ELCA NEWS SERVICE April 6, 2004 Churches Uniting in Christ Puts Forth Call to End Racism 04-057-MR CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Church leaders, academics, seminary students and grassroots workers from across the country came together here March 29 to answer Churches Uniting in Christ's (CUIC) call to end racism. Under the theme "Eradicating Racism: Liberating Tomorrow's Children," about 85 participants gathered to discuss how churches can work for racial justice. "The issue of racism permeates our churches and society. We have to act on it and that is not a choice. It is what God requires of us," said D. Christine May, director for racial justice ministries, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) Commission for Multicultural Ministries. May, who serves on CUIC's task force on racial justice, said partner and member churches of CUIC "took an important step as communities of faith working together to dialogue, address and plan the next steps for action in addressing racism across the various church bodies." The ELCA hosted the consultation, although it is not a member of CUIC. The 2001 ELCA Churchwide Assembly accepted an invitation to become a partner in mission and dialogue with CUIC. Nine church bodies form CUIC. They are the African Methodist Episcopal Church, African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Christian Methodist Episcopal Church, Episcopal Church, International Council of Community Churches, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), United Church of Christ and United Methodist Church. They include about 22 million Christians across the United States. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops is an "observer" and the Moravian Church (Northern Province) is a partner in mission and dialogue. Through worship, a keynote presentation and a four-hour "think tank" session, participants addressed seven key topics of CUIC's anti-racism efforts. They are: building a theological case against racism; examining social ethics and racial justice; exploring worship as an intentional witness against racism; connecting Christian education and racial justice; eradicating institutional racism; renewing churches and commitment to advocacy; and developing resources to increase churches' capacities to respond to new immigrant and cultural groups. Seven think tank groups were set up to examine each topic. Each group identified a reporter to collect and forward information to CUIC's task force, which met here March 30. The task force will "absorb" the information and develop "next steps" to move forward, said the Rev. Bertrice Y. Wood, CUIC director. Wood said the task force "wrestles with the question, 'How are we possibly going to liberate children from racism?' When you talk about eradicating, you go to the root of the problem. We need to identify ways that will push us to the root of racism and start the process of eradicating it from below the surface." May said, "The think tank dialogues were essential for uniting us and enabling us to move together in working to eradicate racism." The Right Rev. Steven Charleston, president and dean, Episcopal Divinity School, Cambridge, Mass., delivered a keynote presentation at the consultation. Charleston is a citizen of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma. "You are one of the best kept secrets in Christendom," said Charleston, who began his presentation with a question-and-answer game that he called, "Can I get a witness?" Charleston asked participants a series of questions beginning with "have you heard" and followed it up with the question, "Can I get a witness." "Have you heard, 'We don't have racism in this community'? Can I get a witness?" Charleston said. "Have you heard, 'Yes, we already have a person in charge of that. We have a racial justice ministry'? Have you heard, 'Racial justice is important, but we have other priorities right now.' And, have you heard, 'We don't have any funding for that. We'd like to [focus] on racial justice but we just don't know how?'" "I want you to bear witness" to these questions, "because I believe they serve as dimensions" to build an architectural plan for racial justice ministries, he said. Charleston offered four principles to guide participants in their dialogue. "These principles are nothing new, but they are the fundamentals of your work. They are the basics." The principles are: racial justice is the core ministry of the church; racial justice must be an intentional, visible and consistent component of the church's mission; racial justice training must be an ongoing requirement for all church staff and leadership; and, consequently, support and resources must be a funding priority for the church, he said. Charleston encouraged participants to "bring back these principles in a new way, for the sake of your children. How many generations must face racism? How many resolutions have been passed that have dealt with this subject? The four principles are fundamental, but have any one of them been achieved in your church body?" Racial justice is not a "sideline" ministry "for if and when we can get to it," Charleston said. "It is the core of our spirituality. Make it a visible part of all of our denominations. Racism is not one-dimensional. It is systematic. It would be a lot easier if racism [was] one-dimensional, but it is at all levels, it is amorphous and masked. There must be a long-term, consistent strategy that is visible in all work." "Anti-racism training must be carried out in every community and in all leadership levels, particularly in the privileged communities or what is described as dominant culture, and for people of color who must become active agents in opposition of racism," Charleston said. CUIC "must be insistent that this training exist at all levels" in a church organization. "That is going to take money," and "we must be in the business of having people open their pockets and make this a top funding priority. Jesus spent a lot of time with rich people. What do you think he was doing? You can't back off about asking for money. This is a deep, spiritual ministry," he said. Charleston encouraged participants to form a "covenant, a spiritual bond, to articulate the faith in this ministry." He encouraged them to support, pray, forgive and love one another, especially when "things become difficult. And, it will become difficult. You are fighting against the very thing that destroys community, but Christ rebuilds communities." "Receive the authority of God, so that when you tell the mountain of racism to move, it will move," said Charleston. Wood said Charleston's words "put spirit and courage back into all of our job descriptions." She added that Charleston's presentation was much more than a "keynote." "On behalf of ELCA Presiding Bishop Mark S. Hanson, we are delighted that you are here," said the Rev. Randall R. Lee, director, ELCA Department for Ecumenical Affairs. "The work you are doing here is the reason why the ELCA has voted to be with you in dialogue," he said. About 30 leaders of the ELCA took part in the consultation. -- -- -- Information about Churches Uniting in Christ is available at http://www.eden.edu/cuic/cuic.htm on the Internet. Information about the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's Commission for Multicultural Ministries is available at http://www.elca.org on the Internet. For information contact: John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or [log in to unmask] http://www.elca.org/news