The Future of Race (Romans 8:20-23; 1 Corinthians 12:13 ESV)
After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”
For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit.
Diagnosing and Treating the Sin of Racism
The practice of assessment, diagnosis, and spiritual treatment of the
human soul by the prayerful and studied application of Word, Sacrament,
and Prayer remains the most potent method for human transformation \cite{a2016}. Such a practice is called pastoring. The cure of souls is the God-ordained vocation and central mission of the Christian shepherd. For
instance, we witness evidence of a veritable Balkanization (i.e.,
fragmenting) of America (and other Western and English-speaking nations,
e.g., Australia) \cite{RN6941}. Sadly, division and other pathologies of human society
are an undeniable result of the poisonous presence of original and residual sins —the physical and metaphysical consequences of creaturely rebellion
against the Creator—are well-known to the Christian shepherd and
pastoral theologian. There is a particularly virulent and vicious strain
of the sin of division: the degrading, dangerous, and highly infectious
fracture between human beings because on based on accidental,
non-contributing factors. We use the word accidental to describe
those features, traits, and characteristics beyond one’s control (we are
certainly not asserting that life is an accident in the usual
first-meaning that word).
One cannot choose certain physical features, one’s bloodline, or even
one’s socio-economic or geographic place of origin. Therefore, to
isolate and harass, or to hate a person or group in any way, based on
the offended party’s disdain for accidental causes in one’s life is not
only cruel but illogical. One’s boorish behavior might put us off at a
party. Still, such a factor is not accidental or inherited (though it is
possible that no one ever taught the poor fellow about social
etiquette). While possibly cruel or insensitive to the plight of
another, we would, at least, be protesting a malleable factor. The poor
fellow can change his ways. If, on the other hand, you were offended by
the indelicacy of the man at the party because he was born with physical
deformities, e.g., an irregular nervous system that caused him to spill
his drink, you would be a fool. The man is incapable of choosing his
physical qualities. Shout, jump up and down, or leave the party in
disgust, but you cannot expect the poor fellow to change. Yet, you can
do something. You could help him. Alternatively, you can ignore the man. You could even gather together a
society for the hatred of those born with irregular nervous systems.
However, your organization can never change the individual. Your club is
only capable of prejudicial treatment of another based on disgust,
spawned of pure, illogical hatred. The example is admittedly shallow.
Yet, human beings routinely hate others based on their disdain for
accidental factors: socio-economic classifications, sex (i.e., gender),
religion, ethnicity, viz., race. Most of the epistles of the New
Testament had their genesis in responding to the sin of division. Whether Corinth or
Galatia, Rome or Ephesus, Christian communities fragmented because of
external or superficial differences. Apostolic letters were then drafted
and dispersed to the churches to correct the behavior and warn of God’s
wrath against such division.
Racism and other prejudicial actions were and are a result of sin, and the complexities of converging pathologies of the human soul. The cure is the open-hearted, forgiving, love of God in Christ. Consider this one passage citing the desire of Jesus, the Son of the Triune God, to leave His royal robes in heaven in order to abide with Man: (Philippians 2:5-8 NKJV).
Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.