Alan Bonifay
CEJ Spring 2008
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1. The restoration of New Testament Christianity necessarily includes the restoration of Christ’s teaching, attitude, and practice about race relations. To claim to have completed the restoration because of establishing the rightful place of Acts 2:38 in the plan of salvation without recognizing that we have almost completely ignored Acts 10: 28-35, is, to say the least, naive.
“Then he said to them, ‘You know how unlawful it is for a Jewish man to keep company with or go to one of another nation. But God has shown me that I should not call any man common or unclean.’ Then Peter opened his mouth and said: ‘In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality. But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him’ ” (Acts 10:28, 34-35).
2. When Christians practice racism, whether actively or passively, they sin.
3. The practice of one form or another of racism is more common than you might think, and, because it is sinful, souls are at stake. Consequently, racism is an issue that must be faced openly however sensitive, however emotionally charged, however uncomfortable or defensive it makes us. It is amazing that there is so much ignorance and/or rebellious sinfulness about an issue discussed so thoroughly in Scripture.
I freely confess to you my own checkered past on this issue. When I was sixteen in 1968, I was traveling with one of our preachers in a southern state and became involved in an argument with a leader of the church over this issue. I think I asked about Bro. G. A. Canfleld, a black preacher of yester-year, whom I had read about in Old Paths Pulpit No. 1. Bro. Canfleld was from the area where we were. I was incredulous to learn that he had learned the gospel standing at the open window outside the church building, but was not allowed to come in and sit with the white Christians worshipping God inside the building. Needless to say, a “spirited” discussion followed this revelation. I think I acquitted myself well in this, my first encounter with open Racism. But I have not always responded so well.
I have never believed in, nor to my recollection, practiced active racism. I have been involved in preachers’ studies with our black preachers since I was twenty-two in Walled Lake, Michigan, and more recently in Shreveport, Louisiana; Richmond, Indiana; and Detroit, Michigan. I spent five years working among Africans in Zimbabwe, Zambia, and Malawi, and have revisited those works twice in recent years. One of the most delightful gospel meetings I ever held was at a black congregation in Kansas City. It was remarkable to me because of the constant and continual discussions of God’s Word that we engaged in together. But to my shame, I confess to you that over the years I have listened in silence — without protest — as numerous preachers, church leaders, and members told ethnic jokes or made provocative comments about someone’s ethnicity. I have even smiled or laughed at these jokes. This constitutes an insidious form of racism that allows open racism to flourish. It is as sinful as open and active racism.
Last year some of our young people suggested this topic as a needed discussion under the rubric of “What’s Wrong With That?” Also, last year several of our black preachers worked together to produce an open letter against racism because they felt the pressure from their own congregations to speak out. It is for these reasons and for the clarity of God’s Word on this issue, and in spite of my own failures, that I decided it was way past time for me to address this issue in a forum like this.
To underline how important this issue is to many Christians, please consider this letter written to Wayne Fussell twenty-three years ago in response to an article he had published in The Watchman entitled “Prejudice”:
- “Dear Brother Fussell,
I received our Christian newsletter, The Watchman, in the mail less than 5 minutes ago and started reading your article, “Prejudice.” It makes my heart glad to see someone press this subject. I feel it is such an important one these days. In my short time as a Christian (7 years) I have not once heard a sermon regarding prejudice...
... I am sick and tired of hearing so many racial (mostly Black and Mexican) jokes, which of course are told in “good humor.” I feel this is in very poor taste and not at all an attitude that should be associated with Christians. I have sat at a table seated entirely by Christians and listened to them tell such stories. Of course they are all good people and would never intentionally commit a sin, but they fail to see the harm they are doing both to a Christian’s heart and to our young people who are our future leaders. Unless this sort of thing is stopped now, we shall never be rid of prejudice in the church...
... It makes me very sad to see any person or race abused simply because they aren’t what somebody else is. I stand very strong on my convictions with all my family and friends and maybe some day I will see a few results from my continual effort to stop my friends from their continual prejudices.”
While most of the examples of racism in the church that I will cite involved racism against black Christians, this lesson is not aimed at any particular region of the country This problem is a universal one. Just a glance at the news will verify this. It is a problem throughout the world — think Abu Grahib. It is not just about race relations between blacks and whites. In California it is just as likely to be between whites and Mexicans or Latinos or between whites and Asians. It is not a new problem, but as we shall see, is as old as the church and even older — clear back to Babel.
But lest you be among those who naively insist that such behavior as open racism never occurs in the church, please consider these examples:
- 1. A white gospel preacher who was scheduled to hold a meeting at a certain congregation invited a friend who happened to be black to travel with him. When the congregation discovered this, he was told that if he did bring this person with him, his meeting would be canceled.
2. A young black woman who had been recently baptized in a large Midwestern city had traveled to the south to visit her grandmother and wanted to worship faithfully while there. She contacted the congregations nearest her grandmother’s home and some of the members graciously volunteered to come and pick her up. Upon their arrival and seeing that she was black, they apologized and informed her that they felt there would be trouble if she worshipped with them and offered to take her to the local black congregation.
3. A black family from a neighboring state received word that a gospel meeting was being held and wanted to hear the preacher who was holding the meeting. After their arrival and upon entering the building, they were greeted with audible racial slurs as well as other offensive expressions of repulsion and disdain. After the service, they were met in the parking lot by some of the members and asked not to return to the meeting. However, about one third of the members at this particular congregation demonstrated Christian love by asking them to stay and offered them brotherly hospitality. As a result of this gesture, the family decided to stay a second night but then on their entrance into the building, a larger display of animosity ensued that the previous night by many people abruptly leaving the service crying and slamming doors behind them. Needless to say, after this outburst, the family feeling threatened and fearing for their safety, decided to leave. Ironically, when questioned, the family indicated that even though this was a very disturbing occurrence by itself, that the most disappointing aspect of it was that the preacher that was holding the meeting, to their knowledge, said nothing to the individuals at the congregation about the incident, and never said a word to them about it at all.
4. A black gospel preacher who was holding a meeting in a certain southern town was invited to attend a meeting in the same town by a brother who wanted to build the fellowship ties between blacks and whites in his area. Upon their arrival, this black brother too was greeted with outbursts of racial slurs and comments, However, unlike the previous incident mentioned above, this preacher did speak out against this practice and called it what it was: sin. However, during his lesson, there were loud displays of disapproval throughout, and after the service was over, the brother who brought the black brother was scolded severely because of the act of Christian love he displayed to that black brother.
5. One Sunday morning after services had begun an elderly black woman came in and sat down. The services were stopped immediately and the woman was asked to leave and given directions to the local black congregation, and then services were resumed.
6. One white preacher, who is well known among the brethren, took a bold stand against racism in the church some 20 years ago, although it cost him a great deal. He lost members and severed ties and long-term friendships because he deemed the truth of God of more value than the praise of men.
7. For many years, a gospel preacher who lived in the locality where the aforementioned incidents occurred, begged various evangelists to come and hold meetings to preach against racism, but few had the courage to do so.
Some think that these problems do not occur, likely because they have never been in such situations; but this is a real problem. The wisest course to follow is to deal with this problem in the clear light of God’s Word before we are put to the test. We cannot overcome the sins of racism by burying our faces in the sand and refusing to recognize that they exist or by justifying past injustices.
But before we consult the teaching of God’s Word, let us define what we are talking about. First, racism is a doctrine without scientific support, that claims to find racial differences in character, intelligence, etc.; that asserts the superiority of one race over one or more other races; and that seeks to maintain the supposed purity of a race or races. Second, racism is any program or practice of racial discrimination, segregation, etc., based on such beliefs.
It is likely that most do not realize how far-reaching and entrenched racism is in our society. A strong case can be made for the fact that racism is so entrenched in our society that it is institutionalized. This fact means we need to fight just that much harder against all active and passive forms of racism. We need to actively pursue anti-racism — that is, we need to do what each one of us can to halt the stream of racism and turn it backward on itself. But primarily what we believe the Scriptures oppose is any feeling or action indicating the false notion of superiority based upon race or ethic background.
Now, to the Word of God and the Testimony:
What Saith the Scriptures about Racism?
Old Testament Examples:
God has always loved all men of every race who would fear Him and work righteousness. He has always hated racism. In Numbers 12:1-14 Miriam, Moses’ sister, and Aaron, his brother, questioned Moses’ authority “because of the Ethiopian woman he had married.” The consequences were disastrous, Additionally, the prophet Isaiah beautifully describes the universal or global character of the Messianic kingdom. Its signature attribute is its peaceful communal nature between people of every nation (Isaiah 4:1-16).
Consider as well the hard lessons learned by God’s prophet Jonah who was sent to preach to the Gentile Ninevites, and in the shortest most successful sermon in the history of man, converted some 600,000 Gentiles, to his great chagrin. His sermon was eight words: “Yet forty days and Nineveh shall be overthrown.” In chapter 4, after the unparalleled success of his reluctant sermon, Jonah has his hateful, exclusivist attitude adjusted (Jonah 4:9-11).
These are but a sampling of dozens of Old Testament Scriptures that depict the Messianic kingdom as inclusive of all men out of every nation who would choose of their own free will to accept the salvation offered in Christ by the gospel and obey it.
Examples of Jesus’ Opposition to Racism
When He came to earth, Jesus broke down all the barriers between men. He chose Simon the Zealot as an apostle, breaking down all political barriers. He dined with Zacchaeus, ignoring all class barriers. He talked with the Samaritan woman at Jacob’s well and openly revealed himself as the Messiah to her, setting aside all social bathers. He heeded the appeal of the Syrophoenician woman and praised the faith of the Roman centurion, bypassing all racial and national barriers. He allowed the sinful woman to touch him, removing all barriers of reputation. He praised the poor widow who gave her mite that was all of her living, overlooking all economic barriers. He washed His disciples’ feet, banishing all master-servant barriers. He stopped His disciples from criticizing those outside of the group, removing the barriers of intolerance. When Jesus was a baby, an old man rejoiced in Him; when He was a young man, children flocked to Him; thus He crossed all the barriers of age. Jesus was truly the Man for all people of all times. He loved them all.
Ephesians 2
In establishing the Christian religion, Jesus not only brought God and man together, but He also broke down the wall between men (Ephesians 2:11-22). In verses 1-10 Paul shows how God recreates man in Christ — by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:5-6). One who doubts the total equality among all believers in Christ questions God’s power and God’s Word—remember Miriam (cf. Numbers 12:1-10)!
In verses 11-12, Paul tackles the racial problem both socially and spiritually. All barriers between the races have been torn down in Christ. In verse 13, “those once afar off” are the Gentiles. In verses 14-15, we read that all enmity between the peoples of the world has been abolished.
Note the enmity that prevailed between the Jews and the Gentiles. The Jews of Jesus’ day believed that God created Gentiles merely to fuel the fires of hell. God loved Israel alone. It was not even lawful for a Jew to assist a Gentile woman in labor because it would only bring another Gentile into the world. If a Jewish boy married a Gentile girl, a funeral for that boy was carried out (remember Fiddler on the Roof). A Jew would not allow a Gentile’s shadow to cross over his own shadow for fear of contamination. Even setting foot in a Gentile’s house defiled a Jew — think of Peter accounting to the other apostles for visiting in the house of Cornelius in Acts 11!
In Christ, these two peoples (Jews and Gentiles) became “one new man thus making peace.” Ephesians 2:16 states that both Jew and Gentile are reconciled to God in one body. When the races remain separated, men are defeating one of the very purposes of the cross. God will not tolerate that!
In verses 19-22, those out of every nation united in Christ are the “saints,” the “household of God,” “the holy temple of the Lord,” and a “habitation of God through the Spirit.” So, the church is the new humanity. Just as the Jew and Gentile were to leave behind their cherished traditions of culture and race and surrender to the sovereign rule
of Christ, so Black and White Christians and Latino and Asian Christians must leave behind their selfish insulated prejudices, their sinful superiorities and inferiority’s, in an obedient response to King Jesus in whom God has created a new humanity.
Galatians 3
Note the new humanity in Galatians 3:26-28. As a boy, Paul had been taught to pray: “O God I thank thee that I was not born a Gentile or a slave or a woman.” Now as a free man in Christ he says:
- 1. Racial superiority is gone: “There is neither Jew nor Greek.” Men of every race, color, and tongue are invited into the fellowship of the church — and not merely the church universal but your home congregation.
2. Class superiority is gone: “There is neither slave nor free.” In Christ, pride of face or grace or race has disappeared. All are equal before God.
3. Sexual superiority is gone: “There is neither male nor female.” Women have been exalted by Christ to equal value with men before God.
Acts 13
It may surprise you to realize that the church in Antioch had an integrated leadership (Acts 13:1). These prophets and teachers were two Jews, two Africans, and a Roman aristocrat. Simeon was a black man from Niger, and Lucius was from Cyrene in northern Africa.
God is No Respecter of Persons
The idea that God is no respecter of persons is mentioned ten limes in Scripture.
- 1. 2 Chronicles 19:7 — “Now therefore, let the fear of the Lord be upon you; take care and do it, for there is no iniquity with the Lord, our God, no partiality, nor taking bribes” (cf. 2 Samuel 14:14, KJV)
2. Proverbs 24:23 — “These things also belong to the wise: it is not good to show partiality?”
3. Proverbs 28:21 — “To show partiality is not good..”
4. Romans 2:l1 — “For there is no partiality with God.”
5. Ephesians 6:9 — “And you masters, do the same things to them, give up threatening, knowing that your own Master also is in heaven, and there is no partiality with Him.”
6. Colossians 3:25 — “But he who does wrong will be repaid for the wrong which he has done, and there is no partiality?’
7. 1 Peter 1:17 —’“And if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves throughout
the time of your sojourning here in fear.”
8. In Acts 10 Peter was called by God to baptize the first Gentile converts into Christ.
- a. Acts 10:1-8 -— Cornelius sends for Peter.
b. Acts 10:9-28 >-—”... what God hath cleansed, that call not thou common” (v. 15b)
c. Acts 10:l9-33 --—Peter goes to Cornelius. Note verses 25-26, where Peter places himself on equal footing with Cornelius, “... and as Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him, and fell down at his feet, and worshipped him.” Note verse 28, as well: “And he said unto them, Ye know how that it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to keep company, or come unto one of another nation; but God hath shewed me that I should not call any man common or unclean.” -
d. Acts 10:34-35 --- “In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality. But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him”
Note verse 13: “For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.”
10. Even the enemies of Jesus knew of His utter lack of partiality (Matthew 22:16): “And they sent unto him their disciples with the Herodians, saying, ‘Master, we know that thou are true, and teaches the way of God in truth, neither carest thou for any man, for thou regardest not the person of men.’ ”
A Weightier Matter
Note Matthew 23:23: “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay the tithe of mint and anise and cumin and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice, mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone.”
Justice means dealing justly—doing that which is right. There are a lot of unfair practices done and words spoken in regard to those of other races — even of Christians. Some such unjust statements have been:
- 1. “Just preach the gospel and leave race alone.” Mark 16:15 says, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.”
2. “We are not ready for integration.” Well, when will we be ready? Jesus settled this issue 2000 years ago.
3. “Blacks don’t really want to worship with whites. They just want to see if they can.” This is simply not true.
4. “What will it lead to?” It will lead to integrity and dignity for all races.
5. “Blacks are pushing too fast” Nonsense! They haven’t really pushed at all. They have just gone ahead and established their own churches and their own big meetings.
6. “Those blacks are too uppity” This reflects the sinful notion that a good black person is one who knows his place and that it is not among white men, and that a bad black man is one who is forward and self-assertive.
Such talk is despicable.
Passive Racism
“But,” you say, “we don’t believe those things We would not treat a black or Latino or Asian Christian badly.” No, maybe not, though in fact many have. But have you ever been passively racist? Peter was (Galatians 2:11-20). Have you ever laughed at ethnic jokes? Surely you haven’t told them. Have you ever listened without comment to those who trashed blacks or Mexicans or Asian without even knowing them or speaking to them? This is a larger problem among older Christians than it is our young people. When people make comments about an ethnic group that begin, “They always...” or the like, they are expressing racism. Have you ever spoken up at such times? If you have not, that is a passive form of racism. Do not underestimate how hard it is to overcome this sin. Paul struggled daily with it himself (1 Corinthians 9:19-27).
But What Can 1 Do?
Let me share with you some of the comments from Beverly Daniel Tatum in her book Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria?
- “I want to en-courage—literally offer courage—to every reader to break the silence about racism more often and to offer hope that it is worth the effort to do so...
In September 1997, I had been invited to participate in a conference commemorating the 40th anniversary of the desegregation of Central High school in Little Rock, Arkansas, a landmark event in civil rights history.
This conference, one of the first involving the advisory panel of the President’s Initiative on Race, allowed me not only to meet those distinguished panelists but also to hear firsthand the experiences of the “Little Rock Nine.” These African American men and women made tremendous personal sacrifices in their youth to create change in their community and I was awed by their courage. I had the opportunity to stand in front of the imposing structure that is Central High School, imagining how frightened those teenagers must have been as they walked through jeering crowds in hostile hallways. Across the street from the school, a new museum commemorating the struggle to desegregate Central High opened on the weekend I was in Little Rock. I was deeply moved when I walked through the exhibit behind an elderly white man, who paused at the museum exit and openly sobbed with what I imagined was both grief and shame about what racism had done to those students and his community. The power of his emotions and of mine reminded me again, of how the legacy of racism has damaged all of us and why we all must work to dismantle it.
I tried to explain this point to a radio interviewer I met while traveling on a book tour. A white man in his 50s, he spoke despairingly of the fact that race relations had changed so little in his lifetime, He commented that although there had been progress during the Civil Rights era, since then it seemed that we lost momentum. He noted that segregation still persists, economic inequality has worsened, and racial violence continues to make national headlines. All these statements are true, and the temptation to despair is strong. Yet despair is an act of resignation I am not willing to make, and I urged him not to as well. In response, he pointed to his own racially mixed community as an example. Here was a place, he said, where people of color and white people lived together as neighbors, and yet there was little meaningful interaction across racial lines; no dialogue was taking
place. He lamented, "We just don’t have the leaders we used to have, we don’t have the leaders we need." I paused, and then asked, "Well, if you are interested in dialogue, have you invited anyone to your house to talk about these issues? You are a person who has a sphere of influence. How are you using it to make things different?’ As Gandhi once said, we need to ‘be the change we want to see happen’ We are the leaders we have been waiting for.” (pp x-xi)
Ask God to enlarge your spirit — to expand your capacity for love and compassion. Ask for wisdom to guide your actions (James 1:5-6). Try to understand the “why” of racial hatreds. Prejudice and racism are not inborn; they are learned behaviors. Children are never racist until they have been taught to be. Seek out the company of Christians of other races or ethnicities: visit a black congregation; invite a black preacher to hold your meeting — social scientists teach that often behavioral changes must precede attitudinal changes. Work to promote healing experiences. Learn to look at every person as “made in the image of God.” Racial discrimination is an affront to God and His creation. God is no respecter of persons.
But What Can One Person Do?
Beverly Daniel Tatum writes,
- “Several months ago I made a donation to the annual fund of City Year; a national service organization that gives young people the opportunity to spend a year doing service projects across the United States — a kind of urban Peace Corps. As a token of appreciation, I received a mug with a story printed on its side. It read:
A young girl was walking along a beach. To her amazement, she came upon thousands of starfish. Washed ashore by a storm, they were dying in the hot sun. The girl began to toss starfish back into the sea, one by one. After a while, a man approached her. “Little girl,” he asked, “why are you doing this? There are thousands of starfish on the beach. You cannot possibly hope to make a difference!” The girl was discouraged, and dropped the starfish in her hand. But a moment later; she bent down, picked up the starfish again, and tossed it as far as she could into the sea. She turned back to the man. Smiling brightly, she said, “I made a difference to that one!” Inspired, he joined her. A crowd had gathered, and soon others joined in. Before long, there were hundreds of people tossing starfish back into the sea and calling out, “I made a difference to that one!” After a while, their calls subsided. The girl looked up. To her amazement, she saw no starfish on the beach. Each one had been tossed back into the sea.
As this story so beautifully illustrates, each of us has the power to make a difference, and collectively we can create a more just and peaceful society. We can lead by our own example and begin to erase the effects of racism in our communities if that is what we choose to do” (p. xii).
Listen!
“Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; that they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou has sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou has sent me, and has loved them, as thou hast loved me. Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world. 0 righteous Father, the world bath not known thee: but I have known thee, and these have known that thou hast sent me. And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it: that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them” (John 17:20-26).
“Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.. If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he bath seen, how can he love God whom he bath not seen? And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also” (1 John 4:7-10, 20-21).
That is what is wrong with racism.
1718 Sylvan Way, #802, Lodi, California 95242, alanbonifay1@comcast.net
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