Baby Steps as We Crawl Toward Reconciliation (by Shane Claiborne)
[see all posts in this conversation on New Monastics and race.]
Vonetta and Jason, first I want you to know that I am deeply grateful for the conversation you've invited and stirred with our private conversations and now your blog post. I take all critique very seriously, and pray and reflect on it. Probably the most personally painful lament and failure of our communities is around race and reconciliation; we are at times paralyzed by the deep history and slimy elusiveness of racial injustice and so-called "privilege." We've been trying for 10 years to figure this out. Several years ago, my mentor and friend John Perkins was at the house, and I poured out my dissatisfaction with how white the movement was. He said to me: "Teach what you know ... and it may be white folks who listen. And learn what you don't know, be a good listener." I've tried to do that, and yet it often just doesn't feel like enough. I am working on a book with John right now (his idea) about the importance of being a good follower -- as there are many books on leadership but very few on "followership" -- and as a white male, that is something we need to learn.
I want to share more publically a few things that I have shared with you in our private conversations -- though I hesitate to do so as it could come across as defensively flaunting all the "progress" we have made. That is by no means the case. I find our pursuit of reconciliation has been riddled with failure and setbacks, and a paralysis of imagination. I share this not as a boastful discrediting of your critique, but rather as a sign that I deeply honor your thoughts and invite your constructive ideas on how we can do things better.
- Submit to leadership of color. For the past 10 years, I have been submitted to John Perkins, as a teacher and mentor. I have told him to tell me when to speak and when to shut up. For The Simple Way, the chair of our board is an African American (from Philly), a close friend and brother (and also married to one of my former housemates). He's my boss.
- Submit to neighborhood leadership. I see myself as a learner and listener to the indigenous leadership in my neighborhood. Families on our block (even the block captain) have persistently asked me to be a block captain, but I have not assumed (or presumed) such a role, as this is a very clear way I want to continue to be led by elders in and from my neighborhood. Neighborhood renewal, as we say at CCDA, takes "remainers, returners, and relocators" -- all working together.
- Submit to local pastors and congregations. We deliberately join the local neighborhood congregations, rather than start our own services or programs. Every long-term member of TSW joins a local congregation (such as Iglesia del Barrio around the corner from us). This has distinguished us from many other folks who identify with the Emerging Church (and put us at odds sometimes), as we say, "The inner city doesn't need more 'churches' -- it needs A CHURCH, so join the body there already at work."
- Media Savvy. There are many journalists who want to do stories on "New Monasticism" or "The Simple Way," and we have become very sensitive to the dangers of this. Usually they want to portray the relocating white folks like myself as saints, saviors, and sacrificial heroes moving into a poor neighborhood. This is garbage and incredibly hurtful to the dignity of our neighbors. We try to be "as shrewd as serpents and as innocent as doves." We do not allow cameras in the neighborhood. For instance, a network has wanted to do a story for two years now, and I have insisted that we will only do the story with them if it is in our New Jerusalem community (40 people here in Philly), which is composed of and led by 90 percent people of color. The producer has insisted that they do it at our Potter Street Community (the original house, mostly white, where I live). So we will not do the story.
- Rethinking Language. A few years into our little experiment in community, we found that much of our language was riddled with privilege and whiteness. For instance, traditional monasticism and the Franciscan love of "Blessed Poverty" and "Vows of Poverty" did not go over well with our homeless friends! We have studied and reflected on this, and articulate a "Theology of Enough" that is in much of my writing and in the core values statement of our community, summed up well in the Proverbs mantra: "Give me neither poverty nor riches ... in my poverty I may be forced to steal, and in my riches I may forget my God." So we have rethought the traditional vows and even our language around monasticism (this is not the primary language I use in my neighborhood or even in my speaking for what we do).
There are lots of other personal decisions people have made in light of the hunger for racial justice and reconciliation. In our communities folks have married across race and adopted kids from the neighborhood -- all little signs of much thought and deliberation. Later I'll share some steps I've taken that go beyond our local community in my role as a speaker.
Shane Claiborne is the author of Jesus for President, a Red Letter Christian, and a founding partner of The Simple Way community, a radical faith community that lives among and serves the homeless in the Kensington neighborhood of Philadelphia.
[see all posts in this conversation on New Monastics and race.]
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Comments
Shane --
I'm curious, I've always tried to live simply, following the example of what I believe to be Christ and as seen in the life of Hudson Taylor. But I didn't come from wealth, nor had I climbed the corporate ladder before I chose to do this. So I never felt like I gave anything up. I just chose not to make money a priority.
I would love for you to learn all you can about the prejudices of white privilege. Obviously, whites benefit from it, but I'm extremely interested in knowing what they say and think when you obviously have not used those rights.
Posted by: frankie | September 2, 2008 10:47 AM
"I find our pursuit of reconciliation has been riddled with failure and setbacks, and a paralysis of imagination."
Might I suggest a truly radical notion that might at least get your imagination unstuck? Listen to conservatives.
By "Listen" I don't mean "Do Exactly What We Say", I simply mean "set aside preconceived notions, hear, presume good faith, ask intelligent questions, understand. Then draw your own conclusions.
You concede that your efforts at racial reconciliation have been "riddled with failure and setbacks". Are you so sure it isn't because your model of race relations might have some flaws?
LV
Posted by: Lord Voldemort | September 2, 2008 11:33 AM
Thanks Shane for adding to the dialogue.
My experience though is that all too often someone or a small group comes into a community and launches a ministry or new nonprofit to help "the least of these" thereby appointing themselves as the spokespersons replete with speaking gigs, book deals, press releases. This strikes me as continuing a colonial model of missions that often de-evolves into turf wars that end up doing more harm than good. Or worse, a group comes in, sets up an organization and then claims leadership of programs started by those already working in the community, thereby taking the credit while others do the work - this ends up further beating down the very people who are already marginalized. How do we steer them towards the more holistic model that you describe?
It pains me when a ministry with potential becomes fodder for the Wittenburg Door because then I know that Wormwood is running the ship.
Posted by: becky | September 2, 2008 11:44 AM
Hi Shane--want you to know I really am impressed with this article and its humility. This issue is far from being a simple local issue too--as the world gets smaller, how will we Western Christians treat non-western voices? It will be interesting and I pray we reflect Christ's heart....
Posted by: Mike Jordan | September 2, 2008 1:42 PM
Might I suggest a truly radical notion that might at least get your imagination unstuck? Listen to conservatives.
Why? Perkins will probably tell you that they have added absolutely nothing to the discourse, either ignoring the issue outright or even stoking fears and/or resentments for the sake of power. What you suggest everyone do -- "set aside preconceived notions, hear, presume good faith, ask intelligent questions, understand" -- they've never, even done. It's why so few African-Americans are conservative.
Posted by: Rick | September 2, 2008 1:44 PM
Shane,
Thanks for bringing uncomfortable topics into the light. I have found incredibly difficult to bring up the idea of race reconciliation within the community of believers. In small city Alabama, where I live, race is still very much a dividing factor and unfortunately it is a topic that goes almost completely ignored by the Church. Wilson-Hartgrove's book, Free to be Bound, was inspiring unique. I am looking forward to your future comments and creative imagination on how we as "followers of Jesus" can become active in bringing justice to this issue.
Posted by: p.a. kierce | September 2, 2008 2:08 PM
Rick --
Never and always are very strong words that I wish you'd refrain from using.
Many conservatives live and work among the urban poor that don't write books or lead political movements. They're often teachers in the public school system or ministers in city churches.
While the road to many ministries is littered with well-meaning people, that doesn't mean they don't listen to and get to know their neighbors. Most of the ones I have known (and I have known many) are very humble people without Messiah complexes. Those with Messiah complexes tend to not last very long in urban minitry.
Posted by: U TOO | September 2, 2008 2:09 PM
Might I suggest a truly radical notion that might at least get your imagination unstuck? Listen to conservatives.
Posted by: Lord Voldemort | September 2, 2008 11:33 AM
Great suggestion. We conservatives can also benefit from this advise. Let's lay aside arrogance and learn from each other.
Jeff
Posted by: Jeff | September 2, 2008 2:20 PM
Never and always are very strong words that I wish you'd refrain from using.
The track record speaks for itself.
Many conservatives live and work among the urban poor that don't write books or lead political movements. They're often teachers in the public school system or ministers in city churches.
I also personally know more than a few, many in my own church, that do those very things. But, without exception, when they do the kind of things that Shane mentions they become much less committed to conservative ideology and, in the process, in some cases are regarded as outright sellouts (I saw that on another "Christian" blog just this past weekend).
Two decades ago, the movie "Cry Freedom" was released -- at its beginning the "liberal" white newspaper editor who was the hero of the true story was publishing columns attacking the "black consciouness" movement in South Africa. However, once he got to know one of the activists to learn his side he became an advocate, eventually becoming a threat to the government, and concocted an elaborate ruse to flee the country.
You see, true love knows no ideology -- if you focus on whatever you know is best for people you will do what's right by them. Jesus understood that; many, many times He ran afoul of the religious establishment for "breaking rules" while they were ignoring the context of those rules.
Posted by: Rick | September 2, 2008 3:15 PM
"Always" and "Never" shut down dialogue and are most often false statements. Based on your last comment, even conservatives who come in can learn and do good.
Thankfully, we serve an awesome Holy Spirit who keeps growing up his children.
I strongly suggest you look at the website for World Impact and Keith Phillips. He's been doing great urban ministry for a long time -- the incarnate kind.
Innercity Impact is another group out of Chicago, that does some really neat stuff for a long time.
Posted by: U TOO | September 2, 2008 3:31 PM
Based on your last comment, even conservatives who come in can learn and do good.
As I said, my own church is full of them -- but, as I also said, they will not remain doctrinaire conservatives for very long because they will learn many things that directly counter conservative "orthodoxy." See, when you're focused upon service the way Christ would have His followers be, you don't have the time or inclination to grasp for power and authority -- indeed, whatever authority you have should come from your ministry. (The "religious right" gets that completely backwards, which is why, for all the money and passion it raises, it has precious little impact for Christ in this culture.)
Posted by: Rick | September 2, 2008 3:58 PM
I think the labels of "conservative" and "liberal" do us so much harm and give us too many hills to look down from or caves to hide in. It's when we stand out there on the plain (in plain sight) and see the world around us through Christ-looking eyes we see those labels are meaningless. One some days, I talk to people who think I'm very liberal. On other days I'm accused of being conservative when I discuss my faith in particular. From my days as a journalist I learned that's a good spot to be in. As long as everybody is angry at you sometime, you're probably getting it right most of the time. If only we could all be conservative in our readiness to express opinion and liberal in our readiness to love.
Posted by: Richard | September 2, 2008 4:44 PM
Reality tends to make us all less doctrinaire about a lot of things.
LV
Posted by: Lord Voldemort | September 2, 2008 5:37 PM
One of the hardest things for many Christians do to is give up the comfort that comes with living in America for the sake of helping others. Shane is living this, yes, probably imperfectly, and showing us all that it can be done. I applaud him.
I also agree with Richard. Labels rarely help a situation.
Posted by: Eric | September 2, 2008 9:44 PM
Jesus was always in the wrong place doing the wrong thing with the wrong amount of power.
On the journey with Jesus, there is much to lay down; and much to say "Yes" to.
Apparently Jesus sees value in this awkward and twisted journey we are on
Posted by: letjusticerolldown | September 3, 2008 2:30 AM
Rick --
I think white republicans are your Ninevah.
Posted by: Jonah | September 3, 2008 9:46 AM
I think white republicans are your Ninevah.
Been there, done that already. That's how and why I can say what I do.
Posted by: Rick | September 3, 2008 11:26 AM
Perhaps going back to the source might help. This is the "new" monasticism, and I know that many Benedictine, Cistercian, and other "traditional" monasteries across the country are now dealing with the aspects of multiculturalism in their monasteries. How are they doing it?
Posted by: Greg | October 9, 2008 8:29 PM
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