White Man's Faith
by: Pastor Glenn of Grace Downtown
For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control (2 Timothy 1:7).
For who regards you as superior? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it? (1 Corinthians 4:7)
Recently, on my personal Facebook page, I posted the following in response to Ahmaud Arbery's murder: "Hard to get out of my mind a dear friend who is African-American, a fellow pastor, and was jogging in this very area a year ago. What freedom and security does he have when suspicion + grab a gun and go = justice?" That question or concern lingers, and others have surfaced.
I am a white, majority culture male who has lived all my 50+ years in America. I have spent a lot of time around other white, majority culture males in urban and suburban contexts, small towns and big cities (up and down the east coast and midwest). Over those many geographies, years, and interactions, I have observed a consistent worldview; more accurately a distorted life perspective with respect to two things--fear and privilege. I am learning to identify them in myself, see them in other white men and believe they are relevant to the tragedy at hand.
Fear
Recently I was reading an article by Grace Downtown member, Kelly Sampson (Counsel of Constitutional Litigation, Legal Alliance, and Racial Justice at Brady Legal). The article identifies a helpful connection between white gun owners and fear. There are, of course, many white gun owners who own for sport, not primarily protection. And owning a gun for protection is neither illegal nor sinful (whether one is white, black, hispanic, asian, etc). However, the article raises a legitimate and important question: Why are some white gun owners fearful? More pointedly, why are some white gun owners fearful of black men? The evidence for this is long-ranging and wide -ranging--from the sickening film Birth of a Nation (1915), depicting the Klu Klux Klan heroically saving whites from primitive and aggressive "blacks" (whites in blackface); the response of white men over school integration and civil rights (1950's--present); and, I would propose, the behavior of the two men who murdered Ahmaud Arbery.
Now, granted, motives are hard to discern; perhaps the perpetrators acted out of a sense of false bravery or even hatred? But, consider the facts as reported: the presence of a black man, not committing a crime but taking a jog where he lived, triggered such alarm that a white man felt compelled to request the backup of his adult son. Father and son then felt the situation to be so threatening they grabbed their guns, jumped into a truck and drove frantically to hunt and confront Ahmaud Arbery, accosting him and eventually murdering him. Alarm. Consternation. Fear. I find it related to a wider theme of fear in white men which I have observed--fear of minority populations rising and taking "their" jobs, neighborhoods integrating, non-white concerns getting equal or greater media coverage, etc;. all expressing "that white privilege exists and the anxiety that it might end" (Colony in a Nation, 133). For more on white privilege consider this article.
What perhaps is most striking about this fear is that in reality no one is more insulated (protected) in American society than white men. As compared to minorities and women, white men enjoy greater security across a number of areas: salaries, access to the corporate ladder, political office (to name a few). In our own denomination, the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA), committees and agencies have been dominated by white leadership for decades, the moderator of the General Assembly having its first minority leadership only as recent as 2017. In general, some of this fear is due to the belief that the 'pie of prosperity' is only so big (which contradicts multiple studies, good theology and my personal experience).
Unchecked fear is dangerous. It impairs the brain and with it the ability to self-regulate behavior. Unhealthy, unchecked fear distorts reality. It can result in paranoia; inventing and exaggerating the level of threat. Unchecked fear can really hurt people--even kill them. As a white man of faith, I am called to take my fears to God, not out on my neighbor. Fear is no justification for injustice.
Privilege
This incident has been likened to a modern day lynching. The Atlanta Journal Constitution has published that there are 637 lynchings on record in Georgia. This number reflects only recorded lynchings. The most recent one just over 50 years ago. Lynchings are committed by those who believe they have a public right and duty to exact "justice." Lynchings are largely conducted by white men upon black men; white men who believe their dominant status affords them both privilege and responsibility to act. Similar themes arise in this case. One of Ahmaud Arbery’s assailants was a former detective with the District Attorney's office--did he view himself as having privileges of law enforcement? Did that privilege account for the District Attorney's lack of response? These are important questions that need answering.
Unchecked privilege is dangerous. It has caused appalling and heinous crimes throughout history--genocide, human trafficking, poverty, and lynching. Only sober humility can manage privilege. Apart from that, privilege will only breed superiority and oppression; a weapon to protect dominance rather than an unmerited grace to steward for others. As a white man of faith, I am called to understand my privilege as something to steward justly. I am required to submit to the Lord's rule, not to live by my own.
I didn't choose to be born white, male and privileged. I can, however, choose to steward privilege for righteousness. Yet, before I can do that, I must rigorously address my own unbelieving fear and pride of privilege--each of these by faith. In the end, the example of Jesus must finally compel me; the One who held all privilege, yet became like nothing.
If you would like to comment or ask a question feel free to forward it to downtownpastor@gracedc.net.
~Photo Credit: Will Suddreth~