06.12.20

How to Think Christianly About Race

Let me preface the following links with the admission that I’m not exactly sure how to think Christianly about race. But I suspect that in this moment of appropriate righteous indignation about racial injustice, we are tempted to frame our thinking in terms and strategies that inadvertently squelch the insights Christian theology can bring to bear. Here are a three pieces that raised questions that I want to think about more.  

· “Shaming Silence.” Orthodox priest Stephen Freeman examines one strategy of the protests—how in our desire to get others on board, leaders often resort to shaming. Of course, shame can be good and constructive—we should be ashamed of some things we do and say.  But are we using shame in a way that is ultimately destructive to the cause of justice?

· “Race and Redemption.”  Gerald McDermott at First Things argues that there is a common narrative about what is happening now, and that there are “theological reasons to reject the mainstream narrative”—and to help us think about race and injustice in ways that are more redemptive. I couldn’t agree more with his theology, but was left wondering how this would help us address racism in concrete terms.

· “Discernment in Times of Injustice.” Marina McCoy, professor of philosophy at Boston College, explains how the Ignatian guidelines for discerning God’s will in one’s life can be used to help us discern how to seek justice in our world.  What struck me was how often the word love was woven into the discernment process—a refreshing way to think about justice, it seems to me.  It made me wonder about the relationship of righteous anger and love.

Why Do Some Compromise their Values?

Okay, time to step into the messy business of politics, especially what history might teach us.  This week’s long read more or less gives away the conclusion, “History Will Judge the Complicit: Why have Republican leaders abandoned their principles in support of an immoral and dangerous president?”  But the devil is in the details, and author Anne Applebaum does a superb job of showing parallels from yesteryear that help us discern our own times.

Those who have read my biography of theologian Karl Barth will recall one chapter, “Resistance,” in which I outlined the growth of the party known as “German Christians,” and Barth’s response.  I wrote this long before Donald Trump ran for president, and I was surprised by how relevant the chapter felt in the fall of 2017, when the book was published.  It’s not that Trump’s devoted and unquestioning Christian supporters are neo-Nazis—hardly.  Applebaum’s thoughtful and nuanced perspective drives the conversation deeper, to what is going on inside those who compromise their principles for the sake of political influence. I suspect some GR readers will strongly disagree, and I welcome their comments.

The Paradox of Black Holes

Let me conclude with something completely different, as well as something I admit I have the most difficult time grasping.  If nothing else, this short video introduced me to problems that physicists wrestle with today, which I suspect have important theological implications.  What they are will have to be left to better minds than mine.

Grace and peace,

Mark Galli
markgalli.com