become part of the State Conferences. I would prefer that both Regional and State Conferences merge into a new structure such as the “Unified Conference of Florida.” Our Black brethren could have the right of first refusal for the officer and director positions for the first five to ten years, and thereafter be subject to open elections. The bylaws could be carefully re-written to codify certain checks and balances with outside oversight to prevent the future marginalization of any ethnic group.
So what will jump-start change? What will begin to move us away from this tragic high-stakes game of spiritual chicken? Where will the spark come from that will ignite a burning desire for reconciliation? All of the obstacles that are thrown up as roadblocks to change, all of the seemingly intractable impediments to unity, will be turned into challenges that must be overcome together when we view the current race-based structures as fundamentally immoral and indefensible from the Word of God. Nothing less than an admission of that stark reality will shake us out of our current malaise, compel us to dialogue, and put our feet on an irreversible path to oneness.
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