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Can the Church Lead on Race Relations? Atlanta Christians Think So.

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Christianity Today

Religion, Christianity, Religion & Spirituality

4.3622 Ratings

🗓️ 15 January 2020

⏱️ 56 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Transcribed highlights of the show can be found in our episode summaries. Next week, we’ll remember the life and work of Martin Luther King Jr, who died 52 years ago this year. It’s also, of course, a time to reflect on the state of race relations within the church. One of those efforts has been the OneRace Movement, a group that has brought more than 500 Atlanta-area pastors of all ethnic and racial backgrounds together in the name of reconciliation and revival. In 2018, the movement hosted a worship service at Stone Mountain, the largest tourist attraction in the state of Georgia—and also where confederate heroes Robert E. Lee, Jefferson Davis, and Stonewall Jackson are etched in granite. Why host an event meant to promote strengthening race relations at such a polemic site? “It's a place with a dark history, but also present cultural significance,” said Hazen Stephens, the co-director of OneRace. “...Biblically, whenever reformers would come in, the first thing that they would do is they would go to the high place and they would remove the Asherah poles and they would take down the idols. And we felt like what we were doing at Stone Mountain as we were calling church leaders to go to a place where spiritually an idol was erected over a 100 years ago, and to tear down that idol and say, this is not what our city stands for anymore.” Learning this type of history is part of OneRace’s model: Know the story. Own the story. Change the story. This knowledge is crucial for white Christians trying to gain credibility from Christians of color when they enter into these conversations, says co-director Josh Clemons. “If I were going to say something to the white church, I would say get invested in the story. It's time to listen,” he said. “It's time to hear from African American brothers and sisters. It's time to hear from Hispanic brothers and sisters. It's time to hear from Asian brothers and sisters. And how the story of race and the effects of race has impacted them. And, and then secondly, to be invested in that history so that we can own and ultimately change the story for generations to come.” Stephens and fellow co-director Josh Clemons joined digital media producer Morgan Lee and CEO and president Tim Dalrymple to discuss the name of the initiative, how they’ve tried to make their day on Stone Mountain more than a “mountaintop experience,” and how the movement has also encouraged Christians from different denominations to partner together.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0

This episode is brought to you in part by The Apologetics Guy Show, the podcast that helps you find clear answers to tough questions about Christianity.

0:11.1

Learn to explain your faith with courage and compassion.

0:14.5

Join Moody Bible Institute professor Dr. Mikkel del Rosario at apologeticsky.com.

0:21.9

Next week, we will remember the life and work of Martin Luther King Jr. who died 52 years ago this year.

0:29.1

It's also, of course, a time to reflect on the state of race relations within our own country.

0:34.2

Outside of the church, many of the biggest headlines of the past decade focused on police brutality, starting with Michael Brown's death in 2014 and the subsequent Black Lives Matter movement.

0:44.6

In the political world, lawmakers have passed legislation addressing the U.S.'s mass incarceration problem.

0:50.0

Both of these are issues disproportionately felt by the African American community.

0:55.1

What's happening within the American church?

0:57.7

In 2019, Barnah published a report where they asked practicing Christians how the church should respond

1:03.1

in light of the United States' 400-year history of injustices against African-Americans.

1:08.4

33% of white practicing Christians said there was nothing the church could do.

1:12.9

In contrast, 33% of black practicing Christians believe the church should repair the damage.

1:18.5

One of those efforts has been the one-race movement, a group that has brought more than 500

1:23.2

Atlanta area pastors of all ethnic and racial backgrounds together in the name of reconciliation

1:27.9

and revival. In 2018, the movement hosted a worship service at Stone Mountain, a state park in Georgia,

1:34.5

where Confederate heroes Robert E. Jefferson Davis and Stonewall Jackson are etched in granite.

1:39.5

And I'm just going to read a little bit from the reporting we did on this event. At the event, attendees

1:44.7

had the opportunity to learn more about the work of Be the Bridge, an organization which

1:48.3

facilitates local discussions of race issues in churches, and the Anne Campaign, a group

1:52.5

which shakes to help urban Christians politically organize. All attendees were invited to sign the

1:57.0

Atlanta Covenant, a five-part declaration against racism drafted in advance by leaders.

...

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