Image from Wikimedia Commons.
At LPF we are committed to racial justice. But we recognize that we as an organization have a lot of shortcomings. The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America is one of the whitest denominations of Christianity. And we, too, need to take a hard look at ourselves and how we benefit from white privilege.
Our friends at Peace and Justice Studies Association have put together an overview of the current issues which we consider helpful in understanding what we don’t necessarily see as a result of our white privilege.
As a largely white organization we are unqualified to explain the injustices that Black Americans are facing. So instead we would like to amplify the voices of Black Americans who have spoken out against the racism and oppression that they face.
It’s time for us to Get REAL
Recognize the issues facing BIPOC – Black, Indigenous, People of Color.
Educate ourselves about the problem.
Act to change the systemic racial culture we live in.
Live the changes
Here are a few selected links to articles and pages that articulate the situation and highlight ways that we can educate ourselves and work towards meaningful change.
-
Jesus Was Divisive: A Black Pastor’s Message to White Christians: An interview from NPR with a Black ELCA pastor.
- My White Friend Asked Me on Facebook to Explain White Privilege. I Decided to Be Honest. This article by a Black woman is a few years old, but a good basis for understanding.
- Justice in June: Written for June but works just as well in July or August. A document that provides daily readings and short videos for “intentionally learning how to be an active ally of the Black community.” Organized by how much time you have to devote to educating yourself each day. 10, 25, or 45 minutes.
- Ways You Can Help: An unofficial Black Lives Matter site with important information and things to do. “When You’re Done: Educate Yourself. This Doesn’t Go Away Once The Topic Isn’t ‘Trending.'”
- Open Letter to Our Nation’s Lawmakers on Systemic Racism: The Poor People’s Campaign’s statement on the problems and what needs to be done in order to fix them.
–Written by Alexandra Winder, June 20, 2020