Presbyterian
Week of Action
"Over the last several years, and prominently in the last few months, I have had to confront structural racism. At times I have been resistant to see racism as structural. After all, I thought, racism is an individual, moral problem. If individuals could overcome their own racial biases, one at a time, then racism would be a thing of the past. When I start thinking that way, I am thankful for voices throughout my life who have reminded me that race is not just an individual failing. It is a systemic failing, one that intersects with gender, class, sexuality, and other dynamics to create an environment in which some lives are valued more than others. Looked at this way, I can stop being so defensive. To say there is such a thing as systemic racism is not a personal attack against White people; rather, it is an acknowledgement that we are one community of human beings, and that this is a problem that has to be addressed as a community.
Or as Paul wrote in Corinthians, “When one part of the body suffers, all suffer with it.”
Read more of Pastor Chris's reflection on the Black Lives Matter movement here, and tune in to FPC's social media this week for ways to engage with the
Presbyterian Week of Action.
