I found myself watching John Lewis' Memorial Service in the US Congress last week. His words, broadcasted during the service, brought me to tears. The clear testimony of his life credentialed and gave weight and integrity to his words. The feeling of listening without reservation to an admirable leader who encouraged his listeners to be their best selves: bold, idealistic, persistent, unafraid, loving, peace-making, trouble-making...made me aware of a grief and desolation I had been carrying: an expectation that our leaders and role models will prevaricate, manipulate, deceive, and hate. In addition, there was the deeper pang that many prominant Christian leaders have been doubly complicit and doubly untrustworthy.
I felt inspired to read and learn more from Black theologians and found a few good lists to start with here, here, and here. BLM-LA also had a very inspiring live-cast commemorating the lives of John Lewis and Rev. CT Vivian here that references Black faith leaders in LA.
If you know of Black theologians you particularly like or works you'd recommend, let me know in the comments?
My first read was Howard Thurman's book, The Luminous Darkness: A Personal Interpretation of the Anatomy of Segregation and the Ground of Hope (1965). It felt like a prophet speaking into our days, breaking down the fear and the violence, seeing into the souls of the oppressed and oppressors--yet not without hope nor vision for how to move forward. I wanted to highlight every sentence!
At the same time, Dan Gonzaga prepared the following reflection activity and graciously gave me permission to share. I felt like adapting this to solidify the most moving phrases in Thurman's book. I choose phrases from the book, used them in the activity, and came up with this Found Poem. I was surprised how this really captures a feeling in my heart of living in our segregated, unjust society.
If you end up doing some version of this activity and have a poem to share, please share in the comments too!
I know that a man must be at home somewhere before he can feel at home everywhere.
For segregation is a sickness and no one who lives in its reach can claim or expect immunity.
The struggle was to try to achieve a sense of self in a total environment that threatened the self.
There is real spiritual growth in admitting that one's life is not blameless even as one is dedicated effectively to working for the blameless life.
For segregation is a sickness and no one who lives in its reach can claim or expect immunity.
The wall is in the mind and in the spirit.
There is real spiritual growth in admitting that one's life is not blameless even as one is dedicated effectively to working for the blameless life.
On the contrary, a man comes into possession of himself more completely when he is free to love another.
The wall is in the mind and in the spirit.
The struggle was to try to achieve a sense of self in a total environment that threatened the self.
On the contrary, a man comes into possession of himself more completely when he is free to love another.
I know that a man must be at home somewhere before he can feel at home everywhere.
