Having Helpful Conversations about Race in the Church InezTorres.Davis@elca.org Director for Justice Presented by The Rev. Angela Shannon and The Rev. Dr. Cynthia Ishler

A Prayer for Illumination Gracious Lord, like Nicodemus, we come to with many questions. Like the Pharisees, we can be captivated by correctness, intent on right answers. As we turn to You, Spirit of God, do not let our desire for information dominate our need for transformation. Let us listen and be moved to greater faith and action for the good of all. Amen. Then introduce ourselves. 7 minutes

Conversations that lead to Advocacy Having Helpful Conversations about Race in the Church Connection Conversations that lead to Advocacy Context I explain/ how to access on internet

Context includes perceived realities as well as actual realities. The current and historical realities/facts that provide a particular event or action. Context includes perceived realities as well as actual realities. Angie – pot roast story

Context Knowledge is not only power; it is freedom! Knowledge of context creates spaciousness: it opens our eyes to a broader reality. If left to our own devices, our vision of reality becomes narrowly focused. Angie will discuss

Racial context is more complicated than it may appear at first glance. Understanding racial context is essential to understanding each other and ourselves. Cynthia: Our context in USA is racialized. Acknowledging who we are together. Beginning and you don’t start by talking with POC.

YouTube: “Decoded” LOOKING AT CONTEXT Angie: We’re about to look at a short video.

CONNECTIONS Connection is what God chose to do when the Word became Incarnate. We create empathy when we allow our souls to connect to the contexts of others. Angie: The Word became flesh and by our baptisms in us. So that we have the ability and birthright via baptism to create empathy.

The connections we create to the struggle for racial justice through the stories of others stay with us. These connections (like the knowledge of contexts) support having helpful conversations about race. Cynthia explains

Discuss video What was unknown before the video? Where do connections happened? What parts are upper most in your minds right now? What especially has touched your soul/inner emotions? Cynthia and Angie

Conversations Speaking the same language is critical to having a helpful conversation about anything. Learning and practicing the language of racial justice is a part of having helpful conversations about race. Angie

Some words we need to understand Racism Structural Racism Implicit Bias (implicit.harvard.edu/implicit/) Internalized Racial Oppression White Privilege White Fragility Cynthia: Racism, Structural Racism/ White Privilege, White Fragility Angie: Implicit Bias & Internalized Racial Oppression Jambu Juice

It has been said that until structural racism becomes as urgent a problem for White people as it is for people of color, nothing will really change. Talk about this. Cynthia BLM

Wanda Sykes “White men, they get nervous when another race gets a little power, ‘cause they’re scared that that race is going to do to them what they did to that race. So they start screaming, ‘Reverse racism! This is reverse racism!’ Wait a minute, isn’t reverse racism when a racist is nice to other people? That’s reverse racism. What you’re afraid of is KARMA.”

There will be some resistance God is present, mindful and faithful With conversations about race in the church, we can count on these two things: There will be some resistance God is present, mindful and faithful Talk about fear that drives resistance. Angie has stuff to say. Say something about Sykes quote.

YOU TUBE: DECODED REVISIT CONTEXT Did you see anything differently as a result.

Discuss in groups of 3 What did you see differently in this second viewing? How does it lead to context, connection and conversation?

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