Racism...you cannot read a newspaper article in South Africa and not come across some racial slur. Racism even finds itself in an article that is not race related. The culture speaks about race but I have found that the church is not actively participating in this conversation. However, we cannot speak about racism and exclude the church from its approval of slavery in America and apartheid in South Africa. These are the same people who heard the good news of Christ on Sunday, and worked from Monday- Saturday in a system that actively excluded people of colour from their God given human rights. To exclude Christians would be a false depiction of history. From a quote by a South African, Rev. J. C. du Plessis you can see that the church was at the centre of the thinking the eventually crystalised apartheid. In 1929, Dutch Reformed Church (DRC) pastor Rev. J.C. du Plessis addressed a DRC conference on the ‘native question’ where he pleaded for the Gospel to be brought in a way that fitted the African ‘character, nature and nationality’***. You can read more on this from the historian Hermann Giliomee's article called "The Making of the Apartheid Plan, 1929–1948" where he highlights the church's role in pushing for the segregation.
Image from Google images
I am a Christian and I am a black South African. Looking at treatment of black people by white people one can understand why they would reject Christianity and the God the missionaries came to reveal. Looking at black history, I understand why the Christian God looks like a God who favours the white man at the expense of the black man. Yet, I still hold on to God's word as the ultimate authority. I chose to believe that God is not man that he should lie (Numbers 23:19). I see the unfair treatment of people who look like me and I still believe that God shows no partiality (Romans 2:11). I look at the inequality and racial injustice and still believe that God created man in his image - this includes all races, gender and nationalities - every person is made in the image of God. I have to learn to live with the tension of a reality that spells a bias God with the truth of a God who loves all his people. I have to see my reality and believe that ultimately God is sovereign above all things. I have to believe what God ordained will come to pass and no barrier will stop that from occurring. It will be harder but nothing worthwhile has ever been easy. I have to believe God is full of mercy but he is also a fair judge. He is slow to anger so he will forgive those who repent of racism and give them a new heart. However, some people will not repent and will continue to live in a way that shows their belief in their own superiority. And I have to exist in that environment without hardening my heart.
Why did God allow the suffering of black people? I have not read a single satisfactory response to the problem of suffering, let alone corporate suffering. But I am glad that I get to serve Jesus Christ, because he doesn't promise no suffering but offers to be by your side in the midst of the suffering. Jesus gets suffering. He was innocent but was sentenced to brutal death on the cross. He was rejected by his friends, insulted, mocked, whipped and he hung on a cross. He gets suffering. Hebrews 12:2 says "For the joy set before him, he endured the cross". We are called to take this cup of blackness, and use it to reflect the beauty of Christ. Like him, we are to endure the burden of blackness: teaching those who are willing to learn, instilling self love to those who come after us and forgiving those who don't know better (because if they did know better, they would do better). God is a perfect judge and justice will be served. Christians have been given a supernatural mandate to pray and love their enemies. Love your enemies, is like loving yourself, you don't like every part of you yet you still live in a way that reflects your best asset.
How now shall we live?
- I feel that the church has stopped having a loud voice in South Africa because it carries the shame of having supported segregation. The problem with that is that they have forgotten what the blood of Jesus does. It washes you clean as snow. If you repent your sins are forgiven. What that means is that you can start actively engaging in conversations like racism and not have the uncomfortable knot in your stomach because you believe that God has renewed your mind and has given you a fresh pair of eyes to see the world through. Your mind is no longer conformed to the patterns of this world but it has been transformed.
- Be like Jesus Christ. Philippians 2: 3-8 says "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in the very nature of God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance with man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death- even death on a cross."
- Be the doer of the golden rule - do unto others as you would want them to do unto you Matthew 7:12
- See colour, there is nothing worse that people who claim not to see colour. What you do is take away the beauty and diversity that God created. You also trivialise the daily struggles that people of colour are faced with just because of the colour of their skin. Recognise that white privilege is real. Find ways to use it for the benefit of others and not just yourself. What I mean by that is when your friend complains about struggling to find an apartment in a certain neighbour and they think it's because they are black don't dismiss it, rather use your privilege to assist. Go with them to view the apartment. This will give the close minded person a perception of "they are not that kind of black" and they might offer your friend an apartment. It sounds horrid as I write this but close minded people need to be treated with close-mindedness. If you don't understand what white privilege is, read this article. When people use their privilege to the benefit of others, their small actions make a big difference. Let's take white Michael who is well respected at his work, he then uses his privilege to mentor black Sipho at work. With Michael's mentoring, Sipho starts to have opportunities and get promotions at work. Sipho's success encourages his cousins, who thought he was a fool for concentrating on his studies. They start to focus on their education in hopes of making something of themselves. This not only has a ripple effect on Sipho but his family and the community in which they live. In her brilliant talk about race, Mellody Hobson shows how diversity is beneficial for companies and not just the individual of colour. In her TED talk, she invites us to be colour brave!
- If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all (Romans 12:18). Those who are called by Christ are called to forgiveness. It's not natural. It's supernatural. It starts with being able to do the little things, like forgive your father, a mother, a spouse or a friend. Doing that is difficult but it's the best way to start forgiving those who have done more atrocious crimes against you and against your race. Do not let your anger with Christians make your doubt the truth of Jesus Christ. Jesus is perfect. The rest of us are trying to walk out our sanctification and we are doing it in an imperfect way. We will mess up along the way. Jesus knew that, which is why he asked us to forgive seventy seven times (Matthew 18:22). He also said something we so easy forget because we recite the prayer so often without even thinking of the words sometimes, "Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us". For our sins to be forgiven, we need to forgive those who have sinned against us
- Do not engage in racist conversations especially in private. These conversations fuel your thought processes and give you warped view of reality. When you look at the facts you will be amazed at how your perception is vastly different from reality. Take this statistics from South Africa; White skilled employed youth grew from 42 % in 1994 to 61.5% in 2014 compared to Black African youth: 15% (1994) and now 18% (2014). This is the reality in 2014 behind the backdrop of many South Africans complaining about losing jobs because of affirmative action. Read various resources and be informed. Engage with people from different races and cultures so that you broaden your perspective and appreciate the differences in people.
- Abhor what is evil, hold fast to what is good (Romans 12:9). Get angry at injustice. Jesus got angry. Matthew 21:12-13 reads "And Jesus entered the temple and drove out all who sold and bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons. He said to them, "It is written, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer,' but you make it a den of robbers". Righteous anger is a very good thing but like Jesus it must move you to action. When we are deeply moved by injustice, we should be moved to action to change it. It's important to change it, because the future of those who come after you depend on it. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good (Romans 12:19,21).
- You are going to need to trust that whether black, white or purple, your life has worked out the way God intended it to work out. Doors that were shut, were meant to be shut. Opportunities that were snatched from you, were not part of your God given destiny. Use the gifts God has given you. Do not let setbacks, pain or disappointment mar the journey you are meant to be on. Be the light in the dark world we live in. Live a life that brings glory to God.
And may you have the power to understand, as all God's people should, how wide, how long, how high and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God. Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think (Ephesians 3:18-20).
God bless
*** The making of the Apartheid plan 1920-1948; Journal by Hermann Giliomee http://cc.sjtu.edu.cn/G2S/eWebEditor/uploadfile/20120920095236663.pdf
Understanding white priviledge:
1. http://www.mediaforjustice.net/a-comprehensive-guide-to-white-privilege-in-south-africa/
2. http://www.dailymaverick.co.za/opinionista/2014-09-25-blackface-action-replay-the-struggle-of-memory-against-chomping-on-boerewors/#.VCfF__kbUn6
Black and navigating a white loving world:
1. http://mg.co.za/article/2014-09-30-some-of-my-very-best-friends-are-white
2. http://ewn.co.za/2014/10/21/OPINION-Danielle-Bowler-The-inconvenient-truth-of-race
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