Saturday, February 2, 2013

A632.3.4.RB_RuggerioSteven


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
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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