In the wake of the killing of George Floyd, news consumers have been reading all kinds of reaction quotes from all kinds of important people, including religious leaders, on the left and right sides of American public life.
During this week’s “Crossroads” podcast (click here to tune that in), host Todd Wilken and I tried to look past the recent headlines and focus on where coverage of this national tragedy could be going in the weeks ahead, especially in terms of religion-beat news.
With that in mind, let me start with the following question. Who said this, in reaction to the hellish video and subsequent revelations about Floyd’s death?
This makes me sick to my stomach. … To watch a police officer kill an unarmed black man — with no concern on his face, his hand in his pocket, indifferent to the bystanders begging for something to be done to help the man — is so disturbing. He and the other officers on the scene refused to listen and refused to respond. I hope they have deep regret and remorse for their actions. Police are not the judge and jury. These officers will have to stand before God and the authorities on this earth for what they have done.
The Rev. Jesse Jackson? The Rev. Martin Luther King III? That final line about divine judgment is strong enough for both of those preachers.
Actually, the answer is the Rev. Franklin Graham.
Yes, I also saw Graham’s statement bashing liberal clergy for their harsh reactions to President Donald Trump’s photo op with the Bible. But let’s try, try, try to stay focused on the racism discussions, for a moment. Graham’s Floyd statement could have been endorsed by others.
I asked Wilken some questions about America’s discussions of institutional racism and the potential for reform in police departments.
I asked if Wilken expected progress in talks between:
(1) Trump and Democrat Joe Biden? The answer is obviously “no,” said Wilken. I agreed.
(2) Republicans and Democrats on Capitol Hill? Wilken gave the same answer. Me too.
(3) African-American and white cops and the organizations in which they are involved? Wilken and I both see potential for progress there. In some parts of America, police have been taking symbolic, but important, steps to push forward on that (while disasters keep happening, as well).
(4) Black and white churches and other faith-defined organizations? By all means, look for progress there, we said.
Here’s a clue to future developments: Watch for rites in which people — black and white — are kneeling, including police. Now, seek out the organizers of the that protest and, I predict, you will find church folks.
For example, click here for the Religion News Service report on a demonstration this week in Chicago. This story stressed the presence of black churches and progressive religious groups, such as Trinity United Church of Christ, the former church home of President Barack Obama. The coverage of the same event at Baptist Press, as you would expect, stressed the presence of multiple evangelicals and Baptists, including members of the Southern Baptist Convention.
My question: Could leaders of major African-American Baptist churches meet with the white and black SBC leaders who issued a statement that included the following?
While all must grieve, we understand that in the hearts of our fellow citizens of color, incidents like these connect to a long history of unequal justice in our country, going back to the grievous Jim Crow and slavery eras. The images and information we have available to us in this case are horrific and remind us that there is much more work to be done to ensure that there is not even a hint of racial inequity in the distribution of justice in our country. We grieve to see examples of the misuse of force, and call for these issues to be addressed with speed and justice. …
Throughout the Old and New Testaments, the Bible speaks to matters of justice and human dignity. We are taught by Scripture that human beings are distinct among the rest of creation as those beings which bear the divine image. From the beginning of life to the end, all human beings, both male and female — of all ethnicities, colors and ages — are sacred beings that God values and loves.
Throughout the law, the prophets, the gospels and the entire canon of Scripture, murder is condemned and God’s people are called to protect the vulnerable. The Bible further condemns injustice and the misuse of authority and force. And in the example of Jesus Christ, God’s people are called to love others, care for their needs, grieve with them in brokenness and labor for the well-being of our neighbor. To follow Christ is to follow in these examples He puts before us.
The question, as always, is whether this story will be viewed through the lens of White House politics, alone.
Of course, I realize that the political angles are crucial headed into a chaotic fall campaign. The questions we discussed during this podcast focused on whether the stress on political language and symbolism will prevent American newsrooms from even seeing the stories that are developing at the level of ordinary people in the protests and marches, as well as the people — of all races — whose lives and businesses were crushed during the riots.
It would really help, I think, if some ministers — black and white — visited their local newsrooms and offered this generation of journalists some background information on the role that religious faith played in the Civil Rights movement and how demonstrations, in that era, were directly linked to specific demands for reform.
I think journalists will be surprised who would show up for interfaith and ecumenical summit meetings on these topics. Maybe these two men could pull off a forum?
The key is that politics as usual will only shut down substantial faith-framed talks about racism, violence, discrimination and hate.
Think about it this way. But could Trump organize this kind of meeting and draw people from left, right and in the middle? No way.
Could Biden create a forum in which leaders from the SBC, the Assemblies of God and evangelical megachurches — black and white — sat side by side with leaders from the religious left? I have my doubts about that, too.
But how about former presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama, maybe with Jimmy Carter giving the opening prayer? Trump supporters might howl, but I think there is a chance that a meeting of this kind could take place in the weeks and months ahead.
Keep your eyes open and, I know this will be hard, try to pay a bit less attention to the presidential race reality TV show.
Enjoy the podcast and, please, pass it on to others.
First image: Screenshot from coverage by Channel ABC11 in Fayetteville, N.C.
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