Page 32 - Presbyterian Connection

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PRESBYTERIAN
SUMMER 2023
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Connection
Transformative Justice Then and Now
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Committed to Healing & Reconciliation
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By Allyson Carr, Justice Ministries
Like many other denominations and faith groups, The Presbyte- rian Church in Canada has been examining how it can address systemic racism—both within society more broadly and within the church. One element of the PCC’s actions—stemming from an acknowledgement that in order to really address systemic rac- ism one must not only identify and reject racism but continually and actively work against it—is to develop an Anti-racism Covenant. A multi-racial group to guide that process is in the midst of being drawn together and will likely be- gin its work over the summer.
Given this work, I was not sur- prised to come across a resource on racism published by the World Council of Churches that someone had left on my desk recently. It is called Transformative Justice: Be- ing Church and Overcoming Rac- ism. Examining it, one can see over its 52 pages that it draws extensively on scripture as well as on statements from a variety of ecumenical sources. The top- ics addressed in different sections are timely and speak to our pre- sent context as relevant issues the church needs to acknowledge and face. For instance, when introduc- ing what transformative justice in the context of overcoming racism means, it has section titles like “Inclusive Community”; “Repa- ration and Restitution”; “Healing and Reconciliation”; “Imbalance of Relationships and Power.” I was glad to see that it contains an entire section toward the end on “Strategies to Confront and Over- come Racism” and that it closes with a vision of what the fruits of racial justice might actually look like when achieved. With a glos- sary of terms for clarity and an en- tire opening theological framework on racism as sin, it felt like just the guidebook that might be useful for the journey the church is on.
The quick page-through of its contents had me excited to sit down and read it, seeing how we might draw on such a timely work. I was surprised I had not heard that it was coming out, though, so I checked the publica- tion date, which was printed in small type right on the cover. Only then did I realize it had been pub- lished in 2004—a full nineteen years ago now. This guidebook had been available for nearly two
decades. A pain settled deeper in my stomach.
The fact that it was written so long ago and yet remains so time- ly in its topics should be distress- ing. The church has been saying since at least the early seventies (and in many quarters, long be- fore that) that racism is incompat- ible with the gospel (A&P 1972, pp. 269-270, 59). When the PCC itself adopted such language in 1972, it was affirming previous statements of ecumenical and international origin; namely, the 1954 Evanston Assembly state- ment, materials from the 1966 Geneva Conference on Church and Society, the 1968 Uppsala Assembly statement, and a state- ment from the 183rd General As- sembly of the United Presbyterian Church. The problem of racism— which is of course a problem all over the globe and not solely here in Canada—has been identi- fied, documented, acknowledged, condemned ecumenically and internationally with commitments to change. Some progress has no doubt been made, and yet...here we are in 2023 with systemic rac- ism still alive and well within our society and institutions, includ- ing the church. This despite the dedicated, hard work of decades of courageous people, frequently led by the very communities sys- temic racism targets.
Something (almost certainly a variety of things) is collectively slowing or stopping the church as the body of Christ from address- ing a sin the church has acknowl- edged within itself and admitted is contrary to the gospel and to the mind and will of Christ. Col-
lectively, we need to identify the supports and powers that are keeping systemic racism in place and recognize the barriers to transformative racial justice, so that we can dismantle them. Oth- erwise, as a church, we remain in a position that is actively contrary to the gospel.
All who belong to the body of Christ are called to work against racism, to become anti-racist. As this article has detailed, this work is not new and so it is helpful to draw strength and momentum from the cloud of witnesses who have spoken before today, and to learn from them. There will be several measures taken, intended to support this mission to ad- dress racism before the General Assembly this year. The work of the Anti-racism Covenant group will begin soon. There will be more information coming out, and resources to learn about and engage in to reinforce anti-racism as this work proceeds.
There is much to do and there are many people already engaged in it. Since systemic racism is legion, the work is varied and re- sults will not happen overnight. There will be reports and recom- mendations in the coming year as the Anti-racism Covenant is drafted and as the PCC examines its structures, policies and prac- tices to locate if and where there are barriers. Meanwhile, to learn more about the PCC’s history on speaking and working against racism and to find resources that are already available, see the anti- racism page of our Social Action Hub at presbyterian.ca/justice/ social-action/anti-racism.