Racism and other forms of oppression are violations of God’s intention for all humanity. Before we can work for racial justice, we must first be aware of the manifestation of racism within our thoughts, our institutions, our interactions and our society.
Pursuing racial justice requires us to face the realities of social, political and economic injustices that create unfair opportunities for people of color.
The church that pursues justice will: Work for a society where racial and ethnic diversity is truly valued; challenge how race and ethnicity figure in political decisions on immigration, crime and environmental pollution; and will challenge economic forces that work against people of color in housing, medical care, education, and employment (from ELCA Social Statement Freed in Christ: Race, Ethnicity and Culture, adopted by the Churchwide Assembly in 1993).
Working for racial justice requires ongoing, intentional faith practices, actions and attitudes that lead to fair opportunity and access for all people in both church and society. Guided by the power of the Holy Spirit, may we work toward creating the world we wish to see.
This message is excerpted from “12 faith practices for racial justice” by Judith Roberts in the June 2020 Café online magazine. Today we commemorate Harriet Tubman, 1913 and Sojourner Truth, 1883; renewers of society.
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