By Harlan Johnson
The ELCA strives to be a multi-racial
anti-racist church. Synods have established anti-racism or racial
justice - multi-cultural teams with minimal success. Now the ELCA, at
the urging of other ethnic associations, has established the EALA. We
encourage you to join, and when asked about the EALA, to say:
Recognizing
that the ELCA is overwhelmingly white, we are called to mobilize all
whites to overcome the separation and power differential between whites
and others. How will we do it?
1. We will hold ourselves accountable to the other ethnic associations in the ELCA.
2.
We will awaken white Lutherans to the challenge of overcoming
institutionalized racism beginning with our own church body in its many
expressions.
3. We will call on all white Lutherans to
participate in a year-long process called Troubling the Waters for the
Healing of the Church (Guide is available from Augsburg Fortress.)
4.
We will identify and provide resources to the church to equip white
Lutherans in this task, One source currently available is Mirrors of
Privilege: Making Whiteness Visible, a course based on a DVD and study
guide from World Trust Educaional Services.
5. We will
challenge all leaders in the ELCA to publicly take a stand and bring the
church to a position of partnership with all against oppression and for
racial justice.
6. We will do all we can to connect
all who are working for racial justice to become a unified force,
celebrating our unity and our partnership.
WHY?
- To celebrate God’s amazing creation, forming us in human community without judgment or separation.
- To enable connections that include respect, compassion, and understanding.
- To
influence individuals and structures to have the curiosity and the
courage to view our conditioning, and to take action within and outside
the ELCA.