Church Reconciliation and Taking Steps in
the Right Direction
I’ve heard it said
that the most segregated day of the week in America is Sunday morning. Four
years ago, with excitement and anticipation, America held hands and their
breath as the first African-American was elected president. Most believed the
insidious cancer of racism, prejudice, and inequality would fade from American
culture as quickly as Germany eradicated Nazi memorabilia from post World War
II Europe. However, as we enter
President Obama’s second term, little has changed in the area of unity and
solidarity; and sadly, this is especially true in American churches.
I live in Newport
News, VA; one of the cities within the greater Hampton Roads area. Recently, I
checked on the number of churches in our area (consists of 15 cities) and found
there are over 1,300 churches. The population hover around 1.6 million people.
If everyone attended church there would be approximately 1,230 people per church.
Unfortunately, only 26% of the 1.6 million actually attends church regularly;
leaving nearly 1.2 million people staying home (www.hrda.com).
Why are they refusing to attend church? Until society sees unity, forgiveness,
grace, love, and acceptance between churches they will continue to remain planted
in their La-z-boy recliners.
With church bells ringing, various
ethnicities file collectively—and separately—into color-specific pews. While the fountain signs of the 1960’s may be
gone the tone still resonates. In fact, CNN reported that only 5% of the
nation’s churches are racially integrated (Elliot, 2010). Our society needs strong leaders with mature
decision-making abilities to overcome the traditional
racial divisions, silent intolerance, and gross misunderstandings that lay in the
rigidity of an individual’s frame.
Hoch &
Kunreuther (2001) said, “Frames determine how we see the world. Frames are
crucial because they simplify and focus our attention on what we deem is most
relevant, making it possible to decide more quickly and efficiently than with
widespread attention” (p. 133). In a sense, frames define us. They help explain
outwardly what is happening inwardly; e.g., beliefs, values, and principles.
If we ever hope to
bridge the gap between races, we have to look in the right place. It can’t be
found in a political office, though legislation is needed. It won’t be bought
with a good grade, though education encourages understanding. And it can’t be forced from the pulpit,
though reconciliation messages are important. It starts where all true change
begins: the heart. You cannot force reconciliation anymore than you can demand
forgiveness. Racial reconciliation between churches begins one person, one
view, one breath at a time. It happens when individually and collectively, we find
the courage to understand why we see the world the way we do. It starts when we—as
leaders—remove the blinders (aka frame-blindness) by practicing the following three
steps mentioned by Hoch & Kunreuther:
According to the
book, Wharton on Decision Making the
first step in avoiding frame-blindness is: see
the frames by conducting a frame audit. In this step there are three
specific actions:
1. Surface your
frames.
2. Understanding the
frames of others.
3. Appreciate
emerging frames.
The first step in
bridging the racial reconciliation gap between churches is to be willing to
take an honest look at your system of beliefs. Write down your principles and
pillars. What do you stand on? Secondly, church leaders and members must seek
to understand the frames of others.
Dogmatic thinking and traditional separatist practices must be eliminated by
asking, “What matters most to them?”
All reconciliation begins with a will to understand and followed with an action
to encourage effective communication. Many of the race-exclusive churches have
accepted lies or half-truths about other churches and rather than remove blinders
have propagated their beliefs to the next generation. Lastly, by appreciating emerging frames, people can
celebrate their differences and learn new cultures. This move of faith will add
vitality to one’s worship rather than stifle it.
The
second step to avoid frame-blindness is by identifying
and changing inadequate frames. The following are four actions to encourage
this change:
1. Ask if your frames
are effective?
2. Observe the
symptoms of frame misfit.
3. Question your
reference points.
4. Recognize your key
assumptions.
The next stage of
reconciliation requires going deeper than mere identification. It encourages
reflection and introspection. Church leaders must evaluate the effectiveness of their frames by asking,
“How diverse is my church? Does my church welcome different ethnicities?”
Additionally, leaders must evaluate past frame
misfits and unfair biases between predominantly white or predominantly
black churches. To gain greater diversity and maturity, leaders must visit other
denominations and experience different cultures to learn and appreciate the
various frames.
Another action
toward reconciliation and identifying and changing frames is to ask “why do you
believe what you believe?” In other words, why are you comfortable in an
all-white church? Or, have you invited a white person to your primarily African-American congregation? These questions help pull back the curtain on our values and
beliefs. It can lead us to consider the origin of our faith and question our reference points. In the
process, each of us may unearth prejudice and discriminatory undertones in our
hearts.
Each leader and
congregation member has a duty to explore
their assumptions. Oftentimes, the
covert nature of discrimination lies implicitly within our frames. Reconciliation
and understanding only occur when leaders set the example and start asking the
hard questions. If the nature of the church is to help people and demonstrate
the love and forgiveness of God, then the doors of our churches should be
welcoming people of all nationalities, denominations, economic status,
sexuality, and faith; rather than shunning or gawking at those from different
backgrounds and experiences.
Lastly, the third
and final step in avoiding frame-blindness and overcoming tunnel vision is to master techniques for reframing. This
step entails seven actions:
1. Use multiple
frames
2.
Look for ways to align frames
3.
Change metaphors to regain control of a frame
4.
Challenge others’ reference points
5.
Stretch a frame.
6.
Build new frames for new situations
7.
Speak to others’ frames
When seeking to
overcome long-standing beliefs—whether founded or unfounded, leaders must develop
the capacity to synthesize and create new frames. Hoch & Kunreuther (2001) said,
“Given that different frames highlight and obscure different aspects of a
situation, you must select the right frame for the problem at hand rather than
using a frame out of habit, convention or, worst of all, having it imposed by
others” (p. 148).
I often say,
“Someone has to pay the price for peace.” Meaning, someone has to lead the way
toward reconciliation. This is demonstrated by implementing different frames
from other churches into our weekend services. We must discuss one another’s
beliefs; and build upon common ground. Leaders must stand on the similarities
rather than become divided by the differences. We should all practice a phrase
often attributed to St. Augustine: “In essentials, unity; in non-essentials,
liberty; in all things, charity.” Aligning
and stretching frames facilitates the oneness that our
philosopher/theologian spoke to us from the first century.
Finally, each
church leader, pastor, and member must have the courage to build new frames by collaborating on community outreach
initiatives; pooling resources to feed the hungry; and practicing new,
ecumenical activities and services. This can be accomplished by inviting guest
speakers of diverse backgrounds into your church. We can break through
traditional walls of bias and prejudice by standing together against social
injustices. And most of all, rather than avoid and ignore our differences, we
should rather celebrate our diversity and accept one another by speaking each
other’s frames.
My previous church
posted a role of 1,500 people of which I led men’s events and marriage
counseling ministries. It was a diverse church that averaged 55% African
American, 35% Caucasian, and 10% Hispanic. By leading in this environment, I
learned to tear down long standing prejudices and create new frames of
reference. This exercise assignment reminded me of the journey and progress achieved
while attending and leading at a diverse church for over a decade.
As a leader at my
new church—much smaller and not as diverse—I bring a wealth of experience and
understanding to people who have not had the privilege or opportunity to attend
and serve such a diverse congregation. This exercise in reframing helped me facilitate
leading people from a new frame; seeing the church through a prism rather than
a telescope; many colors versus one line-of-sight. While there are always risks
when tampering with an individual’s long-standing tradition and beliefs, it is
the only feasible way to tear down the walls separating us on Sunday and the
rest of the week. Embracing this
challenge of reconciliation will strengthen the American churches and bring us
back to a place of helping rather than hurting one another.
Steve
References
Elliot, W.E. (2010). Religious Beliefs Reflect on Racial
Prejudice. The Washington Post.
Retrieved from
ligious_beliefs_reflect_on_r.html
Hampton Roads Economical Development Alliance. (2010).
Retrieved from
http://www.hreda.com/area-profile/hampton-roads-metro-area
Hoch,
S. J., Kunreuther, H.C., & Gunther, R.E. (2001). Wharton on Making
Decisions. New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
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