How should a person or a people respond when their sisters and brothers are trying to kill them? How can the church watch the murderous intent of white supremacy and our society continue everyday shielded by the law?
Is separation, isolation, excommunication our only option?
Jacob & Esau
Jacob challenges Esau’s identity. Jacob exposes Esau’s flaws. Jacob shows Esau and the rest of the family how little the birthright means to Esau. So Esau wants revenge and Jacob is left with the choice to flee and live or stay and face the possibility of death at the hands of a powerful enemy-family.
Jacob and Esau echo through the fears of 2020.
White America has Sold Our Birthright
Practical Theology teaches us that we can look at the actions of a people to see what that people actually believes. Looking beyond the stories we tell ourselves and the words we’ve written, what witness do we give by our actions toward our BIPOC siblings, sisters, and brothers?
Do we believe in democracy? Do we believe in justice? Do we believe in Love? Do we believe in anything other than what works best for us; what gets me mine; what helps us feel secure?
Do we believe in a God or do we believe in us?
Esau Loses his Murderous Intent & Finds Beloved Community
Somehow Esau’s heart changed. Somehow he surrendered his murderous intent. Somewhere along the way, he discovered that life was more than material gain. Was it his total separation from his brother? What happened to Esau? What changed his heart?
I wish I knew.
We must continue to work for change – for our own hearts and in the lives of all of God’s children. And we must continue to live in this world as we do. So we must embrace a level of accountability we’ve never seen before.
We must listen to Black rage. We must overcome white fragility. We must accept the challenge to the identity we’ve built for ourselves. We must find and cherish the glimpses of Beloved Community we already have, nurture and care for them that they might take root and change the world.
Esau must be changed.
Jacob must find a home.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: Email | RSS | Subscribe to Racial Heresy
Working toward Beloved Community.
There is so much more to say and much more to discuss – come to the Racial Heresy group to be a part of the conversation.
If you’re not already a member of our Racial Heresy Facebook group, click the banner below.
