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Theology, Class and Race:
Conference Dialogue
Bowens-Wheatley Sets Stage for Continuing Conversation on Race, Class and
Theology at Urban Church Conference
 (Chicago,
IL March 10, 2001) The Rev. Marjorie Bowens-Wheatley gave opening comments
on the subject of race, class and theology for the Urban Church Conference
in its second full day of meetings in Chicago. Marjorie Bowens-Wheatley
serves as adult programs director for religious education on the UUA staff.
Previously, she worked with UUA congregations in Austin,TX and at New York
City.
Rev. Bowens-Wheatley said: "When Tracey [Robinson-Harris] asked me to reflect
on the broad topic of this conference, my first inclination was to decline,
because of the impossibility of saying what needs to be said in the short
time I was designated. But when I began to think about the relationship between
race, class, and theology, I realized that for me, it boiled down to three
points-three "simple" points. As I thought about it, I had to acknowledge
that theology is never simple. Nevertheless, here they are:
1. The world was created for all of us to live together and share its resources.
At the heart of the universe is love-love for all creation. Or to proclaim
the language of a theist, God created the world in love, and with concern
for the well-being of all of us.
2. Not everybody agreed with God. Some people thought they deserved more
than their fair share, and began to systematically exploit and dominate
others at will. In this country, it was manifested not only as personal
superiority, but as colonialism, slavery, neo-colonialism, and imperialism-which
in these modern times, gets translated as "globalism."
3. These systems of exploitation are supported by racism and classism.
These and the other "-isms" are rooted in the practice of "other-ing;" that
is, holding up some people as superior, and putting others down as inferior.
To make someone "the other" is a form of domination, power-over (rather
than power with …). Most institutions in this country, including religious
institutions, have been part of a system of structural domination,
which is a form of violence. Structural violence is evil, and thus it is
a theological problem that calls religious people to respond. The Rev. Barbara
Hebner suggests that the antidote to domination is "the one and only commandment:"
thou shalt not other, which she says, covers absolutely everything,
and how to treat everybody (and here I would add no matter their class,
racial or ethnic background.
"We have forgotten who we are-that we are brothers and sisters in covenantal
relationship with each other and with the creative forces of the universe.
We have bought into the dominant narrative: that individual effort will lift
people out of class or racial oppression; that individual interests are more
important than the interest of the whole community; that capitalism is the
best-indeed the only-system that "works" and we could go on and on. But where
is justice?
"I believe that what we need is a new narrative-a theology that empowers
people to remember what Dr. King said: that none of is free until all of us
are free; and to understand that we can unite across all the artificial boundaries
that divide us from each other and from God.
"The new narrative cannot ignore the fact that we live in a capitalist society,
and to a great extent, are controlled by it. Latter day capitalism has, in
effect, become a false God, which the power brokers hold up as the answer
to all our troubles.
"Let me mention briefly some of the factors I think prevent us from remembering
who we are and why we are here, that we are sisters and brothers-even across
class, race, ethnicity, gender, or other differences. And here I'm going to
cite two of the nearly 30 theologians, ministers, scholars, and activists
who participated in a consultation on Antiracism and Theology sponsored by
the UUA this past January, which I had the privilege of convening. (I should
mention that these papers and several of the responses will be published under
the title, "Spiritual Resources for the Journey.")
"The intersection of class and race, it seems, are among the most difficult
conversations we will engage in, partly because they are theological problems.
Several of the participants at the consultation said that what inhibits us
from addressing race (and by extension, class) is fear. The opposite of love
is not hate, but fear. Fear of sustained engagement with others, said participant
Paul Rasor, is one of "the barriers we erect around ourselves in the name
of individual autonomy". It is what keeps us from loving those we label 'the
other.
"Rebecca Parker's paper reflected a similar sentiment-that if we are to address
racism and classism in a meaningful way, then we need a theology that brings
us into relationships of deep engagement with those we have labeled "the other."
Such a theology is often transformative.
"The gap between rich and poor, between people of different class, ethnic,
racial, and cultural backgrounds continues to carve walls of division between
us. The way out, I believe, begins with remembering who we really are and
why we are here; that we are spiritual beings, connected to something
larger and more trust-worthy than ourselves or the differences that divide
us. If we want to see a world in which we are not divided by race and class,
then we must also work to create a social and an economic system rooted in
justice. But to work for this change, we must do more than sing "Where is
our holy church where race and class unite." We must answer the question with
conviction, with a prophetic voice, and with action that lead to justice."
Following Rev. Bowens-Wheatley's remarks, conference participants began exploration
of a variety of questions for consideration in small groups and shared their
feedback as part of the continuing dialogue on the subject of race, class,
and theology. The Urban Church Conference concludes on Sunday, March 11.
Reported for the web by Deborah Weiner;
formatted for the web by Julie Albanese.
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