Rhetoric Race and Religion
This editorial was written by Mika Edmondson, doctoral student at Calvin Theological Seminary.
Don’t get me wrong. I love good pastors and there are many out there. We should do more to support and honor them. (see 1 Timothy 5:17) But you know the scenario. A local pastor is caught in some scandalous behavior (stealing money, committing adultery, or worse), the word spreads, a few fed-up members (including the whistleblower/s) leave, the “incident” is downplayed or swept under the rug, and eventually the congregation moves on as if nothing ever happened. Let’s face it. Black churches are notorious for their unwillingness to shake bad leaders. Even in the face of undeniable evidence of gross sin, some congregations maintain their commitments to shady characters with an almost addictive-like quality. As a tradition, they might be our “favorite mistake.”
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