After the Decision in Ferguson, White Evangelical Christians Need to Do a Lot Less Talking and a Lot More Listening

The heart of the black community in America was broken last night. The offense was not just a Missouri grand jury’s decision with which many disagreed, but the way in which the decision was handled. The multiple points of trust being broken down over and over and over again. The supposedly secret grand jury testimony being leaked in order to bias the public toward Officer Darren Wilson and against Michael Brown. The release of a sensitive ruling late at night when less law-abiding elements would be out and about. (Did authorities want a violent crowd so they could say, “I told you so?” The timing of the announcement seemed planned to stoke the fires of unrest rather than calm them–a consistent theme throughout the handling of this case.)

The offenses continued as the announcement was made. The St. Louis County prosecutor, Robert McCulloch, announced the decision and argued for the defense rather than for the people. His tone was laden with paternalism, chastising witnesses, the public, and the media rather than acknowledging that protestors have had some legitimate points. And then some conservative Christians went online and lambasted the black community for being upset; this contingent recast the looters as representing the entire company of protesters. Christians (and others) made easy, dismissive statements.

Instead of helping to bind up wounds, many from the white, Christian community stood to the side and, loving the sound of their own voices, gave a tone-deaf running commentary on what had caused the bleeding and how much blood was being lost. I was appalled by those who engaged in such conduct.

But the good news was, in the midst of the clouds of white privilege and darkness and insular self-focus and violence and despair, there were little rays of light and hope shining down. I want to share some of these rays of hope with you. Sometimes the internet makes me want to hide under a rock because it does reflect the attitudes that are out there in society. The lack of listening and the pontificating and the arrogance are just too much.

But there are places where Christians (and, yes, others too) are shining a light in the darkness.

Read the rest here