We Are Neighbors
Against the backdrop of a global pandemic, 2020 has proven to be another difficult year for racial justice in the United States. Most recently, the shooting of Jacob Blake, on top of the tragic deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Aubrey – among too many others – has reignited both tensions and calls for change.
What is the church’s voice in this? The fact is that, over hundreds of years the Christian Church has been on both the right and wrong side of movements for equality and racial reconciliation. Today, we believe that the church must be a place for people of faith to engage in difficult conversations around race, seeking God’s will for the sake of loving our neighbors.
In the Summer of 2020, our newly formed Faith & Justice team offered some pathways for engagement. The 21-Day Racial Equity Habit Building Challenge offered a curated set of resources featuring the voices of our Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) neighbors, for the sake of expanding our knowledge and understanding. The Challenge is to engage a resource – a video, podcast, article, etc. – each day for 21 days. Not all of these resources are “faith-based” but we believe that we can allow these voices to inform our understanding and practice of faith. Check them out on your own, or, better yet, converse about them with others. The 21-Day Challenge remains open for anyone who would like to participate whenever they choose. The 21-Day Challenge resource list is available below.
One way to enter the conversation with others is to join the CTS Faith & Justice Facebook Group – where respectful dialogue helps us to share the journey together.
You might also be interested in checking out these blog posts by Pastor Brian related to the topic:
In addition, our national church body invites you to commit to the ELCA Anti-Racism Pledge with specific steps to learn more and become active in the anti-racism movement.
21 Day Challenge Resources
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