Dr. Timothy Tennent: Regarding the Racial Unrest in our Country
We have all been deeply stirred by the tragic examples of racial injustice this summer, particularly made evident in the death of George Floyd. Thousands of protests have erupted across the world, crying out for justice, especially for our black citizens. I have seen pictures of dozens of protests, but the one which really touched my heart was a very young boy, perhaps 8 years old, who was holding a sign which read:
Am I Next?
I know all of us want to pass down to our children and grandchildren a better world than the one we grew up in. I do not want that little 8-year-old boy to someday be laying on the street being choked to death. I want him to grow up in a world where he can exercise his gifts and live a flourishing life. In other words, this is not just an “issue” for debate, but this is deeply tied to real lives and aspirations of real people, many of whom are frustrated and angry and looking for hope. I am confident that the gospel of Jesus Christ remains the only sure hope for our culture as we navigate these challenging days. Here are a few of my thoughts to our beloved alumni scattered around the world:
Even though it is painful, we need to travel down this path and allow God to teach us, to lead us, and to help us to become better ambassadors of Christ to a fallen and broken world.
Lament and Listening
It is vital that we engage in holy lament during this time. It is natural for us to want to find ways to “solve” a problem and to focus on “action.” There are, of course, important solutions and actions which must be taken, but it is vital to begin by lamenting the state of our fallen world as well. The Psalms are filled with expressions of lament where the people of God sit in God’s presence and admit that they have no ready solution, or “quick fix,” but cry out to God to give us his wisdom and guidance during this time.
The Unique Voice of the Church
This tragedy has provided an open door for the church to speak in ways unprecedented in recent years. The national discussions in recent weeks have reminded me of how limited the government reach and capabilities are in times such as these. We have heard a range of proposals which are being considered by both houses of congress, ranging from requiring all police to wear cams, to outlawing choke-holds, to banning no-knock warrants, to banning police from schools, and even various versions of legislation arising from the “defund the police” protests, and so forth. All of these proposals must be duly debated and processed. Those are questions before our political leaders. The deeper question is, what is the distinctive contribution of the people of God at a time like this?
I believe that there is a wonderful open door for us to make a significant contribution to this national debate. The only viable response the government has to address systemic racism is to consider various laws which might serve to restrain the most egregious acts of police violence against vulnerable citizens. This is not an insignificant power, but it is limited. The government has no power to change a person’s heart or to clarify justice in the inner thoughts of our citizens. But the long arm of God can reach where the short arm of the government cannot. We need to be reminded of the unique power of the Christian gospel to change and transform hearts.
Insights from the Gospel which address this challenge
Let me explore just a few of the insights which arise out of biblical revelation which are particularly important for us to recall, and should be what frames our response:
- Scripture teaches us that every person is created in the Image of God.
This is the basis for human dignity, therefore there is no place for racism in the lives and actions of those who live and serve under God’s rule and reign.
- The Bible also teaches us that the entire human race, apart from Christ, is under the bondage of sin and needs to receive the grace of forgiveness.
The culture does not recognize sin as Sin, but only the effects of the sin nature, and seems unable to have the capacity to offer or receive forgiveness. We, as the people of God, know that we are the joyful recipients of the grace of God, and that this grace is freely offered to the whole human race. This is the heart of the gospel. Our culture needs to see forgiveness, reconciliation and grace manifested in the church and offered freely to the world. The gospel alone provides hope for genuine reconciliation among peoples, regardless of the deep sins which have mired peoples into the swamp of enmity.
- We believe in the power of Jesus Christ and his indwelling Spirit to transform and redirect hearts toward perfect love.
Every brutal murder, every racist attitude, every sinful act and thought has already been borne by Jesus on the cross of Calvary. His victory over death was also his victory over all sin, including the sin of racism, since he has “torn down the dividing wall of hostility” and has created a new redeemed people, made up of every race, tribe and tongue.
- We believe that the New Creation is coming when God will present us all as the spotless Bride of Christ when Christ vindicates his people at the Marriage Supper of the Lamb.
The future to which we are headed is not one of division and hatred, but of shared unity around the glory of God and of his redemptive plan which has made us all adoptive children. The church has not always been faithful to this vision. The evangelical church, in particular, often resisted this vision during the years of racial segregation in our country. We must be honest about this and ask for forgiveness for this. Nevertheless, our past does not determine our future. A new window of opportunity is before us as a community, and God’s grace has provided the possibility of this new engagement.
It is clear, therefore, from a Christian point of view, that our response to the sin of racism is framed by the themes of creation, fall, redemption and new creation. These are all unique contributions we make as a community within this culture. We are not forced to conduct this conversation on the same grounds as the wider culture. Rather, we must remain rooted in these wonderful truths as we frame our responses and give guidance to our churches.
Safe Spaces
My 2019 Convocation address pointed out the insights of the philosopher Alasdair McIntyre who noted, among other things, the loss of moral argument in our culture. He makes a convincing case that the loss of a moral foundation in the West has left us without a proper basis to conduct healthy cultural conversations and impossible to reach even broad cultural consensus on important matters. We are left with what he calls “emotivism” which is the degenerative cultural state in which each group or faction shouts at the other group or faction without any real engagement with the other. Our national and public life has become fractured and the moral fabric of our nation has suffered greatly in the wake of the retreat of Christian values from the public square.
As a Christian community, we are uniquely placed to create “safe spaces” for honest conversations because we do share a moral foundation and powerful theological and biblical foundations upon which we can discuss any issues which may arise. I am not talking about easy “kum-ba-yah” moments so we can all go home afterwards and feel better. Rather, I am referring to honest, open conversations which can be both challenging and painful, yet also leading to real change. As Wesleyans, we believe that sanctification is rooted in the community, not just individual piety. This is what Wesley meant by the phrase “social holiness.”
My hope in this pastoral letter is to provide guidance for your wider approach. As leaders, each of you will need to work with your own church leaders and formulate specific proposals and responses which will help your community. This will not be an easy task as you bring leadership to your church. Here at Asbury, we are wrestling with many of the same questions. Yet, I remain confident that the same God who led his people through the challenges of the wilderness and exile, will lead and guide us through these days.
Perhaps this may be a time for Asbury Seminary to have a time of Repentance and Apology for any systemic racism in their past and present.
Thank you Lawrence and Dr Tennent for this call for ‘Social Holiness’ even in our own backyard. I have not been able to get out of my mind my experience at ATS; nothing short of racial abuse by the establishment. Aiah Foday-Khabenje (Class of 2015)
Agree!!
Thank you, Dr. Tennent for your leadership of Asbury Seminary.
thanks, also for this report on what the seminary continues to stand for. Continue your great work,
Donald Mueller 1959
“ Our national and public life has become fractured and the moral fabric of our nation has suffered greatly in the wake of the retreat of Christian values from the public square.”
I would note that often in our nation’s history of racism, those that tout “Christian Values” have been a part of the problem, not the solution, of racism. Until the American church deals with its own history of racism, I find it hard to believe its reentry into the public square will be helpful.
As a dear mentor of mine says often, “You can’t put truth on top of a lie.”
Thank you for your thoughtful and Biblically focused response to this challenge before us. I know this is only one of several major issues we face that need to be addressed, but I truly appreciate how you have addressed this one. Continuing to pray for ATS, for you as you lead, and for all of us in this journey of life together.
Thank you so much for sending me the Asbury Seminary messages in all these years;I have had longed for being able back for a visiting in Wilmore and this seems such an “impossible dream ”or longing ！May Lord God take care of the ATS as well as Wilmore where I have had been for three &a half years with all the good & blessings as well as all the precious memories in my life since September 1993!Many thanks and praise for God and for all the dear precious seminary professors ,and the Francis Asbury Society as well as all the old seminary’s &college’s presidents Dr. Maxie Dunnam ,Dr. Kallas and Dr. Dennis Kinlaw who had been my sponsor for my seminary study during all those good years !Thanks for God for all the rich and precious blessings and for all these precious and blessed God ’people in Asbury seminary as well as Wimore Kentucky;May God be with you all dear precious seminary friends ,people of our Lord God through Christ Jesus Hallelujah Amen!!! Your sincerely:joy Jiang
Our Brother, Dr. Timothy, I personally am encouraged greatly by the message above. It was really very sad watching the crushing of life as such carelessness as occurred in the streets of World’s most advanced country. It is clear to some of not most of us that the more territory we allow our adversary to take, the more cruel the human race becomes. We should go back to the foundation and God’s principles, as you have outlined above. We, the church needs to take our stand, and allow for God to take the lead, for the safety of lives in the streets of the Nations. May God bless you Dr. Tennet
Dr. Timothy Tennet, I am proud to be part of Asbury Alumni, graduated in MA Pastoral Care in May 2013 Class . Currently in Tanzania doing Pastor Care Ministry, and minister of a local Church.
Dear Dr. Tennent, thank you for your reflections on race and culture.
When I was living in the Wilmore single male residence at the seminary in 1991, I decided to decorate the lounge common area with my collection of flags. This included an Australian flag (I had an Aussie roomate), a Californian state flag (I’m from San Diego), a European Union flag (I hoped to be a cross-cultural worker in Europe one day – and now am) and the Confederate Battle Flag (I like Civil War history and Kentucky was a border state during the period – my great grandfather was also a New York Union Cavalry soldier in the Civil War). I vividly remember one of the black students politely challenging me about my choice of the Confederate flag within an hour of me hanging the flags in the lounge. I apologised for causing offence and I immediately took it down. He replied that he thought that he had put all of that racist imagery behind him after graduating from the University of Alabama and experiencing discrimination there.
I was embarrassed, rightfully chastened and left feeling very silly for not thinking of how the symbols I had pinned to the seminary lounge wall would affect others (or what they fully represented).
Whilst at Asbury, my missiological training taught me about form and meaning. An astute cross-cultural worker or evangelist, is able to contextualise form and meaning in order to better communicate the love of Christ to others.
How do we as Christians, as we debate race and culture, challenge injustice, oppression, inequality and lack of opportunity? How do we become change agents to ‘let justice flow like rivers and righteousness like an everflowing stream’ (Amos 5:24)? I hope that part of this is how we view symbols, analyse power structures and determine our own response within the communities that we find ourselves in. For me, I now live in hyper-diverse London, UK.
Thank you for starting the lamenting and the safe space discussion into race and culture.
Appreciate these thoughts. Yes, dialogue, and especially listening, is needed. Christian values that need to occupy the public square, and that we must exemplify, include humility and openness. Tennent is right; it may be a painful dialogue, but no other will be redemptive. Thank you!
Perhaps it is also a time for Asbury to see how it is purposely or unconsciously disregarding people of color, including Latinx in their staff, faculty, and chief administrations. Just because we have a campus in Orlando does not mean that they are adequately being represented or treated.
Thank you. It is critical that the evangelical church join in a clear rebuke of our deeply embedded systemic racism. Hope the campus is studying Robin DiAngelo’s “White Fragility” and Ibram Kendi’s “How To Be An Antiracist”. He comes from an evangelical background–beginning with Urbana ’70 and Tom Skinner, who once spoke at Asbury. -Jack Harnish, ATS class of ’72.
Dr. Tennent, this time, your response, and the responses of others seem to demonstrate a need for a Solemn Assembly dedicated to the confessing of sins, as individuals, as communities of faith and location, and as a nation. May I politely suggest Asbury lead this movement across our nation? I will help in anyway you ask.
Sandy
We must also come up with an acceptable meaning of the term justice.
So what are Asbury Theological Seminary faculty, staff, administration, and students going to *do* about racism at the seminary? There is no excuse for retreating into contemplation and prayer. There are thousands of resources available to you that are filled with tangible solutions – if you have eyes to see and ears to hear.
Please learn the importance of the hymn Kumbaya and its place in Black Christianity and the civil rights movement. It’s ironic to disparage the song in an address regarding the “racial unrest” in the US.
Maria, that is a great question. I cannot seem to reconcile what has/is being said to what has been done over the past 50+ years.