Questions for My Evangelical and Fundamentalist Sisters and Brothers of Color

I want to ask a few questions of my Evangelical and Fundamentalist sisters and brother in Christ.  Considering all that our nation has expereinced with the swearing in of Donald Trump as the 45th president of the United States – (1) naming Jerusalmen as the capital of Israel, (2) the passage of the Tax Bill, (3) support for Roy Moore, (4) threatening North Korea with anihilation, (5) the crippling of the Affordable Healthcare Act, (6) the Muslim bans, (6) the naming of Nazi and white supremacists as “good people”, plus others, why did you vote for him, and why do you support his administration?

In light of the tortured history of people of color in this country and our ongoing fight for justice, equity, and dignity, why did you vote for him, and why do you support his administration?

In light of your daughters and sons who are the prime targets for police abuse, living in economically depressed neighborhoods, to attend underserved schools, be stuck in low wage jobs, and have marginal access to healthcare, why did you vote for him, and why do you support his administration?  These are my presenting questions.  The one of great concern to me are below.

I’ve heard that your rationale may be for theological reasons as well as economic and national security reasons.  If that is the case, I think that I may understand your position to some extent.  But, I need to know more.  I dont understand.  If you are skeptical of engaging in conversation with me, let me tell you about myself.

I was born and raised in a Christian home.  Two services on Sunday, with Sunday School in the morning and training hour before the evening service.  Wednesday night Bible study and prayer meeting.  On top of all that was junior church, vacation Bible school, youth choir, Hi-BA, and summer camp.  And, I loved it!  The theology upon which our worship and all other activities was built on a conservative reading of the Bible.  Yet, we were not simply conservatives, we were fundamentalists affiliated with the General Association of Regular Baptist Churches (GARBC).  Their nearest kin is the American Baptist Churches in the USA – formerly known as the Northern Baptist Convention. Foregoing an extended history lesson, suffice it to say that the GARBC came into existence in 1932 in response to the impact of Moderism on the American Christian academy and what they saw as the dangers it posed to congregations; chief among those being the historical-critical method (biblical criticism), and reception of science. The GARBC rejected this turn, and staunchly claimed the authority of scripture in “all things pertaining to life and godliness.”  And to my knowledge this remains their current stance, but, it is not mine.

A memory that I have from the church of my youth, beside it being incredibly warm, full of life, and loving, was that during every graduation season my dad would send off those who were going away to college with the warning: “Do let that college steal your faith, with all their philosophy and science.  You stick to the Bible.”  This was the sermon preached around the time of my high school graduation.  And I tried to live into this paradigm; I really did.  But, no one in my family or church knew that when I went off to Bible school – Moody Bible Institute – it was because I had received a call to pastoral ministry.  No one knew it because in our theological universe women could not be called into the ministry. Yes, they could be missionary nurses and teachers, but not pastors of congregations.  Yet time, circumstance, a close reading of the scriptures, and prayer proved to me that that theology was wanting.  It has been a struggle to live into my calling, to unlearn decades of unreflective Bible reading and doing theology, and of living a Gospel life in light of manifold injustices and greed that I see, particularly that orchestrated and abetted by those with economic and political power.  Since graduating from Moody Bible Institute almost 40 years ago, my religious and spiritual life, my ability to engage in theological study has grown deeper and become more textured.  I am able to navigate nuance, ambiguity, and the reality that there are no answers to be had.  If I had to characterize myself, I am a Unitarian Universalist Humanist Christian.  From that small bit, I think you can intuit the rest of my profile.

With that said, my questions to you are:

1.  What do you feel that many people who didn’t vote for Donald Trump don’t understand?
2. How will Donald Trump, his practices and emerging policies, make your life and the lives of all Americans better?
3. How do you understand the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew Chapters 5, 6, and 7 and Luke 6:17-49)?
4. Is there anything in the Bible that gives you pause? Something in it that leaves you uncomfortable?
5. What do you hope for the next several generations of children around the world?

My intentions are true and honest, and I hope we’ll have a chance to talk.

Peace and blessings to you this holiday season!