I so very much appreciate this, Christine, and I’m grateful for the experiences that transformed your faith journey. I grew up in a very white church in a very white town but life led me into an interracial family and life experiences that broke open my heart. I could no longer fit in a church that is not about Social Justice . As stated by Cornel West, “Justice is what Love looks like in public.” And while I love the four-part harmony of my faith tradition, it has often been the music of the Black Church that revives my spirit and my hope. Thanks so much for sharing this.
We did attend an A-A church, in the 80s. The pastor of our white, Bible-beleiving, Baptist church had just been revealed as an adulterer - with his kids' babysitter! I told my husband, "I don't ever want to go to a red-neck church again!" And off we went to Progressive Missionary Baptist and were happy for ten years.
Wow! What a gift your article is, Christine! I’ve never attended an African-American church, so your portrait of that worship style really refreshed me and brought me a new experience vicariously. The closest such church is probably 50 miles away, so it’s unlikely I’ll attend, but you gave me a beautiful, positive portrait.
About evangelicalism being a very narrow, sheltered faith heavily influenced by the unconscious white supremacy of the dominant culture is dead on. Amazing how our bigoted and unloving interpretation of the Bible fit our narrow cultural experience but didn’t actually fit the love of Jesus at all. It made anybody who didn’t have “The Truth” into an enemy, basically one of Satan’s legions. Know what I used to call Democrats in those days? “Demoncats!” LOL. Now I am one! And I’m probably on that rocket sled to hell I mentioned last week according to the evangelicals. But I’ll take being an open-hearted “Demoncat” any day! I feel like I’m finally free, liberated, more fully human. Funny how our self-separation from “the enemy” becomes our own prison. But love unlocks the cell door, and it’s always available anytime we want to find it.
Thanks for your comment!! Love those last lines: “Funny how our self-separation from “the enemy” becomes our own prison. But love unlocks the cell door, and it’s always available anytime we want to find it.” Beautiful!
Even in our 13,000 person town we have a small African American church - though I don’t intend to drop in, I’m still very glad it exists. (What we don’t have is anything besides Christian denominations in a 50 mile radius, though!)
I so very much appreciate this, Christine, and I’m grateful for the experiences that transformed your faith journey. I grew up in a very white church in a very white town but life led me into an interracial family and life experiences that broke open my heart. I could no longer fit in a church that is not about Social Justice . As stated by Cornel West, “Justice is what Love looks like in public.” And while I love the four-part harmony of my faith tradition, it has often been the music of the Black Church that revives my spirit and my hope. Thanks so much for sharing this.
I love all of that!! ❤️
You go to Columbus Mennonite, right? I dropped in to a few of their zooms during the pandemic shutdown and they were so lovely.
Yes! I’ve been a member of 4 different churches in 3 states; this is the one where I really feel at home.
We did attend an A-A church, in the 80s. The pastor of our white, Bible-beleiving, Baptist church had just been revealed as an adulterer - with his kids' babysitter! I told my husband, "I don't ever want to go to a red-neck church again!" And off we went to Progressive Missionary Baptist and were happy for ten years.
Well that's a really good reason to leave a church!!! 😳 😳 yikes! I love the switch you made :)
Wow! What a gift your article is, Christine! I’ve never attended an African-American church, so your portrait of that worship style really refreshed me and brought me a new experience vicariously. The closest such church is probably 50 miles away, so it’s unlikely I’ll attend, but you gave me a beautiful, positive portrait.
About evangelicalism being a very narrow, sheltered faith heavily influenced by the unconscious white supremacy of the dominant culture is dead on. Amazing how our bigoted and unloving interpretation of the Bible fit our narrow cultural experience but didn’t actually fit the love of Jesus at all. It made anybody who didn’t have “The Truth” into an enemy, basically one of Satan’s legions. Know what I used to call Democrats in those days? “Demoncats!” LOL. Now I am one! And I’m probably on that rocket sled to hell I mentioned last week according to the evangelicals. But I’ll take being an open-hearted “Demoncat” any day! I feel like I’m finally free, liberated, more fully human. Funny how our self-separation from “the enemy” becomes our own prison. But love unlocks the cell door, and it’s always available anytime we want to find it.
Thanks for your comment!! Love those last lines: “Funny how our self-separation from “the enemy” becomes our own prison. But love unlocks the cell door, and it’s always available anytime we want to find it.” Beautiful!
Even in our 13,000 person town we have a small African American church - though I don’t intend to drop in, I’m still very glad it exists. (What we don’t have is anything besides Christian denominations in a 50 mile radius, though!)
Oh man. Demoncats 🤣 A proud demoncat now!