JESUS & RECONCILIATION

Christopher Payne
Aug 22, 2017 · 3 min read

Yesterday started with a retweet. A well known Virginian, who [still] serves on the POTUS’ evangelical council, was spewing strange phrases of support for what the President has said and done in the last few weeks in terms of racism. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. It’s hard to explain the deep sorrow I felt thinking about how this is the christian that most people will hear.

And then, at 10am on the same day, something very different happened. A group of Christian leaders in Richmond gathered at a press event to read a statement of solidarity again racism and injustice. A statement signed by over 600 pastors and ministry leaders. And something happened to me. I realized that being a Christian is more about striving for renewal and reconciliation than it is about most any of the other things you hear and see from the church in America.

For a long time I disavowed my christian experience because certain things became too hard for me to hold in balance. Crying holy hell when the phrase Merry Christmas is at risk and merely shrugging shoulders when domestic terrorists murder a women in the name of preserving the white race. I couldn’t name why I felt like the Christian life was so disingenuous until today. In most settings, we merely play lip service to the hard work of reconciliation and renewal. We place heavy focus on our own individual inspiration and personal “spiritual” rejuvenation but many shy away from the difficult and uncomfortable work of reconciliation.

WE RESOLVE to preach, teach, and advocate against the sins of racism. We resolve to lead in the way of love, and to seek ways to heal the divisions that separate races and cultures in our city. We resolve to listen to those who have been wounded and dehumanized by racism. We resolve to pray fervently for God’s healing and reconciliation. We resolve to help our churches become more hospitable and welcoming communities to diverse people.

This statement from my faith community makes sense to me. These are the words that ring true in my soul. To work towards fixing things, the broken things. The things the dehumanize, abuse and destroy.

It’s hard to me to talk about my relationship to/with Jesus but to borrow a phrase from Anne Lamott, I just like the guy. He teaches sacrifice and reconciliation for the benefit of “the other.” Today I realized He gives us a places that’s neither left, right nor even center. He gives us something completely different.

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