My prayer these past weeks has not been for unity only, but that understanding and empathy to reign as well. Sometimes, Unity looks like us laughing together, sometimes it looks like us crying together (Romans 12:15), But unity always looks like empathy and humility (Romans 12:16-21).

As the global narrative on race, privilege, and equality swells to critical mass, it would be remiss of the church to remain silent on the matter. Being Afro-West Indian and a Christian Leader I am connected to this global cry in many ways. As Hope Lewis (2014) points out, the Black Identity and struggle are and have always been Transnational. This current global discourse includes African descendants everywhere. This is a reality that many Afro-West Indians before me have understood. It is also one that this generation has not ignored. However one of the key differences in the current movement from those of the past is dissatisfaction with “progress” which stops at performative gestures that supposedly signal change. This movement is a push for the practical substantive restructuring necessary for true reconciliation. I believe this is something the practical, faithful Christian should feel no qualms about. Regardless of their race or cultural background. It is also a movement that does not centre itself around the narrative of any singular figurehead. It is everyone's voices everywhere, all at once.

The bottom line is that something bad happened that created an imbalance, and that imbalance has to be addressed in any JUST approach to reconciliation. This is something the Church SHOULD understand. Since the Biblical picture of ideal reconciliation is not complete without restitution that corrects the imbalance created by the original offense.

I believe the Gospel is the greatest Catalyst for Unity. Within the framework of the Gospel, we are reconciled to God and we also have been assigned the work of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:11-21). God did not magically pull reconciliation out of a hat or declare us reconciled out of nowhere. He did not sweep offense under a rug but instead faced it head-on. And BEING A JUST GOD, there was repayment of the debt, that imbalance created by sin. That payment was by the Substitutionary/vicarious atonement through Jesus, the Christ. To state this in simpler terms, Jesus died for our sins, in our stead, to save us, at no cost to us. Since we walk into reconciliation with God by faith AKA “for FREE” (Ephesians 2:8-9, Romans 3:23), we often fail to realize the background work that made it possible in the first place. Think about this for a moment. The prime example we have of the work of reconciliation (done by Jesus) was accomplished by correcting the imbalance and injustice created by sin in the relationship between God and Man. How could we then assume that our work in reconciling would be void of practical restoration? We should then realize that the ministry of reconciliation given to us in 2 Corinthians 5:11-21 also requires restitution or at least equitable reparation. Inequity promotes division and finders forgiveness among people. “Go in peace…” without any practical, faith-informed action aimed at wholistic justice cannot yield true reconciliation. This is true on an individual level and even more true as it relates to the far-reaching, systematic injustices and imbalances created by racial aggression and oppression. No community has been impacted by this more than the global collective that identifies as black people.

My admonition to the Church is to pray, walk and work. Pray for the UNIFIED yet multi-cultural, multiethnic, linguistically diverse melting pot Church that John revealed in Revelation 7:9-10. Secondly, Walk faithfully and true to the principles of the Gospel. as Romans 12:9 (KJV) point out, “ Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good.” Thirdly, Like Jesus, work Godly works, (John 9:4), and seek to build up what God is building lest you waste your life building in vain (Psalm 127:1). What is God building? God is building His Church (Matthew 16:18).

The Kingdom of God is not Color blind or Culturally Deaf. The Culmination of the “Church Age” as recorded in Revelation 7:9-10 reveals a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic melting pot of the elect. There was no mandate to erase our cultural distinctiveness. The opposite is suggested by Scripture. God is glorified in diverse linguistic, ethnic, and cultural expressions equally. God is not building a cultural monolith, He is cooking Callaloo, and reconciliation involves more than just knowing the ingredients.

Being a true believer of the Gospel means more than just preach the Gospel, but waking up every day and practically living out its truth.

References

Lewis, H. (2014). Globalization's People: Black Identities in U.S.- Caribbean Encounters. Law & Inequality: A Journal of Theory and Practice