What can local churches do to support ongoing protests against, and indeed upheaval of, an unjust criminal justice system and deep-seated white supremacy? In a season that Lisa Sharon Harper recently described as “Advent as protest,” what might it mean for Christians to anticipate the coming of Christ by physically challenging oppression? For pastors all over the United States, these are the questions of the moment.
In Washington, D.C., local faith communities sought to live into the vision of Advent as protest by holding a “vigil for justice.” Although this vigil beautifully documented the capacity of the local church to advocate for justice, the way local media framed the vigil forces communities of faith to think more deeply about their understanding of solidarity.
Spread out along nearly 6.5 miles of 16th Street, hundreds of people held candles and signs in support of recent protests against racial injustice. As people passionately waved their signs or held their heads down in prayerful lament, passing cars and buses slowed to honk in support. Catching on with the theme of Advent, attendees hoped to shine light in the darkness not only to create awareness and show solidarity, but also to testify to the hope of faith.
Cecilia Choi, a member of District Church explained, “This is the time of Advent when God came and he started his work of reconciliation with us by becoming one of us. And I think it’s perfect to come out and work on reconciliation and joining with our black brothers and sisters. They’re not just our neighbors, they’re our brothers and sisters in Christ. We have such an obligation to them. I think this is an act of worship.”
When asked why she was on the streets, one woman responded, “Well, what do I say? [Laughs.] That’s the meaning of our faith! To be one with people who are suffering.” Another man called racism “the deepest sin in the United States.”
Such descriptions of the vigil reach to the core of the church’s mission to “do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly.” Here are churches standing in solidarity with those suffering at the hands of racist oppression as an “act of worship.” Here are churches bringing their resources of prayer, lament, and peace into the public sphere, challenging observers to wrestle with God’s call to justice. Yet, though the event was beautiful, the way it was framed by local media raises tough questions for churches. Contrasting this demonstration with other recent protests, one reporter said, “This protest was in contrast to many of the protests we’ve seen over the past few weeks, with groups blocking traffic and loudly chanting. This group was quiet and purposeful.”
This is a red flag.
If mainstream media outlets begin to lift up the work of churches as friendly, docile, “quiet” alternatives to the louder, more radical cries of young black protesters, are churches really living into their true calling? And, furthermore, we must note the added layer of warning when the predominantly white vigil attendees are being described as quiet and purposeful while predominantly black protesters across the country are being framed as rioters. Is this really a narrative in which the church wants to participate? Of course, the media’s commentary, racist or not, is no fault of local churches. But this commentary should inspire reflection regarding the nature of our witness.
Is a church vigil a sacramental signpost of God’s coming reign of justice and peace? Is it a humble act of solidarity with the oppressed? Or is it simply a friendly acknowledgement of protesters, welcomed as a not-too-revolutionary complaint by unjust powers and systems? But then again, could the seemingly “quiet” demonstrations of the local church bear a mysterious revolutionary power unseen to the ways of the world?
The truth is the vigil is probably a bit of all these things. It’s critically important that the church declare injustice to the world as the church. And there is undoubtedly a profound power to the people of God declaring, like the psalmists, hope in lament. But the church also fails in its mission to do justice if its community action is praised as acceptable by systems that preserve injustice.
So what does it really look like to live Advent as protest? Does it look like holding vigils of lament, which prayerfully and peacefully educate? Does it mean attending nationally organized rallies like Al Sharpton’s ‘Justice for All’ march? Does it look like humbly submitting to the agendas of local protesters? [Does it look like writing blog posts with big questions and sending mass emails that aim to inspire the Christian faithful to act for justice? (That one’s my path — at least for now).] And finally, lest we forget amid all the action, what might it look like to be personally transformed through these events?
As for me and my house … I’m not yet sure how to answer these questions. But it seems to me we must do more. We must do more than stand quietly in solidarity at vigils and we must do more than wait for the next national political cycle and vote for the “right” politicians. But what is that more? What is the “more” that your churches are doing? How are your churches protesting this Advent?
Ryan Stewart is Online Assistant at Sojourners.
Image: Nov. 24 vigil in Toronto, Canada. Nisarg Lakhmani / Shutterstock.com
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