In Jesus we see a God who experiences anger at the evil in our world, who establishes justice and righteousness, and who works on behalf of the oppressed.
We also see Jesus as One who listens intently, grieves deeply, and weeps. As followers of Jesus, it is our desire to become more like Him and do what He would do in our world around us.
The unacknowledged and deep wounds of our country are being unveiled and seen in their truest form right now. This is not new pain – it’s existed since the beginning of our country without ever having received proper acknowledgement and healing. We deeply grieve the centuries of oppression, violence, and trauma known by our sisters and brothers of color. White sisters and brothers, we grieve over our complacency and silence that has allowed complicity with systemic and institutionalized racism in America and within the church.
justice in action
At Eastown we are committed to live this out. It will be demonstrated by our willingness to acknowledge and lament where our complacency and silence has contributed to systemic racism in our country and the church. We will discover ways to listen, learn, and give to people of color in our local and greater communities as we go on the journey of racial reconciliation. We will identify and provide tangible ways to advocate for and serve the oppressed in the Bay Area.
RESOURCES FOR THE JOURNEY
Choose from the resources below to learn more about racial reconciliation and healing. There is much we have yet to learn and this is only a start. For those of us in particular who are new to the lifelong journey, we want to collectively slow down, humble ourselves before the Lord, listen, and learn. Learn from these resources as you discover more about the Black and Brown experience in America. Listen to voices of color as they share the ways in which we can all contribute to rebuilding.
BOOKS
How We Love Mattersa by Albert Tate Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption by Bryan Stevenson How to Fight Racism by Jemar Tisby I’m Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness by Austin Channing Brown Be the Bridge: Pursuing God’s Heart for Racial Reconciliation by Latasha Morrison Color of Compromise by Jemar Tisby
Resources for Children
