The Institute (協会)

Hi Anthony,

There is a collection of documents at:
http://www.pcahistory.org/pca/race.html

that begins to address this, but none of the PCA resolutions mentions active participation in segregation directly.

I agree that support of segregation/Jim Crow was a sin. It tends to deny the humanity of those sentenced to second-class existence. We all know now that separate but equal wasn't equal.

I think the premise of the post needs to be questioned, however. It is quite possible for Christians to think any number of wrong and immoral things and to sinfully cooperate with social injustice. It happens all the time. It's happening right now. Sin doesn't disqualify one's profession of faith but impenitent sin does.

Who knows what sorts of things I accept now that I shall come, in later years, to see to have been false or misguided or even sinful? Isn't this the struggle of Rom 7? Having ignorant or even sinful views on segregation and race relations (and consequent behavior patterns) doesn't make one ipso facto unregenerate does it? In that case what other sorts of sins necessarily disqualify one as a Christian? How do we avoid becoming perfectionist or defining sin out of existence?

Isn't it better to say that such patterns of thought and behavior are inconsistent with Christian profession? Isn't this how Paul challenged the Ephesians to walk in a manner worthy of their calling?

R.Scott Clark,
Thanks for the link. I do think that 1 John has something to say about those who claim to be in the light yet hates their brother are actually themselves in the darkness. Not to be controversial but I do think that we tend to gloss over some of the "disqualifying" passages in scripture.

I like where you are going here though.

Just my thoughts.

Peace,

"I've never read any responses from the religious whites from that era who participated in this system of oppression who also called themselves 'Christians' in terms of regret, with an explanation of the mental gymnastics necessary to live in a Jim Crow context and still sleep well at night."

I feel ya. I've often found myself thinking, "What were they smoking?!"

If sin were expunged while we still lived and breathed I'd agree with the premise but true evangelical, biblically theistic, Christians abide all manner of "beliefs" that are incongruous with the scriptures that they profess to both study and follow.

Jim Crow laws can be compared somewhat to the misogynistic ways of the 50's, 60's and 70's yet bible believing Christians - even black biblical scholars - would have thought it fine that women not own property, have a bank account, drivers license or a decent paying job.

We are often able to look past convenient cultural modes that suit our lifestyle. I am sure, fifty years from now a believer will be able to look back at our lives and wonder similar things about us. To assume that only the white Christians of those generations were/are unique in history seems naive.

I really appreciate those who are asking "what our our blind spots?". I have the hope that in the future, more men will realize that the modern welfare state has imprisoned more people in poverty, hopelessness, and degradation than the architects of Jim Crow (or slavery for that matter) ever dreamed possible.

Put another way, Walter Williams grew up in communities where 75% of black children were in intact families. What Jim Crow failed to do, the Great Society achieved with velvet chains of false kindness--the destruction of the families of the poor of all races.

Don't get me wrong; Jim Crow was horrendous, and a colossal waste of money to boot--even a cursory examination of how many extra drinking fountains had to be bought to make Anthony's picture meaningful demonstrates this. I just think we may have, as a society, have stumbled upon something even more grotesque.

Actually, Jerry Falwell did apologize for his conduct during the Civil Rights era. In a speech or interview some years later, he lamented the fact that he and other Fundamentalists did so little during that important time. I just read it yesterday as I am working on a grad project about Fundamentalism and the Civil Rights era. There's some pretty sad stuff by Carl McIntire out there, which is a main component of this project.

Wow!
Robert you are relentless with your view that slavery is not as bad as welfare. You are convinced that welfare is worst than the killing of 1000's, the degradation of a whole race, the rape of women, the emasculating of men for 100's of years. I know how you feel but I thought from our blog discussion that you would at least take somethings into consideration. Guess not. Just remember that welfare is not a "black" thing but an American thing. Just remember that 7 of every 10 welfare recipients are of the "majority." Please don't make the mistake here on this blog as you did on my blog of equating welfare to mean "black family."

Buckle in fella's because he (Robert) really does fight for the point he is trying to make which is welfare is worst than slavery.

bobby, wow, I'd love to read what you find!!

I'll email you a copy when I'm done. There's some rather interesting interaction with Liberation Theology, as well as the desire to paint the ENTIRE movement "Red."