Monday Morning Meditations: For the sake of the work of God

Posted: April 1, 2013 in bible, church, faith, spirituality, Uncategorized
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Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification. Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All food is clean, but it is wrong for a person to eat anything that causes someone else to stumble. It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother or sister to fall. Romans 14:19-21

In this passage, Paul is writing to the Christians in Rome. Rome was the capital of the empire and consisted of a diverse population made up of Romans, foreign merchants, slaves, and conquered peoples. In such a cosmopolitan center there were followers of Jesus from various cultural backgrounds in house churches throughout the city. This inevitably made Rome a seedbed for controversy. Well into the 4th century Christians from the East and the West struggled over the correct date for celebrating Easter. Here in this passage the debate surrounds food. Paul is letting them know that what we eat and whether it is right or wrong is a matter of conscience. It is something that is between the believer and his Lord.

You may say to yourself “Food! How trivial! What a petty thing to argue about?” But I think if you focus on what they are arguing about then you are missing the point. The emphasis should be on the phrase “destroy the work of God”. What does it mean to destroy the work of God? The answer can be found in verse 13: To put a stumbling block or obstacle in the way of a brother or sister to cause them to stumble in their faith. It’s about more than just food. It is about the precious faith of our brother and sister in comparison to our so called “rights”. We have to make a decision about whether we will follow the ways of this world or the ways of the Kingdom of God. You can insert just about any thing in that is non essential to life and to your faith and it works the same.

For the sake of “politics” do not destroy the work of God

For the sake of “entertainment” do not destroy the work of God

For the sake of “alcohol” do not destroy the work of God

For the sake of my “cultural tradition” do not destroy the work of God

The list can go on and on and on but the point is this. All of these things we hold up as important pale in comparison to the work of God in the life of another follower of Jesus. To put a stumbling block in the way of their faith and cause them to sin is just not worth it. For the sake of the work of God destroy your entrenched positions and strong opinions in order to promote peace and building up others.

As Augustine said “In essentials unity, in non-essentials liberty, in all things charity”

Strength and honor!

5 reasons it’s easier to celebrate St. Patrick’s day than Black History Monthh

Posted: March 18, 2013 in African American, Black History Month, culture, justice, Race, racism, Uncategorized
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This past weekend I saw scores of people of all different ethnicities and cultural backgrounds dressed in green. They were eating corn beef and cabbage. Drinking Guinness by the gallon and singing “Danny boy” like there was no tomorrow. I mean I even wore green to work. So here’s a question that has been on my mind all day: Why is it easier to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day than black history month? They both are ethnic holidays. They both started off as a way to empower oppressed people. So what gives? Here are for reasons I came up with:

1. St Patrick’s Day is fun. You get to run around in green. Drink beer. Eat corn beef, cabbage, and potatoes.

2. St. Patrick’s Day is short. It’s only a day as opposed to a month.

3. St. Patrick’s Day is accessible. Any jerk with a green t shirt can participate. As the saying goes “Everybody’s Irish on St. Patty’s Day!”

4. St. Patrick’s Day is concentrated on one person as opposed to digging deep into all the stories and facts of Irish history

5. St. Patrick’s Day celebrates an ethnic minority that has been included in the narrative of whiteness. No dis to the Irish because theirs is a rich history. In fact in the 19th century the Irish and African American population were equally oppressed and worked and lived in close proximity. But still the powers that be found that they could include the Irish in the narrative. This narrative focuses on America as a haven for immigrants and outcasts while ignoring the sins of a nation that killed off the indigenous inhabitants and built its wealth through enslaving black bodies. To put it simply St. Patrick’s day is easier to celebrate than black history month because black history month points to White America’s sinful past.

Black history month is a prophetic time that speaks to America like the bleating of sheep in the ears of Saul (1 Samuel 15:14). It says wrong has been committed and there must be repentance and restitution. It says that halfway obedience is not enough. It says that yes progress has been made but God will not be pleased until “justice rolls down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.” (Amos 5:24)

Why else do you think it’s easier to celebrate St. Patrick’s day?

The Bible Series and Our Racial Perceptions

Posted: March 14, 2013 in Uncategorized, bible, spirituality, faith, culture, justice, Race, church, Jesus, African American
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I wasn’t going to say anything but Ok…I’ll take this one for the team.

The History Channel’s Bible mini series has helped to bring “The greatest story ever told” to a new generation and has certainly gained a lot of buzz due to its incredible production quality and endorsement from high profile pastors such as T.D. Jakes and Joel Osteen.

Of course trying to fit a huge narrative like the biblical story which spans multiple centuries and cultures is a daunting task even when you break it up into multiple episodes. Inevitably you get multiple scholars and armchair theologians criticizing the accuracy of the plot line and the omission and revision of different bible verses.

Why is “for himself” omitted from Abraham’s line “The Lord will provide a sacrifice”?

How come Moses strikes his staff on the ground instead of stretching it towards the sea?

All of these are valid questions and I have an equally valid one “Where are the people of African descent?” You may reply “They are in the series. There are some.” But my question is not “how come there is no one of African descent in the series?”. My question is “Where are the people of African descent? Where are they socially and culturally located?”

Yes the narrator Keith David is black. The angel that rescues Lot’s wife is of African descent. Balthazar one of the three wise men is black and Samson and his family are of African descent as well. So….What’s my beef?

Here is what I see in the casting of people of African descent. All of the black characters are either invisible, exotic “others”, or in the case of the one major role of Samson depraved, flawed, and deficient. Let’s break it down like this:

Narrator=invisible
Angel=exotic “other”
Balthazar=exotic “other”
Samson=screwed up!!!

Now don’t get me wrong. I believe this movie is very accurate. Accurate of the perceptions we have of people of African descent in the 21st century. We are either off people’s radar; seen as exotic “others” with a strange culture; or morally depraved like Samson who screwed his life up through sex and violence.

I do not believe the creators of the series Mark Burnett and Roma Downey intended this to be the case. This is not a judgment on them. They are just part of our society and culture. I applaud their efforts to bring the Bible to the public square ad adding diversity into the cast of characters. This is not a push to make all the characters black but a critique of our society’s already established racial perceptions.

Why does this even matter? It matters because pastors all across America were endorsing and promoting this before their congregations and it reinforces stereotypes and assumptions. It lets kids of African descent know that even if they are in the story they are on the outside. It matters because I get tired of having to prove to young African American adults that following Jesus is not following a white man’s religion. It matters because people of African descent were not marginal to the world of the ancient near east but major players and my children need to know that as I raise them up to consider the Bible and its teachings.

Shouldn’t it disturb us that Adam and Eve are portrayed as a white couple when the discoveries of anthropology and genetics say this cannot be the case. Shouldn’t it disturb us that Jesus the hope of every nation looks like a Vidal Sassoon model? I’m disturbed and I hope you are too.

Strength and honor!!!

The Bible in Context: I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me

Posted: March 14, 2013 in bible, church, faith, Jesus, spirituality, Uncategorized
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Yes! I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me (Philippians 4:13). Powerful verse. Rich theology in a short sentence. An excellent verse that come in handy when we need to pass an exam, buy a luxury car, start a business, or lose weight. But wait a minute……let’s zoom out and look at the preceding verses.

Paul is talking about his financial status and the financial support that has been renewed by the Philippians church. He says that whether they gave to him or not it didn’t matter. He wasn’t rejoicing about this because of his dire need (Philippians 4:11). Paul then goes on to explain that he has learned the secret of contentment. This contentment has come in the best of times and the worst of times. Paul was strengthened by Christ when he was broke and when he was paid (v.12). It was not about changing his circumstances but about the power that Christ gave him to live in any circumstance he found himself in. The power to do all things was the power to deal with all things with contentment.

Contrary to popular belief and usage this verse is not a claim to self interested superhuman ability. It is not a mantra for modern American definitions of success and ambition. No! It is a mantra for contentment. It runs totally against our cultural desire for more and bigger and better. This verse says it doesn’t matter if I have more or bigger or better. Christ is enough and Christ is the best. Christ is all I need. It is a claim to the supernatural strength to endure whatever life throws at you. Whether you win or lose, whether you get the job or don’t get the job, whether you got paper or you’re broke. Don’t just “do you”. Do Christ. He’ll empower you to be content.

Coming soon: My thoughts on the Bible TV series

Strength and honor!

The 1st Diversity: Reading for Women’s History Month

Posted: March 5, 2013 in African American, bible, change, church, culture, faith, gender, justice, sex, spirituality
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God loves diversity. From the very beginning of the Hebrew scriptures we can see diversity in action. According to the Biblical text, creation begins with difference: light and darkness, water and dry land, greater light and lesser light. Fish, birds, beasts, and creeping things reproduce after their different kinds. At the apex of creation stands humanity and the very tip of the apex is woman. Instead of making us asexual borglike robots he stamps us with difference: male and female. This is the first human diversity and all other diversity pales in comparison. Man and woman are different.

These differences govern not only how our body functions but they also give us different experiences and outlooks. There is nothing that shapes and defines us in the core of our being more than our sexuality. The fact of whether on an application or form we write an “m” or an “f” next to the word sex speaks volumes on how we approach life and see the world around us. It is more than just biology. Because of this biology we acquire a different psyche, a different perspective. This biology has over thousands of years given rise to certain roles and ways of relating in our society and culture. Irregardless of whether the society or culture conditions us to act in these ways the biology was there first and gave birth to it. The first instance of diversity set us on a trajectory that has been adventurous, exciting, and….full of conflict. Patriarchy, misogyny, polygamy, female mutilation, pornography and a whole host of other evils has sprung from the fact that men and women are different and need reconciliation. For the most part is has been men who have initiated the oppression and violence against women and this is something that still needs to be remedied even in our modern times of women’s liberation.

As an advocate for diversity I seek to be an advocate of women. This month is women’s history month and to honor that I will be exploring the perspectives of women through reading from the vantage point of my two prominent identities as black and Christian. The books on my list are:

Women, leaders, and the church by Linda L. Belleville
The Year of Biblical Womanhood by Rachel Held Evans
Words on Fire: An Anthology of African American Feminist Thought by Beverly Guy-Sheftall
The Word According to Eve by Cullen Murphy (Male author but a survey of women scholars involved in Biblical studies)
Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston

I am already knee deep in a couple of these and they are already readjusting my lens and perspective. Do you have any other suggestions?

Repost: Black Theology for Black History Month Pt 5

Posted: March 1, 2013 in African American, bible, Black History Month, church, culture, faith, Jesus, justice, materialism, militarism, Ministry, poverty, Race, racism, spirituality, Uncategorized
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In conclusion, Black Theology shapes Christian ministry by showing the true distinction between “Daddy Rich” and the “Revolutionary” and compels us to choose the latter by focusing our ministry towards those who need it most: the oppressed. It is through preaching and teaching, participating in spiritual disciplines, and becoming involved in conscious social engagement that we can equip congregations to liberate the oppressed locally and globally. This means that we take a definite stance of negation against the existential five D’s-death, dread, despair, disease, and disappointment-and the isms of the larger society, namely racism, sexism, classism, and homophobism. At the same time, black theology can help create a new way of being and living as a liberated people. Using the sources mentioned above, Black theology can give us the spiritual depth and practical tools to fight against the real life issues of the prison industral complex, inadequate housing, education, and health care etc. Through these and other means, Black Theology shaping Christian ministry can provide concrete examples of “God as a way out of no way”1

Repost: Black Theology for Black History Month Pt 4

Posted: February 28, 2013 in African American, bible, Black History Month, church, culture, faith, Jesus, justice, materialism, militarism, poverty, Race, racism, spirituality, Uncategorized
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Our fourth and final source for black theology is the social and analytical tools needed for prophetic thought and practice. In other words, the tools that enable us to see the situations of oppression and speak truth to power. It is the social analytical tools and political praxis of prophetic Christian thought given by Cornel West (yes the dude with the fro from the Matrix) that provide what is needed to examine oppression and its causes. This is crucial for black theology because we need to know what we are being liberated from if we are going to talk about liberation. They also expose the interconnectedness of race, gender, age, and sex discrimination with class oppression. Although West’s endorsement of progressive Marxism may not be the one true answer to the problem of capitalist oppression he does provide foundational principles to realistically tackle oppression locally and globally. His identification of Christianity and Marxism’s commonality in their progressive and prophetic wings as possessing a “commitment to the negation of what is and transformation of the prevailing realities in the light of the norms of individuality and democracy”1 gives a guiding framework for changing the system that oppresses African Americans and others worldwide.

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