Ecumenical & Interfaith
News Network - PCUSA

Viewpoint

What does the call to Christian unity demand of us

in response to the racism in our society?

Youth at the World Communion of Reformed Churches meet
Photo by Erick Coll/UGC

Key questions

• Can we consider unity adequate when some are excluded?
• Does racial injustice make it impossible for people to work together in unity?

• Should we continue with expressions of unity that are incomplete or should we withhold our presence? What should guide our decision about which approach to take?

If you would like to contribute to this conversation, please offer your viewpoint.

Historic voices

Eight white Albama clergymen in response to demonstrations in Birmingham (April 12, 1963):

Edward Ramage, moderator of the Synod of Alabama of the Presbyterian Church in the United States (PCUS, a predecessor denomination of the PCUSA), was among those who signed a letter opposing civil rights demonstrations, saying,". . . such actions as incite to hatred and violence, however technically peaceful those actions may be, have not contributed to the resolution of our local problems. . . We urge the public to continue to show restraint. . .  We further strongly urge our own Negro community to withdraw support from these demonstrations and to unite locally in working peacefully. . ."

Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in a "Letter from Birmingham Jail" (April 16, 1963):

     "So often the contemporary church. . .is a defender of the status quo. . . .If today's church does not recapture the sacrificial spirit of the early church, it will lose its authenticity. . .and be dismissed as an irrelevant social club with no meaning in the twentieth century. . . . . .

     "I hope this letter finds you strong in faith. I also hope that circumstances will soon make it possible for me to meet each of you, not as an integrationist or a civil-rights leader but as a fellow clergyman and a Christian brother."

Questions: Do you see any expression of church unity in Birmingham 1963? What was it? What was missing? How does understanding this history inform our church unity efforts today?

Voices from 2011

Christian Churches Together in A Letter from Birmingham (January 11-14, 2011)
These words were written during the 2011 meeting of Christian Churches Together:

     "Though virtually all our institutions have formal statements against racism, too often our follow-through has been far less than our spoken commitments. Too often we have elected to be comfortable rather than prophetic. Too often we have chosen not to see the evidence of a racism that is less overt but still permeates our national life in corrosive ways." 

     "In the spirit of this loving Jesus, and in the spirit of those who committed their very lives to that love, we renew our struggle to end racism in all forms."

Questions: Why might the fight against racism be a litmus test for our seriousness about ecumenism?Locally, what specific efforts toward ending racism need to be taken by those in the churches who are particularly committed to visible unity in Christ? Nationally, to what extent is it fair to ask if CCT is an adequate ecumenical instrument in the U.S. based upon its record of dealing with racism?

Churches Uniting in Christ

CUIC met in January 2011 and recommitted itself to addressing racism in its member churches and in CUIC itself. During its meeting, as part of its focus on international relations, the group heard a panel moderated by Mark Harris of the Episcopal Church (pictured) as it examined the history of Haiti, the world's oldest black republic. Several CUIC member churches have sent missionaries to Haiti. Rebecca Bowman Woods, writing about the CUIC meeting, said, "Throughout Haiti's history and even today, stereotypes of the Haitian people as ignorant, violent, and incapable of self-governance have persisted. As the country rebuilds from a devastating earthquake, aid is needed, but building partnerships is equally important . . . Those partnerships should give Haitians a voice and a stake in development projects, and should include mutual accountability." Racism has been central to the commitment of CUIC and also has been a source of its weakness.

Question: CUIC has struggled with issues of racism. In what ways would it be helpful (or unhelpful) for such an organization to look outside the U.S. rather than giving its entire attention to local problems in our own nation?

What is your viewpoint?

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