Spiritual Conversations on Race Relations

The President, the Professor, and the Police Officer:
Oh for a Spiritual Conversation!

By the time you read this, President Obama’s meeting with Professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr. and Sgt. James Crowley will be filling the airwaves, the blogosphere, and print media.

Those who follow my writings know the importance that I place on intercultural relationships. You also know that several days before “the incident” became big news, I was blogging about the racial repercussions (http://bit.ly/TfTXK and http://bit.ly/eHE0X).

Everyone will be talking about intercultural racial understanding, which is a good thing—a vital conversation. Undoubtedly, President Obama will focus on improving racial understanding. Again, a very worthy cause.

But if we are to “diagnose” accurately the ultimate “cause” of “the incident,” then I believe we have to look at it spiritually. I’d like to suggest that there is another, deeper issue at work here. Further, I’d like to propose that unless we make this issue the primary issue, we’ll never adequately address race relationships.

What Causes Fights and Quarrels Among You?

Of course, much more could be said, has been said, and will be said about intercultural relationships. But most observers have left out the human element. They’ve omitted the psychological aspect. They’ve ignored the biblical explanation.

In James 4:1, James ask one of the most profound questions imaginable.

“What causes the fights and quarrels among you?”

James answer?

“Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? You want something but don’t get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your own pleasures.”

Both Professor Gates and Sgt. Crowley are good men, I’m sure. However, they are mere men. Mortals. Biblically speaking, they are sinful, fallen, and even if Christians, not-yet-perfected and still struggling against the world, the flesh, and the devil.

These two imperfect men handled an imperfect situation imperfectly. Well, let’s say it the way the Bible words it. They handled it sinfully and selfishly.

Let me be honest. I’ve done the same thing countless times. And the only way I’ve resolved such issues has been to confess my sinful selfishness.

I wonder what would happen if President Obama led Professor Gates and Sgt. Crowley in a spiritual conversation that probed the personal heart motivations of each man. I wonder if the results might be confessions such as these…

From Sgt. Crowley:

“Look I can describe this situation a million ways and claim that I was only doing my job. But the truth is, in addition to trying to do my job, I let my sinful, selfish male ego take over. When Professor Gates antagonized me, I didn’t get what I wanted. I wanted respect. My peers were standing there watching me. I was being dissed.”

“Just like the Bible says, when I didn’t get what I desired (in this case—respect), instead of going to God and asking of Him humbly, I tried to control things on my own. I tried to prove that I was worthy of respect. I retaliated and I manipulated. Sure, I can state legal codes I used to justify my arrest of Professor Crowley. But none of those look inside my heart to see what motivated my actions and reactions.”

“I could have stepped away. I could have turned and ignored his words. I could have walked away and left the appearance that he had “won.” But I didn’t. I’m a male. A sinful male. And I hate to lose. I hate to lose face. I like being in charge, being the boss. I reacted selfishly. I reacted sinfully. He hurt me and so I hurt him back. He disrespected me, so I disrespected him. I was sinful, selfish, and wrong.”

From Professor Gates:

“Look, I can put all the spin on this in the world. I’m good with words. I can make myself look like the innocent victim. I mean, I was simply trying to get into my own home after a week away. But the truth is, in addition to just wanting a good night’s sleep in my own bed, I let my sinful, selfish male ego take over. When Sgt. Crowley demanded my ID in my own home, I didn’t get what I wanted. I wanted to be valued, to be seen as an equally valuable human being. Instead, I was being treated like a common criminal. Perhaps being viewed with racially tainted eyes. My neighbors were watching. My colleagues would find out. I was being humiliated."

“Just like the Bible says, when I didn’t get what I desired (in this case—being valued as an equal), instead of going to God and asking of Him humbly, I tried to control things on my own. I tried to prove that I was worthy, significant. I retaliated and I manipulated. Sure, I can state legal reasons why I am free to practice free speech on my own porch. And I can state historical, racial reasons why it was important for me to stand up for my race, for my people. But none of those look inside my heart to see what motivated my actions and reactions.”

“I could have calmed down. I could have simply shown my ID, thanked Sgt. Crowley for doing his job, and walked away and left the appearance that he was in charge and I wasn’t. But I didn’t. I’m a male. I’m a sinful male. And I hate to be overpowered. I hate to be bullied and put down. I reacted selfishly. I reacted sinfully. He hurt me and so I hurt him back. He tried to overpower me with his badge and legal authority, so I tried to overpower him with my words and moral authority. I was sinful, selfish, and wrong.”

Is That What We Will Hear?

Of course, that’s not what we are likely to hear. I’d love to be shocked and surprised though.

You see, when we only make relationships racial, and when we fail to see the personal issues—the moral, spiritual issues at work—then we fail to get at the heart of the issue.

We will never settle racial sin unless and until we deal with personal sin.

Yes, we need additional national conversations on race relationships.

But much more we need ongoing additional national and personal spiritual conversations on what truly causes the fights and quarrels among us. They are caused by our sinful refusal to humbly turn to God when others sin against us. We take matters into our own hands rather than raising humble hands to God. We raise angry fists to each other instead of raising open palms to God. We blame others rather than accepting personal spiritual responsibility.

Of course, it’s easy for us to point fingers of blame and guilt at either or both Professor Gates and/or Sgt. Crowley. But are we willing to engage in spiritual conversations with spiritual friends that expose our own spiritual selfishness?

I’ll say it again. We will never settle racial sin unless and until we deal with personal sin.

A Christ-Centered TEAM Approach to Intercultural Relating

Cultivating Christlike Intercultural Relational Competency:

A Christ-Centered TEAM Approach

In light of the ongoing controversy over the arrest of African American Professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr., many of you have asked to hear more about my views on intercultural (multicultural) ministry.

Goals of a Christ-Centered TEAM Approach

The primary goal of Cultivating Christlike Intercultural Relational Competency: A Christ-Centered TEAM Approach is to equip people to develop four championship TEAM skills that empower them to function effectively in our culturally diverse society. People can learn how to relate harmoniously by building bridges of understanding across diverse cultures.

The TEAM approach is based upon the biblical conviction that God in Christ is moving all of history toward an eternity where “a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people, and language” will stand before the Lamb in united worship (Revelation 7:9-10). Thus the eternal goal is to equip people to relate interculturally now in light of their eternal future so that God is glorified and others are attracted to Christ by their love.

Learning Outcomes of A Christ-Centered TEAM Approach

After successful participation in Cultivating Christlike Intercultural Relational Competency: A Christ-Centered TEAM Approach, people will be able to implement the TEAM intercultural relational competencies of:

T: Taking another person’s earthly perspective through empathy and culturally-informed listening.

This is the ability to empathize with someone whose patterns of relating, thinking, acting, and feeling developed out of a diverse culture. It is the ability to walk in the shoes of another person from another culture. It requires culturally-informed listening, among many other “skills.”

E: Engaging in bridge-building spiritual conversations through focusing on God’s eternal perspective.

This is the ability to encourage another person to assess their own individual, cultural, and universal experience through the lens of God's eternal Person, perspective, purposes, and plans. It includes the both/and “skill” of listening to the earthly story while jointly weaving in God's eternal, heavenly story.

A: Abolishing barriers through forgiveness and reconciliation.

This is the ability to apply Christ’s forgiveness of us to our intercultural relationships. It highlights the fact that “racism” is not a skin issue but a sin issue. It recognizes that integration alone is a legislative/law issue, while reconciliation is a heart issue, a spiritual issue. This includes the “skill” of being an ambassador of intercultural reconciliation.

M: Making intercultural peace through spiritual renewal.

This is the ability to move beyond the absence of hostility to the presence of biblical unity in diversity. It highlights biblical shalom which only comes from Christ’s supernatural resurrection power among His redeemed people. It includes the “skill” or relational competency of applying personal spiritual renewal to individual and group interpersonal relationships.

Just How Biblical Is Intercultural Ministry?

Consider just a few examples of how central intercultural ministry is to the eternal plan of God.

1. Intercultural Ministry Is a God Thing: James 2:1-13; Romans 2:4-11. For God so loved the world. God is no respecter of persons. He is calling people from all nations to His forever family. He calls us to godly living that shows no favoritism.

2. Intercultural Ministry Is a Christ Thing: Matthew 28:19-20; John 4:1-42. Christ calls us to make disciples of all nations. Christ models intercultural ministry in breaking social barriers to witness to the Samaritan women, resulting in the people proclaiming that He is indeed the Savior of the world.

3. Intercultural Ministry Is a Spirit Thing: 1 Corinthians 12:12-27. We are all baptized by one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks. The Spirit purposefully combined the diverse members into one Body so that there would be no division.

4. Intercultural Ministry Is a Salvation Thing: Ephesians 2:11-22; Revelation 5:9. Christ’s salvation purpose is to reconcile, make peace, and create in Himself one new people who have full and equal access to the Father by the Spirit, making us all fellow citizens and joint members of God’s household. The Lamb purchased for God people from every tribe, language, people, and nation.

5. Intercultural Ministry Is a Church Thing: Acts 2:14-47; Acts 10:1-48. The first Church and the Church throughout Acts integrated believers from diverse cultures.

6. Intercultural Ministry Is a Sanctification Thing: Colossians 3:1-11. As we put off the old and put on the new person in Christ we are renewed not only individually, but also corporately where there is no Greek or Jew, barbarian or Scythian, but Christ is all and is in all.

7. Intercultural Ministry Is an Eternal Thing: Revelation 7:9-10. As John peers into eternity, he witnesses a great multitude that no one can count from every nation, tribe, people, and language worshipping God together forever.

Toward a Description of Intercultural Ministry/Relating

In the old game show, Name That Tune, contestants would say, “I can name that tune in ____ notes” (the lower the number of notes, the better). Well, I canNOT name the “tune” of intercultural (or multicultural or cross-cultural) ministry/relating in just a few notes. In fact, one specialist in this area lists more than a dozen different names for the concept related to intercultural/multiculturalism. That’s a dozen names—each with its own set of scores of definitions.

Still, we can at least suggest some beginning descriptions.

What Is Culture?

Let’s start with a supposedly simple word like “culture.” This word itself has a myriad of definitions. My working definition of culture is based upon a biblical theology/psychology of how God designed us.

Here are two similar ways I would word my description of culture:

*Culture is the shared relational, rational, volitional, and emotional patterns for living that people use in social interactions and learn through social interactions.

*Culture is the system of shared patterns of relating, thinking, acting, and feeling that members of society use to relate to one another and to others, and that are learned through social interactions.

What Is Intercultural Relational Competency?

First, I use intercultural relational competency interchangeably with multicultural skillfulness. Here are a few ways I describe these terms:

*Intercultural relational competency is the ability to relate like Christ with people from other cultures.

*Intercultural relational competency is the ability to relate like Christ when interacting with people whose patterns of relating, thinking, acting, and feeling are culturally different (diverse) from yours.

Speaking

I have spoken on this topic across the country in diverse settings. My presentation includes a five-page outline, a 60-slide PowerPoint presentation, and an engaging, interactive lecture/discussion. If you are interested in having me speak to your group, feel free to contact me: rpm.ministries@gmail.com.

Resources

My book Beyond the Suffering: Embracing the Legacy of African American Soul Care and Spiritual Direction offers insights for all people into the great contributions to ministry made by our African American brothers and sisters. For more information on Beyond the Suffering visit: http://tinyurl.com/d7bwnv.

Seeing Race Relations through Christ-Colored Glasses

Seeing Race Relations through Christ-Colored Glasses

The incident involving the arrest of African American Professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr., seems like an all-too-familiar case of “he said/she said” complicated by the still contentious issues of race in American society. And the responses seem equally predictable: people choosing sides left and right (see http://tinyurl.com/nejvyy for a summary article—and be sure to read the scores of one-sided comments from readers).

Reviewing the Situation

Henry Louis Gates, Jr., is African American. He also is the Alphonse Fletcher University Professor and the Director of the W. E. B. Du Bois Institute for African and African American Research at Harvard University. (For his academic bio, go here: http://tinyurl.com/ceah7r.)

Professor Gates arrived home after a week in China to find his front door jammed shut. He and his African American driver attempted to force the door open. A White neighbor called police to report a possible break-in by two African American males wearing backpacks.

Two Sides to Any Story

This is where the details get dicey. If you want the extended version of the story (stories), go here: http://tinyurl.com/nejvyy).

Of course, there are always two sides to any story. And we always view our side through our grid—our background, our perspective, our history, and, yes, our ethnicity.

Professor Gates maintains that he cooperated with the police, showed his ID, and asked for the officer’s ID—likely because he was beginning to sense that, from his perspective, racial issues were at least a part of the issue. When the officer refused to show his ID, Professor Gates apparently began to verbalize his concerns about potential racism.

Looking at Life through Professor Gates' Eyes

Before anyone judges Professor Gates as a “liberal, whining, race-baiting, African American” (as many have done on various web sites), perhaps it would be helpful to walk a mile in his shoes.

I travel. It’s exhausting. A week-long business trip to China would be especially draining. After such a grueling trip, I’d want to place my key in my door, enter, plop down, and chill for the night. The last think I would want would be to have to break into my own house. And certainly the last thing I would want would be to have someone accuse me of being a criminal.

Now, that’s as a “White guy” who has not experienced racism and prejudice. Professor Gates has lived it. He has researched it. He was witnessed it. So, yes, is it possible that he sees life at times with “race colored glasses”—seeing racism where it may not exist? Perhaps.

It is also possible that he sees and senses the subtle and frustrating signs of racism where others miss those signs. Perhaps he sees in this very personal situation a small taste of what his entire life’s work has highlighted. Maybe it felt to him like one more maddening example of racial profiling.

Police officers are trained to assess situations. They are trained to look for verbal and non-verbal clues. Did this older, distinguished looking gentleman really look the part of a thief? How many times have African Americans been stopped by White officers in majority White neighborhoods for no other obvious reason than the color of their skin?

Could the White officers have defused the situation? Explained better their procedure? Empathized more with a weary traveler? Walked away when they felt verbally attacked, rather than handcuffing and arresting Professor Gates?

Looking at Life through the Police Officer’s Eyes

Before anyone judges the arresting officer as a “racist, rude, prejudicial, arrogant, aggressive cop,” (as many have done on various web sites), perhaps it would be helpful to walk a mile in his police shoes. The police officer has his own side of the story—and he has his own lenses through which he observes life.

Surely it all began innocently. He was responding to a 911 call of a possible breaking and entering. Following procedures, he reached the home to see a man trying to force his way into the house. Suspicions arouse, tensions mount.

He properly asks for identification. Now the situation begins to escalate. Perhaps Professor Gates is raising his voice. He’s making accusations of racism. At the end of a long shift, perhaps this police officer is not only weary, but now he is shocked and feels defensive. No, with many officers present, his physical safety was not endangered. But maybe this officer is thinking, “I’m just trying to do my job. I’m here to protect your home. Let’s not make this something it isn’t. I am not a racist! Let’s just drop this and move on, okay?”

As sad as the incident is, what is even sadder is the predictable public response. People choosing sides. No one trying to look at both sides. Isn’t that the very reason we still have racial tension in America today?

Be honest. As you’re reading right now, you are “yes butting” me. If you tend toward Professor Gates’ view, then you have a myriad of thoughts about how, “this White guy Kellemen just doesn’t get it!”

If you tend toward supporting the police officer, then you have a millions sentences going through your mind like, “Kellemen is a liberal White guy pandering to African Americans!”

Looking at Life through Christ’s Eyes

Well, then, forget my eyes. Let’s look at this through Christ’s eyes.

Consider four basic principles of cultivating Christlike intercultural relational competency. I called them a Christ-centered TEAM approach.

*T: Taking another person’s earthly perspective through empathy and culturally-informed listening.
*E: Engaging in bridge-building spiritual conversations through focusing on God’s eternal perspective.
*A: Abolishing barriers through forgiveness and reconciliation.
*M: Making intercultural peace through spiritual renewal.

The T in Team

It’s easy for us to say that Gates or the officer should have taken each other’s perspective, that they should have empathized with each other’s background, or that they should have seen life from each other’s lenses.

But what about us? Rather than quickly picking sides, could we step back and try to see things from both perspectives? Could Black brothers and sisters try for a minute to see this situation from the White officer’s perspective? Could White brothers and sisters try for a minute to see this situation from the Black professor’s perspective?

This does not mean that we close a blind eye to racism. It does not mean that we accept every charge of racism as valid. It simply means that we start with empathy—T—taking another person’s perspective.

The E in tEam

Now, I hardly expect that in the heat of the night, the Professor and the Officer would have sat down for coffee to build bridges of understanding! But now that the heat has had time to subside, don’t you think they, and don’t you think we, could start a little bridge-building?

I mean, just take a look at those comments on the link above! Perhaps 1% constitute a bridge-building comment. What’s up with that? Are we sill so racially divided in America that no one can say, “Let’s focus on God’s eternal perspective”?

According to Revelation 7:9, we will spend eternity fellowshipping and worshipping in racial and ethnic diversity. Maybe we should start practicing now. Maybe we could have some candid, honest, frank bridge-building spiritual conversations that look at situations like this through Christ’s eyes.

The A in teAm

Building bridges is a start. Once built, we can reach out hands that work together to abolish barriers through forgiveness and reconciliation. My guess, and I’m sure I’ll make everyone mad with this, is that there is plenty of confession and forgiveness to go around in the Professor/Officer incident.

And there’s plenty to go around for all of us as we react in knee-jerk ways like…well, jerks! Ripping Professor Gates and ripping the so-far unnamed Officer is a far cry from Jesus’ cry on the cross, “Father forgive them, for they know not what they do.”

Of course, true forgiveness includes, leads to, and offers reconciliation. God can create something beautiful out of the mess that is this Professor/Officer situation. He could help you and me, brothers and sisters of different hues, to reconcile with one another.

The M in teaM

Peace is more than the absence of hostility. Biblical peace, scriptural shalom, is the presence of unity in diversity.

That’s not natural; that is supernatural. It requires spiritual renewal.

I find it fascinating that when the Apostle Paul speaks of the peace of Christ ruling in our hearts and of singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs together, that the context is intercultural harmony! Ninety-nine percent of the time we miss that context. We think Colossians 3:1-17 is about whether we worship with traditional hymns or with contemporary praise songs or with Gospel spirituals.

But Paul precedes his comments on worship with the comment that in Christ “there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarians, Scythians, slave, or free, but Christ is all, and is in all” (Colossians 3:11).

And Paul even precedes those comments by insisting that all who have been raised with Christ must set their hearts and minds where Christ is seated at the right hand of God (Colossians 3:1).

That means that we must set our eyes, our lenses, our perspectives on God’s heavenly, eternal perspective. Now we’ve come full circle because we already know that heaven is an eternal multicultural worship and fellowship service!

So let’s get it right now. Peace comes from spiritual renewal. And spiritual renewal comes from Christ. And as new creations in Christ we wear Christ’s eyeglasses not our own.

Life

Life is not, “He said/she said.”

Life is “Thus saith the Lord!”

And the Lord of all says live at peace with everyone for we are all one in Christ.

Reconciliation Triangle

Reconciliation Triangle*

On 9th December 1999, as its final act of the Millennium, Liverpool City Council unanimously passed a motion apologizing for the city’s role in the Slave Trade, linked to a commitment to policies that would end racism and work to create a community where all are equally valued.

International Conference

In December 1999, at the invitation of President Mathieu Kérékou of the Republic of Benin, an International Conference was held in Benin, attended by people from Africa, the Americas and Europe affected by the Black Diaspora, including representatives from Richmond, Virginia, and Liverpool. The President apologized for his country’s role in selling Africans to the slave traders.

Racial Healing

At the Benin Conference Lord Alton of Liverpool presented a small maquette of the large public sculpture ‘Reconciliation’ created by Liverpool artist, Stephen Broadbent, which already stands in Liverpool, Belfast and Glasgow along with a statement signed by the Liverpool’s Lord Mayor, Councillor Joe Devaney and the Leader of the Council, Mike Storey.

In April 2000 a ‘Ceremony of Racial Healing‘ attended by 4 Government Ministers from Benin, took place in Richmond, Virginia, U.S.A. The intention was to extend the process of reconciliation.

As a next step, with encouragement at senior government level in Benin, Liverpool and Richmond, it was decided to raise funds to donate to Benin a 4 meter high bronze edition of the ‘Reconciliation’ sculpture, with specially designed panels by young people in Liverpool, Richmond and Benin. It was also decided that a further casting of the Reconciliation sculpture would be made to be sited on the slave trail route in Richmond.

The site for the sculptures erection in Benin was identified, a specially designed ‘Reconciliation Garden’ in the city of Cotonou was to be built. President Kerekou said “that it would establish a meaningful international connection which would reflect the infamous slave triangle. The three statues would be a physical and symbolic manifestation of a process of bringing together in an expression of repentance, forgiveness and reconciliation - the descendants of those that profited from the evil trade, those on the continent from which they were taken and those now living in the place to which many slaves were taken.”

Project chair, Joe Devaney was invited to an International Conference in Washington D.C. in the summer of 2001. The ‘Connecting Communities’ delegates welcomed the Reconciliation Triangle Project as a major initiative in the understanding and healing of slavery’s wounds.

Joe and artist Stephen Broadbent both visited Richmond in 2001, addressing the City Council and presenting the Mayor with a model of the original Reconciliation Sculpture. Representatives from Richmond visited Liverpool on three occasions. The city fully supports the project.

Broadbent, the sculptor, worked with fellow artist, Faith Bebbington, along with children from six of Liverpool’s inner city schools to incorporate new low-relief scenes on the four flat sides relating to the slave trade between Liverpool, Benin and the Americas.

The final sculpture, based on these designs, was finished by Liverpool artists Broadbent and Bebbington. The sculptures were then cast in bronze ready to be shipped to Benin and Richmond. In Liverpool it is hoped the bronze reliefs will be mounted and exhibited adjacent to the existing Reconciliation statue.

Beyond the Suffering

In October 2004, at a Civic ceremony hosted by the Maritime Museum on the dockside in Liverpool, a finished 'Reconciliation Sculpture' was handed over to representatives of the Benin Government, this significant event was also attended by a representative from Richmond. The leader of Liverpool City Council, quoted the words, ”the only way to bring reconciliation is to face the pain of history with courage, and then to change.” He went on to say, “We have begun that process of change, and this reconciliation initiative is one more step on that journey.”

*Article adapted from: http://www.reconciliationtriangle.org/#history

Generational Repentance and Reconciliation

Generational Repentance and Reconciliation

By now I'm sure that you have read the news. The state of Virginia officially apologized for their role in legalizing and supporting slavery, and they also apologized for their mistreatment of Native Americans. Though the vote was unanimous, it was not without some contention, as one particular lawmaker stated, "Just get over it!"

Another related item in the news was the proposal out of the US House of Representatives that urged Japan to officially apologize for their role in the Korean "Comfort Women" tragedy of WW II. "Comfort Women" were the 100s of thousands of Korean women who were raped by Japanese soldiers.

What is a biblical view of repentance and reconciliation? Do descendents of people of one generation have a biblical responsibility for how their ancestors treated other people?

Corporate Generational Identity

In our individualistic Western society we are quick to shout, "No!" However, most cultures for most of human history, including Jewish culture in the Old Testament, had a much more collective, corporate view of personhood, personality, and responsibility.

While it is true that salvation is an individual decision that a person makes before the God of the universe, it is false to assert that God never views people groups and nations corporately. God not only treated nations corporately in the Old Testament, He viewed them generationally. God held entire past generations of past nations accountable for their past mistreatment of God's (corporate) people.

Clearly it is not an unbiblical concept to say, "For what my ancestors did to your ancestors I am deeply sorry." Nor is it an unbiblical concept for a descendent of a majority race to recognize the lasting imprint that enslavement and abuse has left generationally on a minority race. Such humble repentance and responsibility-taking can lead to present reconciliation and relational restoration.

Though my ancestors were in Romania being persecuted and abused during the time of American enslavement, I still accept a sense of responsibility for the harm that White Americans brought upon Black Americans. I also understand something of the lingering impact of that horrible mistreatment.

Recognizing responsibility and impact does not mean that I think a current member of a past harmed group "needs" my "help" in order to "make it." However, all human beings need understanding, empathy, and reconciliation. They don't need to be told, "Just get over it!"

Thus, I applaud the people of Virginia and the members of the US House of Representatives on their recent movements toward generational repentance and reconciliation. May God honor their efforts and produce the fruit of peace.