Every morning I check the news headlines and frequently rely on my mobile phone’s app for CNN. It’s not very often that I find positive things about the Church in the headlines, but today I was both heartened and convicted by this story: “Why Charlotte exploded and Tulsa prayed.” I invite you to see for yourself the article and the embedded videos here.
I am heartened that even the secular media would take note that in two different cities, where police shot and killed two black men, people expressed their pain in drastically different ways. I am heartened that the secular media would ask “Why did it look so different?” CNN quoted the words of the brave Public defender in Charlotte who stepped between police and rioters, begging them to disperse and avoid further bloodshed. “People are hurting, man. People are upset. People are frustrated. People need leaders,” Public Defender Toussaint Romain added.
But as the CNN article observes “It’s not that the people of Tulsa aren’t angry — far from it. It’s how they are channeling that emotion… Rev. Ray Owens of Metropolitan Baptist Church (Tulsa OK), which held the vigil, opened the service by saying he was offering the church as ‘a space for safe, yet constructive expression of our righteous rage’ in light of the shooting.”
“People are looking for leaders.” Leaders who will bring genuine healing, justice and racial reconciliation to our deeply divided country. Isn’t it telling that even the secular media find that leadership at a time like this in THE CHURCH of Jesus Christ, in leaders like the Rev. Ray Owens who provides holy ground in Jesus’ name for people to express their anger and brokenness? The Church, and not the streets, is a safe place for people to express their anger and fear because it is under the Lordship of Jesus Christ and his transforming love.
The pictures from Tulsa and Charlotte remind us of a deeper truth; “For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” (Rom. 3:23) People recognize that it is simplistic and dangerous to blame just the police…or to blame just the lawless rioters. There is a deeper, spiritual problem of the heart and soul which governments, police departments, and prosecutors cannot address. Only Jesus and his death on the cross can deliver us from what ails us. What is it that ails us, individually and as a society?
SIN: that infection of the heart, mind and soul that rejects the knowledge of God, which in turn leads to an infection of the mind that turns to idolatry (of ourselves, our rights, our positions) and then into wickedness and depravity of every kind—including murder, strife, deceit, malice, slander and more (see Romans 1:18-32).
Paul goes on to say that Christians are not immune from this disease either:
“So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death?” (Romans 7:21-24)
But having made the proper diagnosis, Paul points to the cure: “Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? Thanks be to God who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord…because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. (Romans 7:25 and 8:1-2)
You see, if we don’t have the right diagnosis, we will never get to the cure. As followers of Jesus Christ in the Anglican way, we affirm this inspired, Biblical revelation of our need to address the “original sin” that infects us all. Salvation begins with understanding and addressing our true human condition—as Cranmer and others have pointed out in Article 9 of the 39 Articles [link to the AP videos on Article 9]
What we need is leaders who will call all of us, across all lines, to repentance. We need leaders like the Rev. Ray Owens in Tulsa, and the pastors of Lilburn, GA that I spoke about in a recent Anglican Perspective video. We need leader who bring people across many dividing lines to confess our sins, pray for repentance, and commit to healing. Are you one of those leaders? Are you someone who could bring angry, hurting and fearful people together in the name of Jesus Christ, in a safe place like the Church in your community, to confess our fears, our divisions, our angers and all our sins? As Church leaders, can we build bridges with those who are experiencing racial injustice and stand with them as people did in Tulsa? Can we provide a safe place for people to grieve and express their laments rather than to channel them into violence on the streets? Can we reach out to police who are becoming increasingly fearful of what will happen to them as they seek to maintain law and order, and let them know that we stand with them as well? As followers of Jesus Christ, we know the proper diagnosis. Only God can bring into order the unruly wills and affections of sinners. (Collect for Lent V) In this Kairos moment of American life, do we have both the humility and the courage to speak up and share it with all hurting people, for the healing of our nation?
A PRAYER FOR OUR NATION AT THIS TIME
O God, you made us in your own image and redeemed us through Jesus Christ your Son: Look with compassion on our divided land; take away the arrogance and hatred which infect our hearts; break down the walls that separate us; unite us in bonds of love; and work through our struggle and confusion to accomplish your purposes on earth; that in your good time, all nations and races may serve you in harmony around your heavenly throne; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen (Adapted from A Prayer for the Human Family, BCP (1979) at 815.)
The Rev. Canon Phil Ashey is President & CEO of the American Anglican Council.
