- October 14, 2022 Social Justice
By Associate Alfreda Pulley and Sister Linda Maser
In April, NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice brought together two of our nation’s leading experts on the history and enduring legacy of white supremacy in American Christianity for conversation: Dr. Robert P. Jones, a white Southern Baptist and leader of the Public Religion Resource Institute, and Fr. Bryan Massingale, a Black Catholic priest and a professor of theological and social ethics at Fordham University.
The Racial and Cultural Justice Committee of the Community of St. Joseph offered this presentation to the entire CSJ community and gave people an opportunity to come together to discuss the presentation and what this could mean for us—both in our personal journeys and as a community.
The Presentation
The presentation began with the question: “How are we as Christians to understand the impact of the way our institutions and traditions have been corrupted by the ideology of white supremacy?”
Fr. Massingale detailed the beginnings of what he called, “the incubation of white supremacy in the white church.” Paraphrasing Pope Francis, he said that, after the murder of George Floyd, we cannot turn a blind eye to racism or intolerance in any form. He says, although the church claims to protect the sacred dignity of human life, no pro-life committee at any level has taken up this issue and promulgated it.
Dr. Jones spoke about the “Discovery Doctrine” that originated in the 15th century, was sanctioned by the church and state of Christian European monarchies to legitimize the colonization and evangelization of North America. The Native Americans and other people of color with different beliefs and customs lost their rights. This led to slavery and genocide and other negative outcomes for people of color.
In the United States, as African Americans migrated from the south to the north, it became more important to be white than a particular ethnicity, such as Irish, Italian or Polish. It was more important to come together to keep African Americans out by coming together in whiteness.
As white supremacy grew, African Americans broke away from white Christianity, and formed Black churches, the first being the African Methodist Episcopalian (AME) Church. They questioned how white supremacy in the American church can change. Signs of the times show that we have not changed much. This year, an image of “Mama” painted by artist Kelly Latimore, was the center of controversy at The Catholic University of America. The piece, which was created after the death of George Floyd, depicts a pieta of a Black Jesus and Mary. “Mama” was hung in the law school amid student protest, and the image was stolen.
Dr. Jones spoke of Dylann Roof, the young white man who killed nine African Americans at a Bible study at Emanuel African Methodist Church in Charleston, South Carolina. He speculated what may have been different if Roof, an evangelical Lutheran, saw religious images at church that accurately portrayed Jesus as a person of color.
Jones also shared that they have done a study of racist attitudes among various groups in America. They found that one in seven white Catholics and one in seven white mainline Christians hold racist ideas.
Fr. Massingale shared some of his personal history as a Catholic. He stated that racism is not a question of hate—it is a question of belonging. Do white people believe that people of color belong in this church and in this country? Dr. Jones and Fr. Massingale believe that through uncomfortable conversations, images that portray Christ and the church as other than white, and admitting that white supremacy exists, we can work together to root it out in individuals and institutions. Dr. Jones asked, "How many of us (white people) will address the white privilege in our lives?"
The presentation ended with a question as well, one for all of us to answer as individuals and as members of the Community of St. Joseph who have chosen to address racism: "Do we have the will and the courage to translate our convictions into action?"
The Discussion
Participants who came together to discuss the presentation shared what stood out for them, how the church teaches racial justice and where we might go from here. The conversation among the participants was honest and revealing, contemplating what we can do personally and communally.
Some of the questions that arose included the following:
- How many people of color are on the boards of our institutions?
- What images of God are present in our institutions and our homes?
- Do any of our CSJ ministry grants specifically address racial justice?
A suggestion was made to make public the community’s position on racial issues. There were many other suggestions that will be presented to the Racial and Cultural Justice Committee for consideration.
Watch the Video
Watch NETWORK's video presentation, "White Supremacy & American Christianity," with Dr. Robert Jones and Fr. Bryan Massingale.