Series: Diary of A
Divinity Student (Entry #2)
Although
I have been a community organizer since high school, I spent this summer
organizing a group that I had not given much thought to “organizing” before:
clergy. Having just completed my first
year of seminary, I was ecstatic to be offered an internship with Interfaith
Worker Justice (IWJ)—a non-profit organization that invites people of different
faiths to join forces and actively address low-wage worker rights/workplace
issues. These issues can stem anywhere
from: wage theft (the illegal
underpayment or non-payment of workers' wages), or lack of paid sick
days, to systemic unemployment. We
augment our approach of advocating for and ensuring worker rights through
partnering with labor unions.
This
summer, my task was to plan a prayer breakfast and in so doing provide at least
thirty leaders across faith traditions the opportunity to network with one another,
as well as learn about the workplace injustices facing food service/hotel
workers in the Baltimore area. While I learned that I have a passion for
organizing clergy, I also became painfully aware that the latter might choose
not to support these kinds of efforts.
For example, when I asked one particular religious leader if he would be
able to join us, he replied:
I want to
commend you for your desire to work with the church in improving economic
conditions in America. I researched IWJ
and read over some of the material you provided. Unfortunately, IWJ
advances political goals in a divisive manner that I generally discourage in
the church, even when I completely agree with the policy positions. And to be honest, although I believe that
some of your (IWJ's) concerns are in keeping with the Biblical mandate to
promote justice, I find the underlying socio-political ideologies and positions
your literature has expressed to be antithetical to the well being of those IWJ
seeks to help. In any case, God bless
and remember that those we protest are not always the enemy.
I must admit that his response was a little
disheartening, at first. But his
logic seemed all too familiar. It
was then that I sought solace in Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “Letter from a
Birmingham Jail”, written on April 16, 1963, to clergy. King writes
(excerpts):
…I have been gravely disappointed with the white
moderate, who is more devoted to “order” than to justice; who prefers a
negative peace which is the absence of tension to a positive peace which is the
presence of justice; who constantly says: “I agree with you in the goal you
seek, but I cannot agree with your methods of direct action”[.] I had hoped that the white moderate would
understand that the present tension in the South is a necessary phase of the
transition from an obnoxious negative peace, in which the Negro passively
accepted his unjust plight, to a substantive and positive peace, in which all
men [and women] will respect the dignity and worth of human personality. Actually,
we who engage in nonviolent direct action are not the creators of tension. We
merely bring to the surface the hidden tension that is already alive.
When I was suddenly catapulted into the leadership
of the bus protest in Montgomery, Alabama, a few years ago, I felt we would be
supported by the white church. I felt that the white ministers, priests and
rabbis of the South would be among our strongest allies. Instead, some have
been outright opponents, refusing to understand the freedom movement and
misrepresenting its leaders; all too many others have been more cautious
than courageous and have remained silent behind the anesthetizing security of
stained glass windows.
After re-reading the piece, I realized that I had encountered the same
type of Reverend to which Dr. King addressed this very letter, 49 years ago! At that moment, I realized that I must be on the
right path. By the same token, we (community organizers and leaders) still have
work to do! I could not agree with this
Pastor’s statement, “IWJ advances
political goals in a divisive manner that [he] generally discourages in the
church, even when [he] completely agrees with the policy positions.” To this, I say, that his stance is
non-unique. I have not known any “political”
issues, which do not polarize people. In
King’s time, was not segregation this kind of issue? For those who support marriage equality,
there are those who vehemently disagree.
For those who support women’s reproductive rights, there are those who
endorse the contrary. For those who want
better economic opportunities for the 99 percent, there are those who, again,
believe the converse.
King continues,
In
deep disappointment I have wept over the laxity of the church. But be assured that my tears have
been tears of love. There can be no deep disappointment where there is not deep
love. So often the contemporary church
is a weak, ineffectual voice with an uncertain sound. So often it is an
archdefender of the status quo. Far from being disturbed by the presence of the
church, the power structure of the average community is consoled by the
church's silent—and often even vocal—sanction of things as they are. Is organized religion too inextricably
bound to the status quo to save our nation and the world?
I submit that while these kinds of political issues
can be “divisive” that is not the goal of those raising awareness around such
matters. As
a society, we must get to a place where
we are as critical of the systems, which perpetuate oppression as we are of the
prophets who bring to light such oppression.
Were Jesus’
assertions about the Law (in comparison to the Pharisees) not divisive? We cannot let the threat of a little
tension, or perhaps a little division, stop us from advancing low-wage worker
rights, or the rights of any other group, for that matter!
Additionally, I
could not agree with this Pastor’s logic that “Although I believe that some of your (IWJ's) concerns are in keeping
with the Biblical mandate to promote justice, I find the underlying
socio-political ideologies and positions your literature has expressed to be
antithetical to the well being of those IWJ seeks to help.” The Biblical
mandate to promote justice should outweigh any potential political dispute. IWJ is following the mandate of Isaiah 1:17:
“Learn to do good;
seek justice, reprove the ruthless, defend the orphan, plead for the widow.”
King
continues,
But again, I am thankful to God that some noble
souls from the ranks of organized religion have broken loose from the
paralyzing chains of conformity and joined us as active partners in the
struggle for freedom. Their witness
has been the spiritual salt that has preserved the true meaning of the gospel
in these troubled times. They have carved a tunnel of hope through the dark
mountain of disappointment.
Lastly, I contend that this Pastor, by criticizing
our rhetoric, assumes that accountability is the absence of tension and if the
latter ensues, that the former is no longer necessary.
When workers are treated unfairly, there is usually
a breakdown of accountability. When
housekeepers make minimum wage at a mere $8.25 an hour, a wage designed to keep
them in poverty, when they work for billion-dollar hotel corporation, is this
not an injustice? Should not our
rhetoric be the tone of righteous anger, met with truth telling of the brutal
facts urging their oppressors to maneuver now to enact a living wage? We cannot sit idly by while people sink deeper
and deeper into the mire of poverty. We
cannot be afraid of a little rhetoric!
If I remember correctly, the Pharisees had a similar case against
Christ. His rhetoric/witness got him
killed!
I stand on the shoulders of crucified prophets:
Jesus Christ and Dr. King. Both took on human form yet contained divine
residue. In their shadows, I carry courageously the torch of justice in hope [also, that] the church, as a whole
will meet the challenge of this decisive hour.
Besides, if we let fear overtake us, who will be “the voices
crying out in the wilderness” (Isaiah 40:3)?
August 2012
