America on the Brink

issues head on? Questions like these and others have led to painful breeches and separations. Neglecting the Fallout from Racism’s Re-Emergence Much of our theological attention has been given to why overt racism has made such a strong and open comeback and to the many justice issues related to systemic racism. However, little attention has been given to the fallout in the everyday world of inter-racial families, friendships, relationships, churches, and networks of varied kind that have been weaved together for decades that are now being severed and lost, sometimes for good. I believe it is reckless for churches to advocate for justice but neglect to care for the brokenness and pain racial estrangement causes in families, friendships, relationships, churches, and communities. Today, we are living in a period of retreat, of moving back to safe “racial” spaces. There may not be literal empty houses and full moving trucks but more people than we could number have realized they can’t stay “here” any longer and moved. We live in an era of unprecedented loss – marriages, relationships, friendships, church memberships, jobs, opportunities, and new possibilities – are being lost as people move back “home” to families, friendships, communities, churches, and jobs that are deeply racialized. It is an era of profound communal grief with estrangement, loss, anger, sadness, acceptance, and retreat. It is one of the top pastoral care issues of our day and I wonder who is going to attend to and care for those in pain because they have lost friendships and relationships across the painful lines of race? Moses and Moving: Models for Pastoral Care, Theology, and Preaching Earlier I said that one of the most difficult aspects of moving is the absence of time given for grief. Sadly, the church and the theological academy is following the lead of society and failing to give space for people to acknowledge and deal with the loss of friendships, relationships, and opportunities for a different racial reality. Mono-racial churches have opened their doors and hearts to people but have largely ignored the pain people brought with them. Churches have been naïve about the complexity of returning home. Going home or going back to mono-racial or cultural spaces are never easy because the person or family that returns is not the same and will never be the same person that left. There are also factors like resentment and anger by blacks who stayed in mono-racial relationships and neighborhoods toward those who left and now find themselves returning. There is a story in the Bible that speaks to the experiences of moving away and returning to one’s home or people. It is the story of Moses in Exodus. He was born a Hebrew, son of enslaved people. He grew up in Egypt as a member of the house of Pharaoh, but he came to a point where he could not stay in Egypt. As an adult, he returns to his people and it is messy, complex, and far from a happy ending. Moses’s life offers a helpful parallel experience for churches, pastors, and mental health professionals to consider as they wade into this neglected issue. I conclude with five recommendations I hope will be considered as we take up this work in our communities.

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