A Statement of Repentance, Lament and Solidarity from the Capital Area Council of Churches
June 2020
On the Day of Pentecost, Peter stood up and spoke up. He spoke the uncomfortable and dangerous truth that those in position of privilege had used their power to kill Jesus who did not deserve death (Acts 2:22-23). Just a few days ago we watched as George Floyd, a black man, was handcuffed and while he was laying on the ground a white police officer knelt on his neck for over 8 minutes resulting in his death. Three other officers stood around and did nothing to prevent his death even as observers pled for relief. He called for his mother; he cried out that he couldn’t breathe. We, members of the Capital Area Council of Churches, cannot stand around and do nothing. We are called to stand up and speak out – even when, perhaps especially when, the truth is uncomfortable and feels dangerous.
We, as Americans, have too long ignored the evils of white privilege and systemic racism. We, as followers of Jesus, have too long been complacent and complicit about both white privilege and systemic racism. We believe that all people are created in God’s image (Genesis 1:26). Racism and white privilege reject this foundational biblical claim. Our Lord Jesus commanded us to love our neighbor as ourselves (Mark 12:31). We repent of our apathetic responses to racism. We repent of ignoring the cries for justice from our brothers and sisters of color. We repent of our preference for the status quo and tranquility even when it comes at the cost of another’s pain. We lament the ongoing suffering caused by this injustice and the societal structures that reward some and punish others based on the color of their skin.
In this time of mourning for the loss of life, we pray for healing and hope. The prophet Jeremiah warned against ‘healing the wound lightly saying peace, peace when there is no peace (Jeremiah 8:11).’ To heal the wounds caused by racism, we believe the church is called to attend to the ways we contribute to racism, within and beyond the church. We must examine ourselves and remove the debris of prejudice and privilege. Acknowledging the work white Christians need to take up, we also commit ourselves to standing with our brothers and sisters seeking justice to prevail in our communities. We seek to fully embody the “Beloved Community.â€
And we are not without hope. When the risen Christ met his disciples – the ones who had betrayed and deserted him – he offered ‘peace (John 20:26).’ The risen Christ still calls forth peace. Not a simplistic, watered down peace that is enforced by guns. Rather a transformative peace of changed hearts and spirits, changed atmosphere and environment brought about by the Spirit. The Hebrew word for peace, shalom, means more than physical healing. Shalom expresses a wholeness that encompasses the entirety of human existence. We pray for a holistic peace based in justice which flows from God’s love for all of humanity and through every system. We long to be partners with God in living justice and loving our neighbors.