Communities of color grapple with racism daily.  But in the wake of the events in Charlottesville, VA, more predominately white churches are becoming engaged in conversations about race and faith and sin and redemption.  The United Methodist Church condemns racism; if you would like more information on our stance there are many resources online. 

As with all UMC Resolutions and Principles, our stand on racism is grounded in scripture.  If you are wrestling this week with recent events or how to respond in faith, try including one or all of these scriptures in your devotion time.

(verses here from the Common English Bible)

Genesis 2:4-7

On the day the Lord God made earth and sky— ⁵ before any wild plants appeared on the earth, and before any field crops grew, because the Lord God hadn’t yet sent rain on the earth and there was still no human being^[c] to farm the fertile land, ⁶ though a stream rose from the earth and watered all of the fertile land— ⁷ the Lord God formed the human^[d]from the topsoil of the fertile land^[e] and blew life’s breath into his nostrils. The human came to life.

 

Leviticus 19:33-37

³³ When immigrants live in your land with you, you must not cheat them.³⁴ Any immigrant who lives with you must be treated as if they were one of your citizens. You must love them as yourself, because you were immigrants in the land of Egypt; I am the Lord your God. ³⁵ You must not act unjustly in a legal case involving measures of length, weight, or volume. ³⁶ You must have accurate scales and accurate weights, an accurate ephah^[j] and an accurate hin.^[k] I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt. ³⁷ You must keep all my rules and all my regulations, and do them; I am the Lord.

 

John 11:51-52

⁵¹ He didn’t say this on his own. As high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus would soon die for the nation— ⁵² and not only for the nation. Jesus would also die so that God’s children scattered everywhere would be gathered together as one.

 

John 13:34-36

³⁴ “I give you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, so you also must love each other. ³⁵ This is how everyone will know that you are my disciples, when you love each other.”

 

Galatians 3:26-29

²⁶ You are all God’s children through faith in Christ Jesus. ²⁷ All of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.²⁸ There is neither Jew nor Greek; there is neither slave nor free; nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. ²⁹ Now if you belong to Christ, then indeed you are Abraham’s descendants, heirs according to the promise.