04-12-23

ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS
​April 12, 2023
Today is the 60th Anniversary of a group of clergy in Birmingham, Alabama, writing an Editorial directed toward Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and those who were organizing demonstrations in their city. This Editorial prompted Dr. King to write his own letter less than a week after his arrest. Of course, that letter is known as Letter From Birmingham Jail. Over the years, I have always been deeply troubled by the Editorial written by the eight local clergy, all respected middle-of-the-road pastors, bishops, and one Rabbi. They were calling for Law and Order, yet most of the demonstrations had remained peaceful until Bull Connor got involved. He was the Commissioner for Public Safety in Birmingham, though we all know his definition of safety was pretty narrowly drawn. The whole situation, especially as I think about those eight clergy, makes me wonder where I would have stood. Would I have allowed fear of the other or fear of change to shape my perspective? Would there have been pressure from some within the congregation to temper support for Dr. King or even suggest that he was somehow the real problem? I think we all believe we would have been on the right side of history, yet if history teaches us anything, few are on the right side of history, especially in the moments when risk is involved. I think of the words from the Book of James 4:17: "Anyone, then, who knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, commits sin." Knowing the right things is not always perfectly clear, but often it is, and yet we have allowed ourselves to be swayed for reasons that are neither true nor Christ-like.

Continue to push me toward doing what is right, O Lord, even when it is risky and scary and might even cause me to lose a friend or two. Provide me with both courage and tenacity. Amen.