The Spiritual Work of Whiteness: Responding to the Call of the Black Lives Matter Movement

The history of the U.S. is rife with racial discrimination and violence that has privileged white families and individuals over black families and individuals. Recent social science research reveals that most of us–including African-Americans–carry implicit biases that associate black people with threats or negative emotions. These realities can be seen as a spiritual call to action. This service will begin to explore the spiritual possibilities of this moment–the possibilities for growth, expansion, and connection. Reverend William Barber writes, “we can never know the ecstasy of true hope without attending to the tragic realities of the poor and forgotten.” In the same way, this service seeks to create the possibilities of ecstatic reconciliation and connections by supporting us as we look honestly at the places in our society, culture, and lives where we still fail to connect.