The Magdalene Mystique - The Path Inward

One central component of the UBE Convention in Houston was the Presiding Bishop’s Forum. Participants included the Most Rev. Katharine Jefferts Schori, Tony Daniels, the Rev. Canon Edward Rodman, the Rev Dr. J. Carleton Hayden, the Rev. Kim Baker, the Rev. Kortwright Davis, Antoinnette Daniels, and Wale Omosebi. The Forum was a further elaboration on the theme of the Conference: “Telling our Story: Hearing God’s Call for Reconciliation.”

Some of the thoughts that I took with me as I left this very moving session yesterday I will list below for your meditation. I cannot give direct quotes but I have tried to be as faithful to the spoken word as I can. I hope you will leave your own comments about these thoughts. After hearing the stories of exclusion on the basis of race from among these panelists, including exclusion from hospitals when emergency help was needed, I find myself even more committed to issues of racial justice in our world. Ingrained institutional racism is still alive and well in this country. When are we going to stop harming one another should be our cry.

As one panelist eloquently put it: God creates diversity. God creates difference. Yet we are all part of the one garden that God has made for us. Can we learn that diversity does not mean division and unity does not mean uniformity? Can we recognize that we have a common origin and that we live in common conditions and predicaments? Can we seek the Common Good and retain a Common Hope?

I pray that we can.

The Presiding Bishop Schori explained in her very quiet and unassuming way that she had come to the Forum to listen more than to speak - both as an outsider and as one who has a passion for liberation wherever it exists. But she did speak briefly and movingly, saying: Until we are a dappled people and welcome gifts from those of different cultures and experience, none of us will truly be free. It is important to hear stories of oppression in every place and then begin to build bridges so we might effect the liberation of all, including those who have dominated. It is good to celebrate our heritage but we can’t stop there. None of us will be reconciled until all of us are free.

And later she took up the topic of language when she said: Language is important - we use it as an instrument of oppression, violence, and reconciliation. When language is used for judgment, it becomes violent. When language is used for reconciliation, it becomes conversation. When conflict arises to a certain level, we have to ratchet it down so we can have conversation. Remember the incident with the women’s basketball team? They asked for conversation but the public anxiety had pushed it into conflict. When we can lower the level of conflict, then we can begin the conversation. This takes vulnerability but this is the work God calls us to do.

Some other thoughts I took with me from the various panelists are:

There is a difference between a ministry of peace and one of justice and reconciliation.

The legacy of slavery hangs heavy over us.

There is a difference between being colonized and being enslaved.

Reconciliatoin is a process that is never completed. Reconciliation involves all people - we have to move into it so we can all live together.

Some say, I don’t want to talk about reconciliation - why is this?

We need to look inside to find out if we are intentionally discriminating against each other. We can only become liberated, when we become liberators.

Why aren’t we talking about issues of gender and equality?

As for me, I take the view that the primary agent of reconciliation is God - God is the reconciler.
Our call is to witness to God’s reconciliation. God always acts first - there is the Divine initiative.
How does God do this? God continues to bring chaos out of human order - but once we have ordered the world according to our liking, we don’t want God to bring chaos.

Please leave your comments so we can begin more conversation.

Union of Black Episcopalians Katharine Schoriepiscopal churchracism