Ewuare Osayande, anti-oppression coordinator for Mennonite Central Committee, joined us Thursday for a pastors breakfast entitled “Proactive Pastorship: On Becoming a Church Invested in Racial Justice.”
Ewuare challenged congregational leaders to understand the concept of “race:” a social construct emerging out of colonialism and slavery. Once congregations understand race, they can begin to have a conversation about racism and the impact racism has had on all people.
Ewuare also encouraged pastors to study the way that race has impacted the development of the Mennonite church in the United States and the communities that Mennonite immigration displaced. Mennonites have their own history of suffering but somewhere along the way, they became the “Quiet in the Land.” When they came to the “New World,” the Quiet in the Land were silent in the face of injustice and benefited from it. “This is also a part of your history,” he said.
Hear Ewuare’s entire presentation, his suggestions on steps congregations can take to invest in racial justice, and an insightful question and answer time:
[podcast]http://www.mosaicmennonites.org/media-uploads/mp3/Racial Justice.mp3[/podcast]
Read Ewuare’s blog and register for the upcoming MCC webinar on Renisha McBride, race, and gender: http://mccantioppression.wordpress.com/
Ewuare suggests that white pastors and congregations read A Testament of Hope as a way to begin understanding African American thought and theology.
The opinions expressed in articles posted on Mosaic’s website are those of the author and may not reflect the official policy of Mosaic Conference. Mosaic is a large conference, crossing ethnicities, geographies, generations, theologies, and politics. Each person can only speak for themselves; no one can represent “the conference.” May God give us the grace to hear what the Spirit is speaking to us through people with whom we disagree and the humility and courage to love one another even when those disagreements can’t be bridged.