VOL. 63, NO. 4 APRIL, 1980 Black Church & Social Change William Howard Mattie Hopkins Cornel West publication. and reuse for required Permission DFMS. / Church Episcopal the of Archives 2020. Copyright

Lessons From Three Decades Of Civil Rights Anne Braden Forum for Controversy Support Stringfeiiow Church, both lay and clergy. And to THE WITNESS, thank you for This is simply a reflection of my feelings, For a long time we have been aware of your courage in sharing and giving us intended as support for the work which the absence of any stand on vital issues the opportunity in turn to express our you are doing. I particularly address on the part of the Presiding Bishop, beliefs. your publishing of William String- John Allin. Furthermore, we were Frances L. E. Ruegg publication. fellow's "An Open Letter to the shocked when the Presiding Bishop Mary F. Brinley

and Presiding Bishop" in your January ignored his subpoena to testify at the Chestnut Hill, Pa. issue. This took courage to publish, and Wendt Trial. We were shocked at his

reuse I for one, greatly respect that courage. remarkable position taken contrary to Christian Candor? for the General Convention against women Although I do not feel as strongly as priests. And more than anything else we Mr. Stringfeiiow, I think that the church I ought perhaps preface this comment were shocked that he was partially the today very much needs to hear this sort on William Stringfellow's Open Letter to required of thing. I am delighted to see THE cause of imprisonment and then total the Presiding Bishop by stating that "I WITNESS allow itself to be used as such lack of support of the two women on the am not now, and never have been" a a forum. Hispanic desk, who for their Christian great defender of Bishop Allin's ethics went to jail—receiving no occupancy of his office. Still, I am Permission I have had the experience of writing assistance until under pressure a moved to rise to his defense in not for publications whose editors have meager sum was squeezed out of the replying to the Stringfeiiow letter, as I

DFMS. chosen to rewrite my material to remove Presiding Bishop's discretionary fund. would to the defense of anyone / any suggestion of controversy and give We also call for the resignation of subjected to such an onslaught. the material a "rose tinted" hue which John Allin as Presiding Bishop of the In the name of pastoral responsibility Church was not intended. Thissort of thing must Episcopal Church, U.S.A. Thank you, and concern for Bishop Allin as a human be countered with efforts such as yours. Mr. Stringfeiiow, for having the courage being, Stringfeiiow supplies him with a Bravo for taking the risk. to write your Open Letter to THE crushing picture of himself which is

Episcopal WITNESS, which has expressed, and neither objectively verifiable nor pinpointed, the feelings of a vast number the The Rev. Richard Bridgford subjectively tolerable. His "image of of Norfolk, Va. of the membership of the Episcopal Continued on page 22

Archives An Open Letter to William Stringfeiiow 2020. My brother, peace! I write this letter "conservative" side. And I am not saying organization—somewhat of a non- within the context of my deep respect for that "though what you write is true look issue? What I am saying is, (and I accuse you, and my sincere admiration for your what we have done!" I am saying rather myself of this) do we not spend too Copyright work and ministry. I write also in basic that I see our church and the Anglican much energy in anger over little people agreement with your "Open Letter to the Communion of which it is a part as the who ultimately have little to say? The Presiding Bishop." I do not write to singular most prophetic manifestation Presiding Bishop may not swallow the attack, or to disagree, but to seek, with of Catholic Christianity in centuries. ordination of women but the ordination you, to serve our church and the Church Two questions come to mind. Though of women is a fact and it will be the Universal through ache, mutual search what you write is true and I applaud your women and not the P.B. who will and mutual hope. integrity and your courage, do you see overcome. The Presiding Bishop (and I wonder if, in your own Open Letter, this other side of which I speak? If so, the many another) might be cruel to you do not miss something of the special second question: Given this special homophiles—but the persons who are and unique charism of our beloved charism of our Communion and church, so oriented will overcome. And for every PECUSA? Believe me, as a radical is not the Presiding Bishop—necessary John Allin there is a Paul Moore, a myself, I am not sure I like taking a as he might be for order and Continued on page 22 Robert L. DeWitt, Editor; Mary Lou Suhor, Managing Editor; Kay Atwater, Robert Eckersley, Richard W. Gillett, Ann Hunter. Susan Small, Lisa K. Whelan, Hugh C. White, Jr. Editorial and Business IHE WITNESS Office: P.O. Box 359, Ambler, PA 19002. Telephone (215) 643-7067. Subscription rates: $9.00 per year; $1.00 per copy. The Witness is published monthly by the Episcopal Church Publishing Company. Board of Directors: Wesley Frensdorff, Steven Guerra, Barbara Harris, Suzanne Hiatt, John E. Hines, Mattie Hopkins, Joan Howarth, James Lewis, H. Coleman McGehee, Joseph A. Pelham, Robert S. Potter, and Helen Seager. Copyright 1980 by the Episcopal Church Publishing Company. Printed in U.S.A.

publication. Cult, Cause & Commitment Robert L. DeWitt and How do we keep hoping in the face of precursors of the Easter Festival which, in

reuse discouragement? How do we maintain a faith commemorating the Ressurrection, looks back in for when it is challenged by harsh and bitter realities? gratitude to a might deliverance by God, and These questions, unasked, were nevertheless looks forward to a life of renewed fatihfulness. brooding in the atmosphere in Indianapolis in required Christians signalize this heritage of gratitude mid-February when some 500 laity, priests and when they sing the familiar Easter hymn: bishops met to form an Episcopal Urban Caucus. Gathered together were many who had been Come, ye faithful, raise the strain Permission prominently identified with the significant issues Of triumphant gladness. of social mission which have claimed national God hath brought this Israel DFMS. / attention over the past two decades. Stubborn Into joy from sadness . . . issues, refusing to go away. A case in point is the

Church continuing tragedy of racism, addressed in many Indianapolis was in that tradition. Not one vital of the pages of this issue of THE WITNESS. A cause was left unnamed in the lengthy litany of casual observer might have found the tone and social concerns. It was a cultic event. It was a Episcopal resolutions of the assembly quite predictable, and remembering, and a resolve. As in those days of the

of might well have felt it was all just an emotional and ancient Israel, when the tribes of Judah, of ineffective exercise recalling the hemorrhaging Manasseh, Levi and the others would have their hearts of the do-gooders of the '60s. own particular input of remembrance and Archives But such an evaluation would have missed a concern, so it was at this assembly. Women, deeper dimension of what was going on. The Hispanics, Blacks, Appalachians, those on 2020. social mission of the church for some years has relief—each was anxious to hold up its concerns fallen on hard times. Those gathered at the to the other "tribes." And out of these shared

Copyright Assembly were the weary warriors who had not concerns came a common resolve. This league, bowed the knee to Baal, and were looking for the like ancient Israel, had a sense of solidarity, consolation of Israel. Indeed, the analogy is manifested in their electing a governing board of suggestive. During the great feast days in ancient four bishops, four clergy and eight lay persons. Israel, the league of tribes gathered for a deeply These have been charged with the responsibility meaningful cultic event. On those occasions they of gathering up the intercessions in the recalled what God had done for them, and what assembly's "litany" and establishing coherence God expected of them. And out of this cultic and priorities for the actions to follow. remembering there arose a new resolve that As with the community-building efforts of strengthened them to be faithful to their side of ancient Israel and of the early Christians, so it is the covenant. Those great feast days were Continued on page 19 The civil rights movement did not die a natural death; it was aborted by wealth and power. Lessons learned during that struggle merit serious study in the '80s as the political Right gains momentum. Civil Rights Movement: How It Succeded, publication. and How It Failed reuse

for by Anne Braden

required I want to recall the history of the civil One reason is that a couple of myths rate among blacks was 37 deaths for rights movement of recent decades in have arisen. The first myth tells us that every 1000 babies born; in 1976 it had this country, not as history in the the civil rights movement achieved its gone up to 43. Among black teenagers abstract, but because I think this goals and simply faded off the scene.

Permission the suicide rate doubled between 1965 movement provides lessons that this That is patently untrue. The civil rights and 1975. A few years ago the median nation needs desperately to hear at this movement accomplished many things, income among black families in this DFMS.

/ moment. In fact, I think that the very but it did not achieve its basic goal. In country was about 62% of the median future of this country, and maybe the early days people involved in the income of white families, but the latest whether we have a future or not, movement used to talk about what they Church figures show that black median income depends on whether the lessons called the Beloved Community. Just is 57% of white, getting worse. A few produced by that movement are heard what that meant was not always spelled years ago unemployment rates among and heeded. Episcopal out but it was a powerful idea, and black people were 1 Vi times as high as What we usually call the civil rights because people believed in that idea

the among whites. Today black of movement developed in the Southern they were willing to risk their lives. unemployment rates are 2Vi times as United States in the late '40s, and Some of them died, gripped and high as among whites. Again, getting actually continues to this day. But inspired by the vision of a whole new worse. Archives unfortunately there is a great deal of world. And that basically was what the The most appalling situation of confusion about exactly what this civil rights movement was about. The course is the unemployment figure for 2020. movement represents and what Beloved Community was not just to be black youth. Even by official happened to it. people loving each other, although that government figures, at least one third of was certainly a part of it. It was to be a our black youth cannot find jobs. But Copyright just and fair society, a society in which according to unofficial and certainly Anne Braden is an Episcopalian journalist racism and oppression had been more accurate surveys that have been who has been active in movements for civil eliminated. That was the goal; rights, civil liberties, peace and labor for the made by groups like the Urban League, past 33 years. She is co-chair of the Southern obviously, it was not accomplished. at least 60% can't find jobs. And in some Organizing Committee for Economic and To emphasize that, let me give a few inner cities the figure is 75 and 80%. A Social Justice, and vice-chairperson of the facts. In Mississippi in the 1960s black whole generation of young black people National Alliance Against Racism and Political people represented 26% of the state's in this country is systematically being Repression. Her recent address at Haverford destroyed. It doesn't take much College, sponsored by Students for poor people (poor by official Democratic Education was taped for THE government standards). By the mid-'70s imagination to figure where a lot of WITNESS by Muhammad Kenyatta. Excerpts that percentage had risen to 34%. In the them will end up—either in prison, or in appear above. 1960s in Harlem the infant mortality military service, or dead. This is a national disaster, and the fact that it is restaurant. Or when whites who that movement was thrown into not being treated as such is evidence of challenged the status quo could also be temporary disarray because it came how deeply ingrained racism is in the met by howling mobs. As for the vote, it under a staggering and sustained attack United States. I'll guarantee you that if may not have made a revolution, and by powerful forces in this nation which 75% of young white people couldn't find black elected officials don't always do were determined to kill it. Thus, it jobs, something would be done. So the what the black man and woman on the became an aborted revolution. It is idea that the civil rights movement won street wish they would do. But if one is important to understand what those in its goals and faded out of existence is going down to city hall to protest police power did and why they did it. To do clearly a myth. brutality, or to the school board to try that we must analyze just what the civil And then there is the second myth, to deal with racism, it makes a rights movement represented, what it the totally opposite view, that the civil difference if there are some black people accomplished and why people in power rights movement accomplished nothing in public office. were afraid of it. at all except to elevate a few blacks into Beyond these concrete achievements, The modern civil rights movement publication. positions of prestige and/or into the there is the undeniable fact that the civil had its beginning in Montgomery, Ala., and middle class, and left life for the masses rights movement changed the way in December of 1955 with the unchanged. And a corollary to this millions of people in this country think. Montgomery bus boycott. It was not reuse myth: the goals were really It certainly changed the way black the first time that blacks had fought for for unattainable, so people just got people think. For it spread across the freedom. That had been going on since frustrated and gave up. But that is not land the conviction that blacks didn't the first slave ship arrived on these

required true either. In the first place the civil have to continue to live in the shores. But Montgomery marked a rights movement accomplished some oppression under which they lived for qualitative change. Black people in remarkable things. It tore down the 300 years. It changed the way many Montgomery decided in mass that they structure of public segregation in the white people think, too, and made them would take no more, that they would Permission South. Twenty years ago people said reexamine the racist history of this not be second class citizens any longer. that was impossible. And it won the country. And they moved. And from there the DFMS.

/ right to vote for everybody in the South. But I have another theory about what concern spread, as there were more bus I grew up in Alabama in the days of happened to the civil rights movement. boycotts in cities and hamlets all across rigid segregation, and I don't know Neither did it accomplish its goals and the South. People challenged at first the Church anybody who would want to go back to fade away, nor did the people involved symbols of segregation, such as the days when it was worth a black in it grow frustrated and quit. I think segregation in public accommodations. man's life to walk into a white But they also challenged segregated

Episcopal that beginning in the mid and late 1960s the of Archives 2020. Copyright hospitals that had been letting black contagious. Suddenly white students '60s began to organize in the deep people die on waiting room floors. They found that they, also could speak and South. challenged segregated schools, and act. In California, white students were In the mid-'60s the civil rights black children walked through the inspired by what black students were movement moved on from the symbols mobs to go to token desegregated doing in the South and from California of segregation to address itself to schools in those days. In 1960, a new that student movement spread all across economic issues. People in the generation of black students came onto the country. About the mid-'60s, among movement across the South were the scene, moving into action, sitting at women and other sections of the beginning to say: "What good is it to be the lunch counters, going to jail, population, a massive movement was able to sit at a lunch counter if I don't winning victories. And then moving out building to stop the U.S. involvement in have money to buy a hamburger?" So into the community in Mississippi, Vietnam. In the early 70s it won the the movement began to look to the Georgia, Alabama—the deep South— support of the majority of the people in struggle for jobs and the right to to organize young and old people to win this country and stopped the war. organize a union. And in 1968 the Poor publication. the vote and human dignity. Across the Let's never forget that the people of People's campaign was launched, and whole country, people were catching this country organized and turned their designed to unite poor Blacks, that spirit of freedom, and demanding government around and away from the Chicanos, Puerto Ricans, Native reuse change. A mass movement of black crimes it was committing at that time in Americans and Whites in this country in for people in this country started in the a giant demand that this nation reorder South and spread from there. It was a its priorities and begin to deal with the movement joined first by a few and then needs of people. Martin Luther King, required by great numbers of white people who Jr. went to Memphis to help the garbage said: Your struggle is our struggle. You workers there in their fight for a union. are fighting for all of us. We'll go to jail The way was being cleared for a massive Permission too, and well die if necessary. And some merging of the civil rights movement of them did. Let's look at the setting in and a new grass roots labor movement

DFMS. which that happened. in this country. / If you were one of the people in power In 1955 this nation was gripped by a when all this was happening—one of the Church great silence, a great social fear. After people who owned and controlled the World War II the people who own and nation's resources—what would you run this country moved to try to control have been thinking? Obviously, that Episcopal the world and establish the "American movement was threatening your wealth the

of century." So they set out to do what and your power. I think you would have they called "containing communism." done everything you could to stop it. At home they tried to move to regain the Southeast Asia. Meantime, catching the And that precisely is what the people

Archives ground they had lost during the winds of the times, poor people across who run this country did. They saw that upsurges of people's movements in the the country, white as well as black, the key to the whole thing was the black 2020. 1930s, when this nation's industrial jobless people in Appalachia as well as freedom movement, and if they could workers organized for the first time and displaced black sharecroppers in destroy or even cripple it temporarily, forced economic reforms. So we had the Mississippi, were also organizing. they could destroy the whole Copyright witch hunts, the Red scare, the loyalty White women began to talk about their movement, or at least delay it for their oath, the purges, the splitting of the own oppression as women and we had lifetime. So Martin Luther King was labor movement. We had the beginning the beginning of the new women's murdered in Memphis. Key organizers of "the silent '50s." And then, in the liberation movement. Suddenly white of the black freedom movement across most suppressed section—the black workers in the South began to think the land were suddenly under attack. community—and in the most unlikely about what the black freedom Some were murdered in cold blood—as of all places—the cradle of the movement meant for the mid-'60s. They witness the attack on the Black Confederacy, Montgomery, Ala.—a began to see that it was to their Panthers. Many more black organizers new movement started. Over the next advantage to link up with that were framed on ridiculous charges and decade it grew into mass proportions movement. Black and white sent to prison for long terms. and the results were electric and woodcutters, for example, in the mid- Meanwhile those in power moved to weaken and destroy organizations, to If those things weren't being propagated or both, to make the changes necessary infiltrate them, to co-opt people who in high places, the Klan couldn't be to insure enough for everybody. In that could be co-opted. reviving as it is today. At the beginning situation, the people in power have Don't ever let anyone tell you that the of the 1980s we probably face the apparently made a de facto decision— movement in the late '60s and early 70s greatest time of crisis that has ever that if there is not enough for simply died. At the very moment when existed since the birth of this nation. We everybody, black people and other it was on the verge of accomplishing are living in a moment when society is people of color can do without. If there some basic changes in this society, it was literally falling apart before our eyes. is not enough decent housing for at least a temporary victim of the people The economy is in trouble, people are everybody, black people can live in who wanted to kill it and knew that it finding it hard to survive, middle-class slums. If there is not enough good was in their interest to do so. The fallout people as well as the poor. Our cities are health care for everybody, blacks can die from that massive attack of the late '60s decaying, our school systems are young. The very essence of racism is the set in motion forces that plagued us all deteriorating, and many people are proposition that where'burdens are to publication. through the decade of the 70s, and pose becoming cynical. And the only answers be borne, black people must bear them. and a grave danger to the future of this the people who run this society seem to But once we tell people they are going country. have is to build more and bigger to be oppressed, in actions if not in reuse Racism, which had been on the prisons, and to spend more and more of words, they are going to rebel. for defensive through the '60s because of our nation's resources on so-called Eventually those in power are going to the force of the civil rights movement, defense when we already have enough have to set up a police state to keep them nuclear arms to blow up the world required was on the offensive again. In academic under control. The task of the police several times. halls, pseudo-scholars began to peddle will not be to protect, but to control the ideas that had been discredited decades In this situation, thousands or maybe community. And that is why we are ago about light-skinned people being millions of white people are being sold seeing all over this country a rise in Permission superior to dark-skinned people. The on the idea that if they can't get a job it is crimes of police against the people, and Ku Klux Klan, which had been virtually because a black person got the job as the that is why they are building more and DFMS.

/ destroyed by the momentum of the '60s result of an affirmative action program. more prisons. Ultimately, a police state movement, had a resurgence all across And if they don't have enough to live on must use storm troopers. And that's the country. The courts began to retreat because prices and taxes are too high, what the KKK, small in size now, could Church on human rights issues. Congress began it's because their pay checks are being be. fencing in the civil rights legislation it eaten up by government spending on so- Before the civil rights movement, the had passsed a decade earlier. Suddenly called give-away programs to blacks. Episcopal South was the closest thing to a police the idea of so-called reverse If enough white people become the state that ever existed in this country. of discrimination was gaining popularity. convinced that it is blacks and other The people who ran it in the old days We were being told that black people people of color in this country who are had decided that if there were burdens had made too much progress, and it was causing their problems, then the needed to be borne, the blacks could bear them. Archives white people who were discriminated scapegoat has been found. We can well To maintain that state of affairs they against. That is what is being said by the have the potential mass-base for fascism had to create a police state. What some 2020. Ku Klux Klan, and a lot of people are in this country. We don't have a fascist of us who are white learned was that listening to it. Klan leaders say that they society at this point, but the foundation once that happened, it imprisoned not are for equality for everybody, but right for a police state is being laid. only blacks, but us as well, except for a Copyright now, black people are getting We are the richest country in the few in power. everything, and somebody has got to world. But the people who run the It took the blood and the tears of the protect the rights of white people. economy are either unwilling, unable, civil rights movement and it took the That is why the Klan has come to lives of some to break that police state. Decatur, 111., to San Rafael, Cal., and CREDITS We were able to do it only because we why it's going to Long Island, N.Y. Cover, Gina Clement; pp. 5, 6 LNS; had help from all over the country; it is Those who argue for reverse photo p. 8 by Rosie Saffold, A.D. almost impossible to break a police discrimination in court rooms, magazine; graphic p. 11, Human state from within. I suggest that if the academic halls, and respectable Rights Perspectives; photo p. 16 by Jacqueline Gill; graphic p. 20 courtesy South moves backward, the political publications may say it more politely, National Farm Worker Ministry. climate moves to the right, and the but they are also saying the same thing. Continued on page 21 Gospel Liberation Themes: A Challenge to Blacks by William Howard

Some writers indicate that the Black Church's deviation from its militant publication. mission became more pronounced soon and after the Civil War. Then, legal slavery had ended and the challenge of giving reuse order and normalcy to black life was for first on the agenda. By no means was the black community ever free from required tyranny and intimidation in this period; if anything white terrorism showed a marked increase.

Permission But clearly we can say that for the first time during their history in the United States, black people were in a DFMS. / position to proclaim what they wanted, not just what they didn't want. They

Church were able for the first time on these shores to complete the phrase: "TO BE FREE IS. . ."

Episcopal There were three options: they could

the return to their African homeland; they of could struggle to build a structurally more just society in the United States; bondage in a hostile environment. only chance for authentic liberation and or they could work to be included in the But clearly, far more Africans chose human fulfillment that is available to Archives on-going life of the young nation. to work for "civil rights" within the this country's black population. This

2020. Our history will show that each of context of the given America, than has been the line of all the major civil these options was pursued by different chose to repatriate to Africa or to work rights organizations, and it has certainly segments of the black population, for the fundamental transformation of been the line of those pastors and

Copyright although at the time the primary motive the socio-political order of the country. churches which have cried out for of each group was to insure its survival To this very day, those of us who justice over these many years.But who in the best way it knew how. The consider "inclusion" to be the best among us has asked about the choosing of options in a detached and alternative still prevail, and this is just as implications of inclusion? Inclusion for objective way was too sophisticated a true in the church as it is in the greater whom and for what? Who among us has luxury for a people newly freed from community of black persons. We have really analyzed what it means to be seemingly put all our marbles together included in the political, economic and in one basket. Either we win an equal social system in which we live? Such The Rev. M. William Howard is president of opportunity here in the United States or analysis would surely reveal that not the National Council of Churches of Christ in the U.S.A. This article is taken from his we will go down trying. This perspective only is it impossible for us to have keynote address at the Black Theology is being promoted by some black people justice within the present order, but as Project's "Operation Soul" in Philadelphia. and a few liberal white people as the long as the machinery of this order

8 acceptable year of the Lord, without struggling to free the captives or to give sight to the blind? "The Black Church which We know that day will never come. teaches that upward class And we know in our hearts that if the mobility, the acquisition of new day will come, it will be the least of things, and electoral politics our brethren who bring it. are the best signs of hope That is precisely where our whole Black Chuch tradition hangs in the against the lingering ravages of balance: will it continue to preach the slavery is a Black Church functions, and functions well, it coming of a new day without taking up which is doomed to be judged continues to insure imperialistic its cross and ushering the new day in? by its own sermons." publication. domination of peoples in most other Will it continue to disdain oppression, while pushing hard to be enveloped by a and parts of the world. And in the face of this conclusion, which road do we structure that proliferates oppression? reuse choose? Perhaps that is the most Our people need opportunities to maneuver and make things better? for important question for us in this think and examine without fear "what generation. Will we confine our struggle Then, we really have not yet realized are the chains that bind them in this for a just society to a domestic affair or that the structure of our society breeds world." Just a little bit of observation required are we searching for international or injustice. Its very fabric breeds will tell us that these chains are not global conceptions of the factors which oppression and requires selfish confined to our neighborhood; not even control our fate? competitiveness. And it is this structure confined to our city, state or nation.

Permission that we want to include us—this Instead, we will learn that one of our It is imperative for the Black Church structure in which we have chosen to to meet these questions head on and to greatest and most formidable enemies is sink or swim. Do we think that we can a world-wide economic system which DFMS. explore them to their greatest depths, / humanize a structurally injust system by because more and more our thrives on cheap labor, which thrives on participating in it, or is it really our hope cheap natural resources, which thrives congregations are stimulated by what to get in on the action—corruption, Church on an almost mindless, insatiable public they observe in their daily lives, to greed and all the rest—and "git while question much of what we have taught bent on consumerism. This system the gittin' is good?" If the latter is our respects no national boundaries, and in the past. It is hardly likely that many hope, we have not only abandoned the Episcopal those who would resist it are compelled will derive a clearer understanding of large majority of our people and our the our world order if it does not come from to reach out to people of many nations of link with the radical origins of the Black the church. to form relationships of solidarity and Church, but we have given up all claim mutual opposition. What earthly message can the Black to Christ's Gospel itself.

Archives Church bring to explain corruption in Without these global relationships high places; what explanation can it What, then can be our alternate with other oppressed peoples we are

2020. bring to rising inflation, the declining course? Is it not our charge to build this unable to recognize certain relevant value of the dollar on international kingdom on earth? Is not this kingdom signs of God's kingdom. This will be markets; what explanation for the rising a center of life, of love, of caring true because we will be too blinded by Copyright trade deficits or the high rate of one for another? Is it not that our own luxury and flamboyance. We unemployment among our youth? place where animal and plant life are in will be too limited by our own Or better yet, how can black clergy harmony, where race and class no conviction that to consume is superior. who worked so hard for Jimmy Carter longer contain human relations? Where More and more, the Black Church explain why his performance for the conservation and ecology abound? which teaches that upward class poor has been so lacking? Where each person has his worth? mobility, the acquistion of things, and Could it be that our understanding of Oh, what a beautiful city! electoral politics are the best signs of the situation is faulty? Do we still But will we ever get there? Will the hope against the lingering ravages of presume that if a few well-intended, new day just evolve from nothing? Do slavery, is a Black Church which is good people could just be placed in the we think, one morning when we rise up, doomed to be judged by its own proper positions, then they will we will magically look out upon the sermons. • In Partnership With Apartheid

My remarks today will focus on observations made in should be doing? Although opinion is divided, most think connection with our 17 day visit to South Africa. I first want they should be disinvesting. We talked to dozens of workers to attempt to describe, in some measure, the South African in American owned plants and none of them were willing to arrangement. The apartheid system in South Africa is compromise a few token concessions of an affirmative brutally enforced by the police and upheld by racist laws action type as a substitute for their full human rights in publication. which represent a daily violation of the humanity of the South Africa. Black South Africans who talk of and black population in South Africa. We talked to a number of disinvestment do so in private conversation for to do so business leaders among white South Africans who fully publicly would be to risk jail. They informed us that Section reuse agree with that estimate. The South African government 2 of the "Terrorism Act" prohibited any South African or for does not recognize black humanity. "non-citizen" (i.e. blacks) from arguing the case for One could say, "Well this is bad and we oppose it, but disinvestment under penalty of a minimum of five years in required what does this have to do with U.S. foreign policy?" The prison. U.S. involvement with that racist regime—the economic, We met with the leaders of the Mobil Corporation of political, diplomatic, military, and cultural ties between our South Africa at Mobil House in Capetown. When we asked government and the apartheid regime of South Africa-

Permission the company leadership if the oil they sell to the South constitutes a partnership of serious import. Three hundred African government is resold to Rhodesia and was thereby and fifty U.S. business corporations operate .there. These in violation of the embargo that is supposed to be effect, they DFMS.

/ 350 U.S. corporations employ about 60,000 blacks in mostly replied that the South African "Official Secrets Act" menial, low-paying jobs with no union and another 40,000 prevents them, by law, from answering any questions whites, mostly in upper salary, white collar occupations and

Church regarding where they get their oil or to whom they sell it. managerial positions. These circumstances put the U.S. Furthermore, they said that the General Law Amendment government and our corporations in an uneasy partnership Act of 1974 requires them to apply to the minister of with South African apartheid.

Episcopal economic affairs to get permission to answer questions like

the Economically the apartheid regime needs a 7% annual the one we were asking. This is an example of the extent to of growth rate. From their own capital they can generate 3 to which U.S. corporations accommodate the rules of the y/i% a year or about half of what they need. The system apartheid regime. needs $600 million to $2 billion a year in new capital to grow. We visited Ford in South Africa and found that 80% of its Archives If we insist upon disinvestment because of labor force is nonwhite, but 88% of its supervisors and disenfranchisement, then we would make a valid managers are white. We asked the representatives of the 2020. contribution to the liberation of black people in South Ford plant management if their company was incompliance Africa. with U.S. Commerce Department regulations issued in What do South African blacks think U.S. companies

Copyright February of 1978, regarding sales to the South African government (police and military). Their reply was the following: "Our company has told us that these regulations apply to U.S. origin products only, but that products The Rev. Jesse L. Jackson, national director of Operation P.U.S.H. (People United to Save Humanity), spent 17 days touring South licensed elsewhere can be sold to the South African Africa in July, 1979, at the invitation of the United Congregational government." They went on to say that about 10% of their Church of South Africa and Bishop Desmond Tutu, general sales are to the South African government and that they secretary of the South African Council of Churches. The above is hesitate to refuse sales because the government has the excerpted from the Rev. Jackson's testimony before the House power to affect a general boycott of Ford products in the Committee on International Relations, Subcommittee on Africa Sept. 6, 1979, and reprinted with permission of the Corporate South African market. Examiner, publication on the Interfaith Center for Corporate We visited General Motors of South Africa, their Responsibility. assembly and manufacturing plant in Port Elizabeth. They

10 by Jesse Jackson

have one African foreman and no black employees in such white collar jobs as the timekeeping department. We asked the leaders of the GM plant how they would describe their relations with the South African government. Their response was, "Good. The South African government is a publication. big customer." and In terms of assessing current U.S. policy toward South Africa, it is clear that the United States is a partner with reuse South Africa, with its capital in the form of investments and for loans. And capital attracts capital. The United States contributes to the social acceptance of South Africa. U.S.

required companies exploit cheap labor. U.S. companies abide by South African law. Additionally, South Africa makes $1.2 billion a year from the sale of the gold krugerrand and more than half of this amount, roughly $600 million, is money or Permission foreign exchange earned by South Africa from sales of the krugerrand in the American market. So America must make DFMS.

/ a decision about South Africa. The United States must determine which side of history it chooses to be on. Finally, if I may be permitted a very personal word. Some Church persons were critical of us because they said, "You haven't been here long enough and you don't understand apartheid." And there may be some things that I do not Episcopal understand about South African apartheid. But I doubt the

of there are many. I told the press when they challenged me, "You apparently don't understand. I was born and bred in apartheid—not in South Africa, but in South Carolina." Archives The division on color is nothing new to me. I waited on tables. I catted and shined shoes while the white boy was the 2020. cashier. I grew up where it was against the law for a black boy to know what a white boy knew. I know about the signs in buses reading, "Colored from the rear." I know about Copyright "Three-fifth human," Plessy vs. Ferguson, "Separate but Equal," Dred Scott, "A black's got no rights that a white man must respect." I told them, "Maybe y'all don't know me, but I know y'all." Change is going to come in South Africa. Whether it will be essentially economic, political and peaceful or whether violent and relatively sudden is yet to be determined. This lies largely in the hands of those with power in Pretoria. I am also convinced that the United States for moral, economic, political, national interest and national security reasons ought to help facilitate the change there.

11 publication. and reuse for

required 7 Tensions Enroute To Social Revolution Permission by Mattie Hopkins DFMS. / The following is a condensed version of the keynote

Church address given by Mattie Hopkins before 500 persons at the Indianapolis Assembly in February which organized the new Episcopal Urban Caucus. Ms. Hopkins is an

Episcopal educator and community activist from Chicago. the of You are being asked to join a of such an approach is that all who revolution! Now, I was warned by a are brought up in a pro-white Archives long-time friend not to use culture tend to think and feel and inflammatory words that would upset act in pro-white ways. 2020. people and turn them off. I mean, by So first, we need a revolution against revolution, something very simple—an this pro-white view of the world. elementary dictionary definition. I Now we should all recognize that Copyright mean a complete change, a turning there has been a revolution of self- around in ways of thinking and acting. perception among Black Americans, Let me paraphrase from the paper Dr. among Hispanics, among Native Nathan Wright presented at the Americans, Asians and others. This has Convocation of Black Episcopalians in also been generally true among the April 1978: colonized, exploited and impoverished Our accustomed approaches to people of the world. However, the the world reflect the self-interest church has not been attuned, nor and limited life experiences of one particularly sympathetic to the changes particular group of the human in self-perception of either its members family . .. The unfortunate aspect or the nonmembers in the communities

12 which surround its properties. Let me going on! The question to the church in persistence of this flaw in the paraphrase Dr. Wright again: general, and to Episcopalians American character. Any attempt White religious tradition, at its specifically is, "Which side are you on?" to escape from or evade this best, tries very hard to make life We do not have the power here to decide fundamental fact will condemn all better, while the people cry that whether this revolution should occur. It responses to this crisis to life needs to be changed, is occurring. It may succeed, it may be ineffectuality. Likewise sexism, transformed. A religion related to doomed, it may again be temporarily classism and domestic colonialism a culture of power seeks to lessen slapped down—but it is! Dr. Frederick as causal factors in the crisis must the burdens of the poor, while the Williams at the same Convocation of be faced and addressed." poor desire full release from Black Episcopalians said in his paper: Racism is a complex and deeply poverty. Making the penal system "There are those who believe that rooted manifestation of sin. It assumes more humane may seem to be a the struggle for equality and racial superiority and it must be worthwhile and Christian goal, survival belongs only within the accompanied by power. Persons or publication. but the prisoner longs for release context of black history! They too institutions may be prejudiced, and from captivity (all of the are wrong! It goes beyond the discriminatory or biased, but it is only captivities that have brought history of one people. It belongs when they have the power to exert their reuse about the physical one). Those to all who know that until all are influence or superiority that they are for whose religion is the status quo free, none are free ..." racist. I don't believe in black racism, want to minister to the helpless, Understand also that revolution is brown racism, for those groups have no but the helpless yearn to be self- required not new. Throughout history revolts power. Racism is woven into the woof sufficient. have gone on—slave revolts, peasant and warp of this society and affects If, as the testifiers urged in the revolts, labor revolts, black revolts, social status, political participation, hearings held by the Urban Bishops Irish revolts. Our purpose here is to find economic opportunity, cultural Permission Coalition, and as our Lord commands, out where we fit in. What is the unique acceptance, and most importantly, life we are in fact to be "advocates of the quality, the power, the talent in the and death. The organized church and DFMS.

/ poor," we are discussing revolution! We Episcopal Church that can serve the particularly this church, has had a long must face this squarely and relinquish revolution in long term. This is history of racism. What it has done is to the view that: "Well, everything isn't complex, and not for those who want a be part and parcel of the secular Church perfect, actually nothing is. But, isn't it quick and easy victory, or for those who society's sin rather than the bearer of the much better than it was?" Or, "I've just bore easily and turn to other issues. Good News. returned from extensive travel, and how It is obvious that we do not have the Given the current history of the Episcopal grateful we should all be that we live in answers to the ills of cities and are only divisions in both society and the church, the America." This is an ever-so-subtle of beginning to perceive the root causes. I it is hardly necessary to remind you of implication that God would not have believe that the root causes for our the havoc that sexism has wrought. been so good to us, if somehow we condition today are racism and the Here again the church has faltered

Archives weren't just a little bit better, a little bit insatiable greed for wealth and power. behind the secular society in righting holier, a little more deserving. But men, The Rev. Joseph Pelham's analysis in this flaw in its fabric. 2020. women and civilizations wax and wane. To Hear and To Heed comes to the The economic problems that we will The Egyptians, the Syrians, the same conclusion: be discussing here are also long term Babylonians, the Greek and Roman "As tired as our society may have and complex. John McKnight, urban Copyright civilizations rose and fell. Modern Italy, become of being confronted with affairs analyst, poses the puzzle of a France and England have lost their the reality of racism, it is clear that society, technologically advanced, places of prestige and power. God has no effective response to the where fewer and fewer workers are not promised immortality to the culture problems of the cities can occur needed. This is not new. Planners have or the power of the United States. which does not include a more been warning us for many years about If we decide to join this revolution we serious effort to neutralize the cybernation. Labor unions have fought must be prepared to join it where it is; effects of white racism than has the introduction of machines that and to follow the lead of those who want ever been undertaken, both by the replace workers. The technology is aid but not domination or subjugation. whole society and by the church. here—much that we don't even know And I emphasize here to join the The crisis of the cities is a crisis about—ready to take our places not revolution. That means that it is already wrought by the results of the only in the factories and on the farms,

13 but in the offices. What we have left actions, there will, of course, be work only on the one-to-one basis, who then, are people with nothing to do, "a tensions. First, there will be the tension believe strongly that that is the only way useless class"—John McKnight's between binding up the wounds and progress is made. How do we continue designation. Of course we have other changing the system. Some testifiers developing ourselves and our one-to- designations, some we know better: brought to the Urban Bishops' hearings one relationships and still involve the welfare mothers, ne'er-do-wells, lazy, great gaping wounds and serious hurt. institution in a war that needs concerted unmotivated, unskilled, uneducated, Just this week I watched a community action, powerful economic pressures as misfits. And around them has grown up cry in anguish and curse in anger as they well as moral suasion to be joined a whole industry of workers who serve recounted their many attempts to get successfully? Already tension has those useless ones: social workers, the city administration, the insurance developed over whether to work counsellors, therapists, etc., many of companies, the fire department, the through the parish, the diocese or the whom spend a good deal of time arson investigators, to do something national church. The strategy groups decrying the depravity of the persons about the fires in their neighborhood. cannot allow themselves to argue the publication. who are responsible for their jobs! But And now seven people are dead because relative effectiveness of working at each

and will this society with its value system of greed and neglect. Other testifiers level. Problems come in all sizes, continue to tolerate useless consumers? spoke of the length and depth of the enough to be tackled by any size group. reuse Will it continue to pay for services to deterioration of the American fabric, Thirdly, there's the tension between for people who are nonproductive? There the degeneration of the system. How do Evangelism and the Social Gospel. It are many suggestions by those in power we deal with the tension between the cannot be overlooked that "evangelism" of the answer to that question: the immediacy that requires time,

required is a code word also. Part of this has to gearing up of the war machines, the manpower and money to alleviate pain do with the fact that some of the most expansion of the drug traffic, the as against engaging in the long-term evangelically-oriented denominaions cutting back of essential goods and struggle to change the system? The two are the most racist, the most politically Permission services to the cities, mandatory birth are not exclusive, and one does not reactionary, and the least interested in control, euthanasia, fatal force, the supersede the other. However, the the welfare of anything except their death sentence. wounds must be bound in such a way as DFMS. coffers. It was just at the close of a / to be a first step toward changing the period of unprecedented (for Panthers Quoted system. That is not always easy to do. Episcopalians) involvement in some of

Church The recent experiences of this church When President Carter made his the battles against oppression that the with GCSP are a striking example. State of the Union message he said that church, turning its back on that People who haven't the faintest idea of the United States would protect the involvement, turned to Evangelism. Episcopal what the goals of that program were, or Persian Gulf "by any means necessary, The implications are hard to ignore! It the who spent the whole six years trying to never ceases to amaze me that there

of including armed struggle." Now, let me kill it, are still bad mouthing this repeat that. "By any means necessary, could be any tension here. There are so attempt at community empowerment. including armed struggle." How many many scriptural references to the work Perhaps it is the internal war waged Archives of you have heard those words before? to be done in the "vineyards," so many against attempts such as this that makes Who from? That's right, the Black calls to "go forth" and so many

2020. the cynics brand the whole church's Panthers. I just want you to know denunciations of selfish piety while the involvement in the '60s as an whom your President quotes. brother suffers, that I hope that, at least intervention on the side of the status How shall we, as a church people, among those who have cared to come

Copyright quo — buying off leadership, respond to this reality? I'm not a here, this would be a minor tension. substituting palliatives for cures, Biblical scholar but the measuring rods rerouting agendas. Fourthly, there is the tension between for our behavior and action seem clear our commitment to the cities, vs. the to me: Secondly, there is the tension suburbs, rural areas, small towns, etc. "Thou shalt love thy neighbor as between individual witness and There are those who would distract thyself." "Forasmuch as you have done collective action. Many feel that from the central task of dealing with the it to the least of these, you have done it pietistic self-searching, dedication to cities by insisting that the same ills apply to Me." "Forgive us our sins as we self-improvement and personal elsewhere. As To Hear and To Heed forgive others." "Your kingdom come closeness to God, and making a points out, the problems are on earth as it is in heaven." personal witness with their lives is concentrated and acute in the central As we analyze causes, and plan our sufficient. There are those who want to cities. It attests to the failure of the

14 "systems" that the problems follow a "slum"—a term usually reserved for point bears making here. Among other wherever you go. Concomitantly, if black and brown enclaves. I don't know things, a servant takes—does not give— solutions are found for the cities, those how the matter was resolved, but here orders. Are we ready to join the solutions will be applicable elsewhere. was the church fighting its own people, revolution where it is and accept There are also those who say we can't to improve the "city." leadership from those most intimately solve the problems of the cities alone. If I were running the revolution, the involved? Or do we, despite our dismal We must involve suburban church first thing I'd do is change the language. failures, still believe that we know best? members. Well, most suburbanites First, second, third, fourth worlds? Non Are we ready to stop analyzing the know what's happening in the cities (as in non-white). Others (as in other victim, and to attack the victimizer? better than the urban dwellers. Many of than white). The city dwellers are This revolution requires that complete them are part of the problem. But the largely "others" and I quote from the turnaround in thinking and attitudes best way to capture the interest and Rev. Richard Tolliver's testimony at the that have kept us from dealing sanely involvement of the suburbanites is to National Hearing: with the world about us. As long as we publication. raise some hell in the city. "Just as the operationalized believe that the welfare mother wants to be on welfare, and is happier than those and Next there is the tension between concept of "urban renewal" in the what Joseph Pelham calls "cities in mid '50's became synonymous who work; that the underemployed are reuse distress" and "people in distress." We with "black removal," so too the happy, happier than those who have the for have all seen federal, state and local term "urban crisis " has become a responsibility of keeping the "system" funds put into downtown monstrosities, referrent to the meshing of going; that the children don't want to malls, shopping centers; the destruction pathologies which engulfs the learn, and wish to grow up to be required of old housing to make way for highrise, lives of most central city dwellers, unemployed and on welfare; so long over-priced apartments, quickly turned namely Blacks and persons of shall we excuse our failures and ignore into condominiums to make sure that Spanish heritage. The U.S. the challenge. Permission the poor have no opportunity to return. Bureau of Census' most recent Finally, there is the most important Meanwhile, funds for rehabilitation of demographic studies clearly tension of all: between intellectualizing, indicated that the majority of the DFMS. housing in communities for small studying, analyzing, and action! / businesses, banks or essential services Black and Hispanic population of What we are here for is to plan action. run dry, and the inhabitants are pushed this country resides in the central This is not a workshop, or an institute Church out or left to die. cities of the 12 largest standard or a non-credit course. This is an action- metropolitan statistical areas." An examination of any city's oriented assembly where we are to A few pages of statistics later, he planning commission records will show design our marching orders and then go Episcopal declares: a consistent movement towards the forward to implement them. From 1976 the ultimate goal of clearing out to this point, this movement has been of "/ have gone to great detail neighborhoods, moving people and providing this demographic data very proper—very non-threatening— establishing the citadels the "system" so that our urban bishops can be very Episcopalian. It shall remain so

Archives needs for its convenience. For the last 20 very clear that when they talk through February 16. What it becomes years the systematic removal of people about developing a strategy for after that is in our hands. 2020. and reclaiming of Chicago's lakefront the church's mission to the cities, We must decide what we want and has withstood every effort, no matter they are referring to the believe that we can do it, devise ways of how well organized the opposition, as formulation of an urban policy for doing it, think through who will help us Copyright the banks, the political structure and the Black and, to a lesser extent, to do it, set up our timetable, costs and universities have moved unerringly Hispanic A mericans." other details which will take these plans toward their goal. Which side are you on? out of the realm of fantasy and into Last year in the Chicago area, one of Then there is the tension between feasibility. the mainline white ethnic churches in service vs. servant. Churches and This is the challenge! one of the white ethnic neighborhoods church people are always about the God, in God's infinite mercy—or in was in head-to-head combat with its business of doing a service for someone absolute desperation—calls us parishioners because it wanted to tear or something—good deeds. But the Episcopalians again, to choose up. down housing and small shops to make Biblical concept of the mission of the We're late, but as we plunge toward room for a shopping mall and parking. church and of the Christian has always World War III, we may just come in at The church had the city declare the area been cast in the "servant role." One the nick of time! Which side are you on?

15 Black Theology & Socialist Thought by Cornel West

Black Theology is at the crossroads. Academic legitimation threatens to dilute its content, curb its rage and render it complacent. The rise of multiple liberation theologies— publication. Latin American, Feminist, Hispanic and Gay—has and removed it from mainstage and made it one voice among a chorus of often persuasive critiques of the Christian reuse heritage. for The present challenge facing Black Theology is twofold. First, how can it best promote the liberation power of the

required Gospel in the face of the escalating siege upon the black community? Second, how can it aid in the stage-setting for the badly needed dialogue between prophetic and progressive elements in our society and world? I suggest that Permission Black Theology can best promote the liberating power of the Gospel, on the existential, political and socioeconomic

DFMS. levels, by turning more seriously and humbly to the Black / Church. I also suggest that this more authentic embracing of the Black Church, or more concrete rooting of Black Church Theology, would serve as the springboard for a genuine theory and practice which could bring together diverse prophetic and progressive elements in our society and Episcopal world. the

of Black Theology, as a distinct movement in the past decade, was initiated by a courageous group of black preachers and theologians who actively opposed white Cornel West is Assistant Professor of Philosophy of Religion Archives racism in American society, especially in its religious at the Union Theological Seminary, New York City. The theme of this article is amplified in his chapter on "Black Theology and establishments. The history of black theologizing, as a 2020. Marxist Thought" in Black Theology; A Documentary History, 1966- distinct set of reflections and practices, began the moment 1979, edited by Gayraud S. Wilmore and James H. Cone, published black slaves tried to make sense of their lives and understand by Orbis Books. their situation in light of biblical texts, Protestant hymns Copyright and Christian testimonies. The Black Church, a term which designates a set of distinct institutions, came into being when black Christian slaves decided, often at the risk of life and limb, to share with each other their common sense of purpose and similar understanding of their circumstances. "Black socialist theologians hold that a refusal to As with any Christian community, this theological sharing come to terms with class inequality results in a contained many voices, some more prophetic than others. highly limited view of black enhancement." The evolution of this multiplicity of voices constitutes the theological traditions within the history of black theologizing, with some of these traditions still to be unearthed. Black Theology is linked to a particular tradition

16 within this history, a prophetic one whose voice was heard matter—must be in Academia, but not of it. Academia must clearly in the past decade. be viewed as a means to church service, rather than an end in The first point, and paradox, in regard to Black Theology itself. Only this kind of attitude ensures that Black Theology is found in the name itself. This designation for a current remains a vital part of the history of black theologizing of, movement linked to a particular tradition has two for and by the Black Church, rather than a reified and noteworthy consequences. First, it tends to downplay, even rarified activity which merely titillates academic neglect, certain aspects of antecedent black theologizing. In theologians. this sense, it can be viewed as slightly ahistorical. Second, the designation tends to make a particular movement within Black Theology has suffered from the underdeveloped the history of black theologizing appear as the tradition in knowledge of the history of black theologizing to the extent this history. In this sense, it can be viewed as monopolistic. that certain moves within this history have only recently These two consequences resulted when gifted, outraged received attention. The particular move I have in mind is publication. and impatient black theologians endeavored to make their that made by black socialist theologians in the past and and voices heard—critically against and vociferously to white present who have grappled with the relation of the Gospel to society—without a well-developed knowledge of the history racial oppression, class exploitation, maldistribution of reuse of black theologizing. Yet, such theologizing was, at the national and international wealth and white socialists' for time, necessary and legitimate. paternalism. The second point regarding Black Theology is its present The black Christian socialist presence in the history of required relationship to the Black Church. From its inception, Black black theologizing deserves serious attention for three basic Theology has considered itself at the service of the Black reasons. First, we live in a fallen world in which life-and- Church. And since Black Theology is but an historical death debates and struggles regarding the morality and instance of the theologizing of the Black Church, this merit of capitalism and socialism are continually occurring. Permission subservient role is an appropriate one. Yet two questions Black theologians (including, of course, black preachers and arise. First, how is Black Theology actually accountable to conscientious lay women and men) ought to play a crucial DFMS.

/ the Black Church? Second, to what extent is Black Theology role here. Knowledge of what black Christian socialists have merely an academic critique of the Black Church? said and are saying may aid in black theological participation in these debates and struggles.

Church When I suggested earlier that Black Theology can best promote the liberating power of the Gospel by turning more Second, Socialist and Communist movements in the seriously and humbly to the Black Church, I meant that West, especially in the United States, have had peculiar

Episcopal Black Theology must not only consider itself a servant of the relations with the black community. Black theologians

the Black Church, but also more importantly, be a servant of the ought to know the context of these relations, what the of Black Church. To be a servant is to serve. Black Theology opinions of black Christian socialist participants in these can best serve the Black Church by institutionalizing its relations were and what the status of these relations understanding of the Gospel within the Black Church. This presently are. Third, knowledge of the lives and thought of Archives institutionalizing primarily consists of establishing more black Christian socialists may teach black theologians not strong ecumenical bodies and groups, such as the past so much how correct the former were, but rather, may 2020. National Conference of Black Churchmen or the present indicate the serious shortcomings of other major prophetic Black Church Union; and, in a more grassroots manner, figures in the black theological traditions. creating institutions which produce Sunday School

Copyright It is highly significant that the major prophetic figures in materials, Baptist Training Union lessons, published the history of black theologizing—from Richard Allen sermons and media messages in light of the liberating power through Marcus Garvey to Martin Luther King, Jr.—have of the Gospel. adopted some kind of race analysis of American society. Academic legitimation of Black Theology runs the risk of Race analyses assume that the major obstacle which reducing Black Theology to a mere academic critique of the impedes black enhancement is the institutionalizing and Black Church. Black Theology must be critical of the Black legitimizing of the idea of white supremacy in U.S. society. Church. Every theological heritage stays alive and thrives on Race analyses assert that black people are socially degraded, self-criticism. But effective criticism presupposes a situating politically oppressed and economically exploited primarily and positioning of the critics. As Max Weber has taught us, because of their color and culture. Therefore proponents of institutional affiliations lead to institutional loyalties. those analyses promote and encourage the deep sense of Therefore black theologians—any theologians, for that group-consciousness in the black community and holds

17 white racism to be the main enemy. a particular relation of a group of people to the land, Race analyses result, ironically, in two widely divergent instruments and capital necessary to produce goods and dispositions toward American society and two different services in U.S. society. The group which owns the land, views of black enhancement. The first disposition heralds a instruments and capital constitute the capitalist class and complete rejection of U.S. society. This disposition reflects the groups which do not own the land, instruments and the belief that white racism so deeply pervades and capital constitute the noncapitalist classes. The permeates society that any hope for genuine human noncapitalist classes are divided, to put it crudely, into the interaction, integration or alliances is doomed. This group which is hired (and fired) by capitalists, namely, the viewpoint claims that black distrust of whites requires either working class, and the group which remains chronically a black return to Africa or a separate black nation in the old unemployed, namely, the underclass. Within the Southern Black Belt. This Black Nationalist view—that of complexities of post-industrial capitalist America, the Marcus Garvey, Chief Sam and Elijah Muhammad—may capitalist class—or ruling class, since its primary aim of sound ludicrous in light of the interdependence of the world, profit-maximization is the most dominant and successful publication. but it is important to note that this view had been supported one in American society—consists essentially of and by impressive black mass movements in the past and transnational corporations which own large segments of the continues to be a vital element in present black movements. means of production and employ a disproportionate reuse The point to accent here is that this solution reflects the number of the citizenry. Of course, elected and appointed for desperation of black people who are reacting and government officials also rule. But, since their rule is responding to a deeply-felt white racism. undeniably sedimented, permeated by and usually required The second disposition of race analysis proponents is that subordinated to the primary aim of the capitalist class, it is of complete inclusion within U.S. society. This disposition appropriate to designate the latter, the ruling class. The reflects the belief that black group-consciousness can serve most glaring example of this relationship between the capitalist class and government is the historic refusal of the Permission as the basis for a potent interest-group, thereby facilitating black entree into the mainstream of society. Therefore, this latter to ever even raise the issue of redistribution of the viewpoint—that of Frederick Douglass, R.R. Wright and wealth by calling into question the primary aim of the DFMS. / Martin Luther King, Jr.—promotes various programs of former. black politics and black capitalism in an attempt to acquire a Black socialist theologians reject the Weberian

Church bigger black piece of the pie. understanding of class. This view of class merely equates Race analyses have been the dominant mode of class with income or financial remunerations of peoples' understanding U.S. society in the history of black employment at the marketplace. This view permits such

Episcopal theologizing. This had been so primarily owing to this vacuous notions as an upper class or middle class to flourish. the country's unswerving commitment, from its inception to the For example, in this view the upper class consists of those of present, to the institutionalizing and legitimizing of the idea who either receive wages or possess the wealth over an of white supremacy. We can expect race analyses to play a arbitrarily selected level and the middle class consists of prominent role in black theologizing until this commitment those who receive wages between that level and an arbitrary Archives is annulled in practice. minimum.

2020. This Weberian understanding of class, as exemplified in Racism, Class Hierarchy the recent controversial book, The Declining Significance of Black socialist theologians, such as Bishop James Race, by William Julius Wilson, is not wrong. It is just

Copyright Theodore Holly and the Revs. George Washington trivial. It does not help us grasp the internal dynamics of Woodbey, George Frazier Miller, Samuel J. Comfort and post-industrial capitalist America, its power transactions perhaps the later James Cone, acknowledge that a major and its fundamental problems. Instead, it merely provides obstacle which stands in the way of black enhancement is the an income measuring rod which tells us who and how many concept of white supremacy in U.S. society. They then go on make what. Since it robs the notion of class of its power to link this obstacle to another impediment, namely, class components, it can never yield persuasive reasons as to why hierarchy in this society. Black socialist theologians hold who and how many make what. For example, Marxists and that a refusal to come to terms with class inequality results in Weberians agree that 0.5% of the U.S. population has a highly limited view of black enhancement. owned over 20% of the wealth throughout the 20th century. It is important to point out that black socialist Yet, Weberians see only an upper class and the highly theologians understand the notion of class in a Marxist, dispersive character of ruling, whereas Marxists seearuling rather than Weberian, way. Consequently, they view class as class and a highly ideological character of Weberian

18 analysis. in the past few years has it been renewed. The Weberian understanding of class also leads to gross The future of the relations between the Black Church and misconceptions regarding class equality. In this view, class socialist movements in the United States is open-ended. equality consists of everyone receiving the same amount of First, and most important, it depends on cultivating the income, regardless of what people do with their lives. Such black Christian socialist tradition within the theologizing of an utterly ridiculous egalitarian vision is often associated the Black Church. If a meaningful dialogue is to take place with socialist notions of a classless society, or society of class between the Black Church and the socialist movement in equality. Nothing could be further from the truth. In this century, there must be a cluster of trustworthy black Marxist terms, a classless society means a society in which Christian socialists within the Black Church, black those who produce goods and services collectively own the Christian socialists who view themselves as committed to land, instruments and capital necessary for such production the preservation and perpetuation of the best in black and democratically control the distribution of the goods and religion. Second, U.S. socialist movements must services produced in society. In short, socialists favor a de- acknowledge that there can be little substantive black publication. centralized democratizing of the production process, not a participation without a dialogue with the prophetic and and vulgar leveling of incomes. progressive leaders of the Black Church. This is not to overlook the significant presence of black secular elements reuse Top Political Agenda in socialist movements, but to call attention to where most for Black socialist theologians hold that black enhancement of the grassroots leadership, be it progressive or pragmatic, is best achieved by simultaneously calling into question the lies in the black community. required institutionalizing and legitimizing of the idea of white If there is to be a socialism which protects liberties and supremacy and actively promoting the democratizing of the precludes poverty in the United States, there must be a workplace in American society. As we saw earlier, the major Socialist Party. If there is to be a major Socialist former has been and still is central in the history of black Party, it must consist of a multiracial, white and blue collar Permission theologizing, whereas the latter has been and still is marginal working class alliance. Obviously, if this party is multiracial, in this history. The goal of black socialist theologians is to there must be substantive black representation. If there is to DFMS.

/ understand both in light of the liberating power of the be substantive black representation, progressive black Gospel and put both at the top of the political agenda of the preachers and theologians must be present. This presence Black Church. will be guaranteed only if black theologians accent the black Church The Black Church has remained, for the most part, aloof Christian socialist tradition in the past and present of the from U.S. socialist movements because of two basic reasons. theologizing of the Black Church, and if non-black socialists acknowledge the indispensability of the participation of Episcopal First, the perennial tyranny of white racism, in its most prophetic black preachers and theologians within the

the vicious or its most subtle forms, over the black community of has compelled the Black Church to keep group survival at decision-making processes of the Socialist Party. This is the the top of its political agenda. Second, the paternalistic road Black Theology ought to travel, the political agenda practices of past U.S. socialist movements lend little the Black Church (and community) should promote, and Archives credence to the idea that black survival has something to do the particular outlook non-black socialists, be they with socialism. The major perspectives on the race problem Christian or non-Christian, must support. • 2020. within U.S. socialist movements—from the ethnocentric views of Victor Berger through the hands-off policy of Eugene Debs to the black pseudo-deification platform of the Continued from page 3 Copyright Weathermen—provide no basis for serious interaction with us today as we face the mandates of mission between the Black Church and socialist movements. In fact, that thrust before us the awesome challenges of the only major Socialist group in America ever to make significant inroads into the Black Church has been the racism, sexism, classism and imperialism. Our Communist Party. And this owing to the large black influx hope and our faith are set in the context of an (in the 1930s) into the Communist Party, including ongoing dialogue with the harsh realities of our Benjamin Davis, James Ford and Angelo Herndon, who life. God has spoken, what is our response? For had some understanding of the dilemma and predicament of the newly formed Episcopal Urban Caucus, until the Black Church, caught as it was between survival and it meets in its next assembly one year hence, vision. The exit in the late '50s of many blacks from the heavy responsibility for the answer to that Communist Party left this brief dialogue in shambles. Only question lies with its newly-elected board. •

19 FARM WORKER WEEK 1980 April 28 - May 4 publication. and reuse for required

Permission Declaration on Liberation of Farm Workers DFMS.

/ We, the farm workers of America, have pilgrimages and struggles of our past. longer be treated as a special, lower tilled the soil, sown the seeds and We remember the lives of our martyrs: class who are supposed to be content harvested the crops. We have provided Nan Freeman, Nagi Daifallah, Juan de with an equality which is not quite Church food in abundance for the people in the la Cruz and Rufino Contreras. With equal. cities, the nation and the world but have their sacrifices clearly in view, we do (3) We will demand recognition by not sufficient food for our own children. solemnly declare before the civilized our employers and the public of our Episcopal While other workers have overcome world which judges our actions and right as farm workers to organize and to the

of economic injustices, we have inherited before the nation to which we belong engage in collective bargaining. the exploitation, the suffering and the the plan we have formulated to end the (4) Because we are among the poorest poverty of our fathers and their fathers injustice that bears down on us and our workers in the land we are beset with the

Archives before them. children. twin evils of substandard wages and But despite our isolation, our (1) We know that the poverty of the crippling inflation. We will negotiate to 2020. sufferings, jailings, beatings and Mexican and Filipino workers in change our condition. From our killings, we remain undaunted and California is the same as that of all farm employers we seek only that they determined to build our Union across workers across the country, the Blacks, bargain in good faith. Copyright the land—as a bulwark against future poor Whites, Native Americans, Puerto (5) To gain the just ends we seek, we exploitation. Just as work on the land is Ricans and Arabs. We will continue our will engage in the following actions, arduous, so is the task of building a social movement in fact and not in using the way of non-violence: union. We pledge to struggle as long as pronouncements by uniting under the a. We shall strike. We are poor, we it takes to reach our goals. Above all we banner of our Union all farm workers are humble; and our only choice is believe that men and women must act regardless of race, creed, sex or to strike at those ranches where we toward one another in a spirit of nationality. are not treated with the respect we brotherhood and sisterhood and that (2) We will seek the support of all deserve as working men and our Union shall guarantee that all are political groups and the protection of women. treated equal in dignity and rights. the government, which is also our b. We will boycott. When our We remember the marches and government, in our struggle. We will no employers use cruel and unjust

20 means to weaken our strike we vote and we will use our political energy we will fight against professional will not surrender to their corrupt strength to reward our friends and strikebreakers and against the infamous power; instead we will take our defeat our enemies. bracero program and all slave labor cause to the people of the cities (6) In pursuing our reasonable goals programs, no matter what their name. and world who will support our we shall work and cooperate with our As farm workers we have suffered strike with their boycott action. brothers and sisters in the labor and we are not afraid to suffer more in c. We will go to court. We will use movement, with the churches and the order to win our cause. Our men and the laws of the land to protect our synagogues, with other civic, social and women and children have suffered at right to strike and boycott and to political organizations and with all men the hands of a cruel agricultural system. punish those employers who stray and women of good will. Now we will suffer for the purpose of from what is lawful in their (7) In cooperation with our friends we ending the poverty, the misery and the dealings with their workers. shall oppose the recruitment and injustice. The time has come for the d. We will engage in political mercenary smuggling of men, women liberation of all farm workers. Viva La publication. actions. We will register, we will and children to break strikes; with equal Causa! m and reuse Continued from page 7 There is also the larger picture: The accommodate him, society will have to for machinery for a police state now in black struggle cracked open this whole modify its institutions, and in many embryo develops more fully, the nation society in the silent '50s and made it cases to make far-reaching fundamental required is going to be in a much more tragic possible for everybody to struggle; changes. The struggle for jobs for situation than we in the South made possible the anti-war movement Negroes forces questions about the experienced over the last few decades. in the '60s, made possible the new ability of the economy to provide jobs This doesn't have to happen, if the women's movement, made it possible for everyone within our present socio- Permission lessons produced by the civil rights for workers in the South, white as well economic structure. Lack of legal movement be heeded today. We know as black, to organize unions, made it counsel for Negroes brings into focus DFMS.

/ that every gain that black people made possible for the elderly of all races to the general lack of legal counsel for the in the last few decades actually opened organize and demand some sort of poor. The function of the white up new opportunites for a better life for decent life in their old age, made it American is not so much to prepare the Church whites. For example, I know white possible for handicapped people in this Negro for entrance into the larger children who are doing better in school country to organize and demand their society, to clean him up, straight-jacket because they were able to go to rights.

Episcopal him, necktie him, make him presentable Headstart programs. That, like all those for the supper table, but rather to the The oppression of black people is the of so-called compensatory programs in basic economic, political and social fact prepare the society for the change it education, came along with the black of this society. Essentially this nation must make to include Negroes." parents' struggle for a better education was built on the fruits of slave labor. That's what Bob Moses said 15 years Archives for their children. I know poor and Oppression of black people is woven ago. That, of course, is what white middle class white young people who into the very fabric of the country. Thus Americans have failed to do. We are left 2020. are able to go to college today because it is only natural that when measures are with a society that still doesn't have they got a federal grant. Those didn't taken to end that oppression, the key to room for black people. And I submit exist until blacks struggled for changing the whole society has been that a society that doesn't have room for Copyright educational opportunites. I know white touched. If the foundation stone of a black people will ultimately not have youth who couldn't find a job until they building shifts, the whole building room for any of us. Even if it did, it got into the CETA program. That came moves. would not be a place fit to live in. about because blacks struggled for jobs. Recently I came across a quotation of Conversely, once this society is changed Think of all the whites who get help with Bob Moses from a speech in 1964. Bob so that there is room for black people, it legal problems through the whole Moses was the young black man who will be a society where there is room for network of public service projects. inspired and led much of the civil rights everybody. These are the lessons it Those are direct results of the civil rights movement in the early '60s in seems to me that the civil rights movement. Think of health clinics Mississippi. He said: "The Negro seeks movement of recent decades has to offer which have been set up because blacks his own place within the existing America, lessons that America so have been struggling for health care. institutional framework, but to desperately needs to hear. •

21 Continued from page 2 politicians) between "fools and knaves," into nobody being genuinely present to ambivalence and elusiveness" was but did it just for fun—not as an anybody. We are left pacified, aimless noticeable in the controversy over the excercise in Christian candor. I just and on the road to insanity. ordination of women after an "initial don't see how Stringfellow's letter "gits Jacob wrestled with the angel at the hysteria" over the Philadelphia us forrader" at this point. river Jabbok, and although the angel ordinations. His behavior must stem Floyd G. Patterson showed a breach of etiquette and bad either from "lack of conviction ... or Episcopal Divinity School taste, and although the wrestling expediency," and in either case is Cambridge, Ma. permanently wounded Jacob, it likewise "incongruous" to his office. The saved his life. John Allin has been given suffering he caused the two church a similar gift. As the angel was reluctant employees is due either to "deliberate No More Beige Mush to loosen his grip, I hope William intent or omission." His attitude toward In response to William Stringfellow's Stringfellow does not back off. the ordination of homosexuals is both open letter to the Presiding Bishop, I The Rev. Michael Chase-Dwinell "cruel and hypocritical." The only good wish to commend you for your decision Cape Elizabeth, Me. publication. word to him is that he is probably a to publish the letter and to applaud Mr. and "victim of the present malaise of the Stringfellow for his insight and courage. Cancel My Sub Episcopal Church." In some fashion he I was touched by his poignant remarks Unfortunately, Stringfellow is still as reuse is thus "not to blame" for all that is amiss, concerning etiquette and caring. It does corrosive as he is intelligent. You for though he is "blameworthy" because he seem that the Episcopal Church as an cannot, however, heal a sick body by is the Presiding Bishop. An interesting institution cares mightily about scolding it—no matter how shrilly or distinction. etiquette, good taste and good form. In

required inexorably. Nor can you heal it by many instances, to be found in bad taste I am much concerned about what removing one organ no more diseased is to be judged as having made a more Stringfellow describes as lack of than the rest. The same holds for significant and egregious error than to leadership in dealing with issues now editorial policy, of course. Please be found untruthful or unfaithful. So Permission confronting the church, most recently in remove my name from your lists. the matter of the continued use of the often when attempting to come to grips 1928 Prayer Book. But I can't imagine with an issue or a person in the church, I Gilbert E. Doan, Jr.

DFMS. have found myself dealing with beige Philadelphia, Pa. / that Stringfellow's "analysis" of Bishop Allin's actions and of the person who lies mush and have been informed that beige behind them can be helpful to anyone mush must be the order of the day, Whither The Witness'? Church except the author and those who agree because after all to confront, to contend, Prior to the General Convention I had with him. Reinhold Niebuhr used to try to wrestle, to struggle was in bad taste. high hopes that William Stringfellow's to divide people (usually Republican Beige mush and good taste translate series of articles on critical issues in the Episcopal the Open Letter continued from Page 2 of Coleman McGehee—and a William "kills its own wounded." standing in the way, with too many cares Stringfellow—to keep them honest. I love her, Bill (and I know you do to answer your own Open Letter. Yes,

Archives I guess I am saying that the P.B., as also)—and at the same time I still cringe things could be better. But have we much as I care for him, is very small for I know that Jim Pike, Jr. died largely refused to accept the fallen nature of

2020. potatoes. I do not deny that your letter because the church opted to be safe persons and churches (and monasteries should have been written, and I applaud rather than holy; that his father suffered and hermitages)? it. I simply wonder, after years of ache needlessly because the church was I don't know. and crying out myself, what is the use of Copyright frightened, little, whining and breathless it. The church—as club—serves us; she (which is to say lifeless). Even now, in If I had your ability and talent (and names things, facilitates Eucharist and this area, I face the rejection of the maybe even holiness) I would state my so forth. But all in all "religion" is a righteous to an extent that I cannot own case better and probably shorter. bummer and Christ is life. I get the narrate—and I am no real threat, a poor Perhaps my case is this—that the feeling that the church (as club) shall go monk, with a little cottage, without Presiding Bishop is not all that on (someone once said "so will influence. important. There is life in this PECUSA, and there is a certain humility and within organized crime as long as someone But our church speaks by her agony, it one can meet God—with or without pays the bills"). But "the club" is not the by her fear and by her ache—and by John Allin. church—at least does not limit the those whom she has brought forth into church to her own lines, and one learns, life, not the least of which is yourself. Christopher Jones, O.M., Prior I think, to live with her—at times enabler Yes, we could use a man or woman P.B. Transfiguration Retreat Monastery and at times the one organization that helping us and enabling us rather than Pulaski, Wise.

22 life of the church would help us to realize priesthood, leads me to ask, when will these two articles do. I am enclosing $10 the wholeness and unity that we all long we once again have a bishop who for extra copies so that I can distribute to achieve. presides? them to advantage. But Stringfellow's post-convention Second, "The Loveable Paradox" by Although 1979 has been a great year, I piece that was commissioned by THE Bob Semes brings back all sorts of fond suddenly seem to be living my age—86. WITNESS did not answer the question memories about Jim Pike. I only knew It is all I can do to accomplish the of "Where does the church find itself the man from a distance, yet his necessities for my 96-year-old brother after Denver?" In it, he turned instead influence on my life is what in part led and myself. May 1980 be a creative year. from issues to personalities and elected me into the ministry of this church. It's Ruth Haefner Presiding Bishop Allin as a scapegoat about time we consider the full impact Portland, Ore. for the sins of the House of Bishops if not he has had and may still be having. the whole world. Perhaps, even a date on our church Keep Debate Going Indeed, I feel THE WITNESS owes its calendar should be set aside lest we readers a clearer picture of its own forget. It could read, James Albert Pike, I feel the necessity to say that Vol 63, #1, was a courageous issue. David Kalke's publication. philosophy in supporting such a Bishop and Martyr. article was incisive and the failure of

and partisan, political viewpoint. Is THE Vincent F. Scotto Daniel Kirchhoff to deal with specific WITNESS a witness for truth or for the Penn Yan, N.Y. instances of abuse indicates the basic reuse prosecution? policy of transnationals, namely, for Martha S. Miller Wants Extra Copies Ft. Washington, Pa. "Watergate" style coverups. Keep the I have just finished reading the January debate going! issue of THE WITNESS. As an James W. Wiberg required Episcopalian, I appreciated Bill Lacks Logic Salem Lutheran Church Stringfellow's letter and feel that Ironwood, Mich. Concerning the open letter to the unfortunately he is right on target. It Presiding Bishop, written by William comes as no surprise to me that there Permission Stringfellow, I find it most petty, will be no reply to that letter. disruptive, and lacking in logic or Suggests Resources However, I am writing to you not about reasoning. While I disagree with Bishop Thank you for the interchange between DFMS.

/ Bill's letter, but about the articles by D. J. Allin on one or two items, he does Daniel Kirchhoff of Castle & Cooke and Kirchhoff ("Believers in Capitalism Must express spiritual leadership, long David Kalke of Theology in the Fight Back") and David J. Kalke Americas. As Kalke notes, Kirchhoff's Church lacking in the Episcopal Church. ("Unmasking the Strategy of speech shows how defensive and Charles S. Peete, Jr. Multinational Corporations"). I agree Memphis, Tenn. intolerant the multinationals are that few issues could be more crucial to becoming when faced by responsibile Episcopal the social mission of the church in this chuch criticism. the Best Issue Yet particular time. I would like to share Readers who wish to learn moreabout of I have been a reader of THE WITNESS those two articles with members of our Castle & Cooke may be interested in an since its re-birth in 1974 and while all the staff. As you perhaps know, Church excellent slide package entitled issues have been mind-provoking in World Service has over 25 offices in this "Managing the Global Plantation," Archives country. The staff often must deal with different ways I've never commented on which was produced by the American the issues covered in those two articles. I anything. Yet the January issue is in my Friends Service Committee in Hawaii. It 2020. see them as important, ongoing mind the best yet and I would share my is available for a suggested rental fee of professional staff development and $15 from the Michigan Farmworker comments on two articles. education materials. Bill Stringfellow's letter to the Ministry Coalition, P.O. Box 10206, Copyright Presiding Bishop sums up my feelings Ronald E. Stenning, Director Lansing, Mi, 48901. Also, a packet of about the man. Indeed, he has done U.S. Program, CWS information about the churches' more to harm the church in these past New York, N.Y. challenge to C&C is available from the years with his own lack of collegiality Latin America Task Force, 1524 20th St., among his fellow bishops, lack of Timely Explanation Detroit, Ml. 48216, for $2. In addition, concern for sister and brother clergy Every copy of THE WITNESS has many those interested in the living and and his inability to deal with the mission pertinent articles but the January issue working conditions at the Michigan of the church at home and overseas. His was especially good. The articles by Mushroom Farm, a C&C subsidiary, may own conduct during the Wendt trial and Daniel Kirchhoff and David Kalke are send $1 for our report on that issue. his lack of support for the women of the very timely. We hear references to them, The Rev. Joseph Mulligan, S.J. church, no matter what he feels about especially on talk shows, but no one ever Latin America Task Forch the question of women in the takes time to explain the situation as Detroit, Mich.

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