November 13, 1999

CLEVELAND—The General Assembly of the National Council of Churches (NCC) today signed on to a Consultation on Church Union (COCU) commitment to combat the scourge of racism in the country.

By joining the commitment, the NCC's 35 member churches pledged to make a compelling theological case against racism, to share among member churches anti-racism resources and programs that are already taking place, to incorporate anti-racism concerns into worship and Christian education programs and to advocate for changes in church and society that will serve to combat racism.

Elenora Giddings Ivory, chair of the Council's National Ministries Unit (NMU) which brought the racism proposal to the Council, announced that gospel singer Kirk Franklin has provided funds for an NCC-sponsored conference on combating racism to be held sometime next year.

In other NMU-recommended actions, the Assembly adopted a policy statement on public education and a resolution supporting universal health care and calling on member churches to work at the local and national level to place universal health care back on the political agenda during next year's election campaign.

Native American theologian links growing violence to racism

Addressing the phenomenon of racism in America, Dr. George Tinker, a member of the Osage Nation and theology professor at Iliff Seminary in Denver, said the violent effects of racism "have invaded all of North American society." As a result, he continued, "we now have to talk about not just redress for Indians, but the salvation of white America."

Dr.Tinker, who noted that the Osage used to own all of Missouri "until we generously ceded it to the U.S. government so it could be used for Lutheran refugee resettlement," said culpability for the racist structures that still predominate in the country belongs to churches as well as governments and other institutions of society.

"The structures of power are still in place—male privilege, white privilege—subtle layers of racism and privilege that are frequently not conscious but are still sin that is thrust upon us," Dr. Tinker said. And it's not enough for people of color to raise issues of racism and privilege, he added. "White theologians have to ask, 'How did it get to be like this?'"

The effects of racism eventually affect perpetrators and their children, Dr. Tinker said, "and we cannot let bygones be bygones because as people of the Book we know better—God is just."

Churches and Christians must challenge the structures of racism in society, Dr. Tinker said. "If we accept the world as it is, we give in to a malaise that eats away at the souls of our people and our churches. This is a serious theological, social, political and spiritual problem that is going to take a generation to correct."

Citing the Lord's Prayer—"Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven"—Dr. Tinker urged NCC delegates not to give up on the vision of a just society. "God's will is not sickness or death for anyone," he concluded.

Longstanding NCC support for public schools reaffirmed

The policy statement on public education—"The Churches and the Public Schools at the Close of the 20th Century"—reaffirms the NCC's longstanding commitment to the public school system and urges member communions to become and active voice in their children's education.

The policy urges the church to "remember first and foremost our children" and affirms that "the public schools are the primary route for most children ... into full participation in our economic, political and community life."

The statement does not try to resolve the longstanding debate over public versus private education. It affirms that "parents have the right to select home schooling or private or parochial schools for their children." However, it insists, "with that personal right comes the public obligation to support public schools for all children." And the statement declares that "as a general rule, public funds should be used for public purposes."

The statement urges local churches to become better informed about the public schools in their communities, to support school reform efforts, to emphasize reading and literacy programs, to work with public schools to provide after-school and other tutoring programs, to provide parenting classes and to advocate for adequate funding for their public schools.

"We have said before that we care about our children and schools," the policy concludes. "Now we must do something about it."