The Lived Theology and Race Workgroup
Meeting Highlights
- First Meeting
Charlottesville, VA
December 1-3, 2000 - Second Meeting
Memphis, TN and Oxford, MS
February 23-25, 2001 - Third Meeting
San Francisco, CA
August 3-5, 2001 - Fourth Meeting
Charlottesville, VA
October 26-28, 2001
Second Meeting
Memphis, TN and Oxford, MS
February 23-25, 2001
Narrative
Members of the Theology and Race Workgroup traveled to Memphis, TN on February 23 for their second meeting. On Friday at noon they met at Memphis Theological Seminary and had lunch with four local clergy who are involved in community development work with the African American and Hispanic communities. According to these ministers, the African American community has been left behind by suburban flight and lack of investment. Welfare is now the main industry in Memphis, coined "The Asphalt Plantation." Additionally, this depressed community now has to deal with a new and exploding Hispanic population, and the associated issues of intercommunity relations.
After this first meeting, the workgroup went to visit Latino Memphis, a community organization that focuses on community health and legal advocacy work for the Hispanic community in South Tennessee. The Executive Director, José Velazquéz, emphasized the incredible growth in the Hispanic population in the last 3 years, and the barriers of language and culture they face.
Following these site visits, workgroup members drove to Oxford, MS where they would continue their meetings on Saturday and Sunday. Saturday morning group re-convened at the Center for the Study of Southern Culture, University of Mississippi. The day started with Dolphus Weary, the Executive director of Mission Mississippi, giving a presentation on the racial reconciliation efforts of his organization in Jackson, MS. After his presentation, the group explored the possibility of racial reconciliation between churches divided along racial lines. Highlighted were the problems raised by the inevitable ecumenical nature of Mission Mississippi. The group questioned Weary on his understanding of reconciliation and the possibilities and limitations placed on Mission Mississippi by its limited objective of relationship building. Next, Chris Rice presented a paper on his experience of racial reconciliation in Jackson with Spencer Perkins in the community at Antioch House and Voice of Calvary Ministries. Rice continued to explore the nature and heavy cost of reconciliation for all those involved. Following his presentation, Chris entertained questions and facilitated discussion among group members.
In the afternoon, after further reflection on Chris Rice and Dolphus Weary's presentations, Victor Anderson presented his paper entitled, "Contour of an American Public Theology." In it Anderson describes public theology as "the deliberate use of religious languages and commitments to influence substantive public discourse, including public debates on morals." Anderson then goes on to propose how academic theologians, now marginalized in the public discourse, can overcome this marginalization and develop a public theology.
On Sunday morning the workgroup met again at the Center for the Study of Southern Culture, where Luis Pedraja presented his paper, "Testimonios and Popular Religion in Mainline North American Hispanic Protestantism." The paper is a study of testimonies he collected from a number of Hispanic Pentecostal congregations. Pedraja used these tales of divine encounter, which play a prominent role in the services, as sources for theological reflection. Luis also answered questions raised by his presentation and facilitated discussion.
The group finished the weekend with a wrap-up discussion of the weekend's events and made plans for ways to continue the conversation until the next workgroup meeting planned for San Francisco, CA August 3-5.
Readings
- Anderson, Victor. Beyond Ontological Blackness: An Essay on African American Religious and Cultural Criticism. New York: Continuum, 1995.
- Pedraja, Luis G. Jesus is My Uncle: Christology from a Hispanic Perspective. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1999.
- Perkins, Spencer and Chris Rice. More Than Equals. Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2000.
- Weary, Dolphus and William Hendricks. "I ain't Comin' Back." Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House, 1997.
Papers/Presentations
- Luis Pedraja (78k, pdf): Testimonios and Popular Religion in Mainline North American Hispanic Protestantism
- Dolphus Weary (37k, pdf): On Mission Mississippi
- Victor Anderson (31k, pdf): Contour of an American Public Theology
- Chris Rice (42k, pdf): On Voice of Calvary