Silence Gives It Power

Back in Rome in the first century, while Christians were still a persecuted minority, they spoke more freely about God valuing people of different ethnicities the same, writing things like, “in Christ there is neither Jew nor Greek” (Paul in Galatians 3). They sang about bringing down those in power in famous songs like Mary’s Magnificat:

He has brought down rulers from their thrones,
but has lifted up the humble;
he has filled the hungry with good things 
but has sent the rich away empty. (Luke 1)

When Christianity became the religion of the Empire (in the 300s) many of these voices fell quiet. Then through the millennia, the church seldom did a great job talking about race, perhaps in part because many parts of the church that have held the most power, prestige, and wealth have benefitted from how the ‘system’ is set up. So why would they want to change it?

“Racism gains power from the silence that surrounds it,” writes author and activist Sharon Chang. And since racism is an enemy to the Shalom that Jesus died to bring to pass on earth, we cannot be silent if we want to follow him.

Are there ways you’ve benefitted from the system and have not wanted to ‘rock the boat’? Or are there ways you’ve felt your voice silenced when you tried to speak about it? Or perhaps you’ve been curious about it but not courageous enough to ask questions. Or perhaps you’ve given up hope for this new kingdom.

Ask Jesus to lead you - and to lead us as a church - as we enter into these conversations this week.