1. The November 2015 meeting of the National Black Evangelical Association Chicago Chapter (NBEA-Chicago) occurred, as usual, on the third weekend of the month e.g., Saturday, the 23rd at Garfield Park Community Worship Center-Rev. Stephen Roberts, Senior Pastor-from 9 AM to 11 AM.
2. Nine members where in attendance consisting of:
Dr. Ruth Bentley, Meeting Chair & NBEA Executive Administrator;
Revs. Stephen and Katheryn Roberts, Co-Hosts and Program and Communications Committee Chairs respectively;
Ms. Solomie Guinn and her Husband and ministry partner-Rev. Dr. Dwight Guinn, in town from their social service missionary field in Uganda;
Rev. Timothy Goosby, Committee Member;
Dr. Asabi Yakina, LCSW, Committee Member; and
Rev. Joel Washington (Khunanpu Sangoma), Reformation Church-Chicago's Tourism Justice Ministries and NBEA-Chicago Program, Communications, and Youth Committees.
3. Note: This report is not intended to serve as official Chapter meeting minutes. They do serve as a contribution to the meeting record however-as no official minutes where recorded and Dr. Bentley asked that I contribute my notes as a stop-gap instead.
4. High points of the meeting agenda follow:
4.1) Continental breakfast and fellowship gathering;
4.2) Call to Order and Opening prayer;
4.3) Minutes of Last Meeting;
4.4) Program Committee Report and Discussion;
4.5) Update on Convention 2016 and other Committee Reports;
4.6) Presentation by Dr. Ruth Bentley: "NBEA's Ministry through ICCARE (The International Christian Coalition for AIDS Reversal and Education)" and Discussion;
4.7) Offering;
4.8) Meeting Adjournment and Closing prayer.
5. Gathering and fellowship. Historically a key method of NBEA, this informal aspect of the November meeting was remarkable due to the unexpected attendance of the Guinns-who were in town from Uganda.
5.1) The conversation naturally segued into the status of their ministry re: their take of conditions on the ground in their mission field.
5.2) This writer mentioned a current PBS/POV documentary about a zealot and literalist Euro-American and Evangelical missionary intervention in Uganda that has taken the form of a self righteous and neo-colonial crusade against the Ugandan homosexual community as well as the Ugandan Muslim community resulting in violence against and the murder of members of the former group and creating tensions with the latter sector.
5.3) As I mentioned the above documentary being introduced to me by a close colleague on the African American cultural nationalist front (who is also a member of Chicago's Black documentary forces connected to both the national and nternational Black documentary video and film community), the conversation shifted to the sub-topic, programmatically speaking, of screening and producing NBEA sponsored documentaries to enhance the cultural and political education of our respective constituencies.
5.4) We also introduced this writer's passion for a faith-based initiative around tourism justice wherein the multi-billion dollar flow of tourism taxes (that now go almost exclusively to Loop economic development) be redirected, ever more equitably, toward the City's underserved Black, and other people of color, communities-in terms of contracts, jobs, tourism business, and general economic development.
6.) Dr. Bentley called the formal meeting to order that began with an opening prayer and a reading of the previous meeting minutes.
6.1) Committee Reports. Sister Katheryn briefly reported the status of the communications committee that included a listing of its volunteer members.
6.2) More, this writer was also reminded that he had volunteered membership on the NBEA Youth Committee whereupon he offered to organize a Rights-of-Passage program especially, but not exclusively, for the 2016 Convention.
6.3) Program Committee Report. The much anticipated Program report was delivered both orally and in writing (the latter temporarily exclusive to the PC) by Pastor Roberts, PC convener. The written report was well detailed and is currently under internal discussion by the PC organizing committee-becoming that now consists of Pastors Roberts, Washington (Sangoma), Hilliard, Frazier.
7) Dr. Bentley's Presentation: "NBEA's Ministry through ICCARE (International Christian Coalition For AIDS Reversal and Education)."
7.1) To shorten a rich presentation and discussion around ICCARE, a consensus was reached, based on this writer's suggestion, that NBEA construct a program for National Black HIV/AIDS Prevention Week- February 5-11, 2016-Black History Month I (General Focus).
7.2) More, that we engage the path breaking document, "A Covenant With Our Selves,"produced for the Los Angeles-based National Black HIV/AIDS Strategy Alliance by Dr. Maulana Karenga, Professor and Chair of Africana Studies at CAL State U-Long Beach and social ethicist.
7.3) Said engagement could take the form of a televised conference call with Dr. Karenga at GPCWC if not the actual appearance of Dr. Karenga.
7.4) More still, the occasion could be additionally marked by honoring the two prime movers of NBEA-led ICCARE that are Dr. Bentley and Dr. Tiye Amos-Mandela.
The meeting adjourned at about 11:30AM with a closing prayer by Sister Asabi.
Respectfully submitted:
Rev. Joel Washington (Khunanpu Sangoma) for Reformation Church-Chicago's Tourism Justice Ministries ("Young Barack Obama's community organizing sanctuary."), 12/17/15.
Wednesday, December 16, 2015
Monday, August 10, 2015
Who We Are and What We Are About
ABOUT US
"Let envoys come out of Egypt; let Ethiopia hasten her gifts to God." -Psalm 68:31-
Part I. The Demographic Challenge
"We Are All Multiculturalist Now."
-Nathan Glazer, Harvard University Press, 1997-
"We Are All Multiculturalist Now."
-Nathan Glazer, Harvard University Press, 1997-
1.1) Until recently, denominationally speaking, the flagship print magazine and voice of the commonly called "mainstream Protestant" ELCA (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America) has been THE LUTHRAN (TL).
1.2) More, TL magazine (consciously or no) was objectively a reflection, via casual cultural content analysis, not of the multicultural Lutheran magazine it may have on paper and/or publicly aspired to be, but rather, true to its demographic form and function, served instead as the emblematic voice of the actually existing and dominant mono-cultural yet liberal, Euro-American yet Eurocentric, Lutheran body it represents in U.S. society and internationally.
1.3) Note: Although TL has subsequently modified its name to that of LIVING LUTHERAN, its predominately mono-cultural Northern European/Euro-American and Christian denominational content remains basically the same.
1.4) But hear the concerned voice of the current ELCA Presiding Bishop, Rev. Elizabeth A. Eaton-as reported in the September 2013 TL magazine: "We are an overwhelmingly European American church in a culture becoming increasingly pluralistic and we need to find ways to get out of the way and welcome those who come from other cultures."
1.5) More, in her recent, U-TUBE, dialog on confronting racism inside and outside the ELCA-post Bloody Charleston, Eaton openly admitted "we have not moved the needle" on multicultural inclusion since the ELCA'S 1988 founding.
1.6) More still, Bishop Eaton noted that the ELCA holds the dubious distinction within "mainstream" American Christianity of being one of the two least diverse denominational bodies in the country.
1.7) Commenting on Dylann Roof, the local member of an ELCA South Carolina congregation as well as the White supremacist perpetrator of Charleston's Mother Emanuel AME 2015 massacre, Bishop Eaton observed, via an official Church-Wide statement: “All of a sudden and for all of us, this is an intensely personal tragedy.
"One of our own is alleged to have shot and killed two (among 9 total) who adopted us as their own.
"We might say that this was an isolated act by a deeply disturbed man.
"But we know that is not the whole truth.
"It is not an isolated event. And even if the shooter was unstable, the framework upon which he built his vision of race is not. Racism is a fact of American culture. Denial and avoidance of this fact is deadly."
1.8) Are we saying the ELCA is unrepentantly mono-cultural in an increasingly multicultural U.S.-at least superficially? "We most certainly am not! The ELCA is ineffectively multiculturalist however.
1.9) More, multiculturalism is contested terrain. It consists of competing top-down and bottom-up approaches.
1.10) Heretofore, the ELCA has relied on the top-down approach of its Euro-American denominational hierarchy and its employees.
1.11) Now, more than ever, is the time for the ELCA to lend increased moral, active, and financial support to grassroots, bottom-up initiatives from concerned African American Lutherans, and other concerned Lutherans of color, organized from the bottom-up under socially conscious, capable, and committed non-Euro-American Lutheran leadership.
1.2) More, TL magazine (consciously or no) was objectively a reflection, via casual cultural content analysis, not of the multicultural Lutheran magazine it may have on paper and/or publicly aspired to be, but rather, true to its demographic form and function, served instead as the emblematic voice of the actually existing and dominant mono-cultural yet liberal, Euro-American yet Eurocentric, Lutheran body it represents in U.S. society and internationally.
1.3) Note: Although TL has subsequently modified its name to that of LIVING LUTHERAN, its predominately mono-cultural Northern European/Euro-American and Christian denominational content remains basically the same.
1.4) But hear the concerned voice of the current ELCA Presiding Bishop, Rev. Elizabeth A. Eaton-as reported in the September 2013 TL magazine: "We are an overwhelmingly European American church in a culture becoming increasingly pluralistic and we need to find ways to get out of the way and welcome those who come from other cultures."
1.5) More, in her recent, U-TUBE, dialog on confronting racism inside and outside the ELCA-post Bloody Charleston, Eaton openly admitted "we have not moved the needle" on multicultural inclusion since the ELCA'S 1988 founding.
1.6) More still, Bishop Eaton noted that the ELCA holds the dubious distinction within "mainstream" American Christianity of being one of the two least diverse denominational bodies in the country.
1.7) Commenting on Dylann Roof, the local member of an ELCA South Carolina congregation as well as the White supremacist perpetrator of Charleston's Mother Emanuel AME 2015 massacre, Bishop Eaton observed, via an official Church-Wide statement: “All of a sudden and for all of us, this is an intensely personal tragedy.
"One of our own is alleged to have shot and killed two (among 9 total) who adopted us as their own.
"We might say that this was an isolated act by a deeply disturbed man.
"But we know that is not the whole truth.
"It is not an isolated event. And even if the shooter was unstable, the framework upon which he built his vision of race is not. Racism is a fact of American culture. Denial and avoidance of this fact is deadly."
1.8) Are we saying the ELCA is unrepentantly mono-cultural in an increasingly multicultural U.S.-at least superficially? "We most certainly am not! The ELCA is ineffectively multiculturalist however.
1.9) More, multiculturalism is contested terrain. It consists of competing top-down and bottom-up approaches.
1.10) Heretofore, the ELCA has relied on the top-down approach of its Euro-American denominational hierarchy and its employees.
1.11) Now, more than ever, is the time for the ELCA to lend increased moral, active, and financial support to grassroots, bottom-up initiatives from concerned African American Lutherans, and other concerned Lutherans of color, organized from the bottom-up under socially conscious, capable, and committed non-Euro-American Lutheran leadership.
Part II. Our Multicultural Response-
Historic Black Freedom Church Evangelism
"EVANGELISM. The proclamation of good news-any kind of good news. The root word here is the Greek evangelos: a bringer of good news. Christian evangelism is proclaiming the Christian message, spreading the word...Remember, however, that according to St. Paul not everyone to whom the conversion experience comes has the gift of being articulate about it or the sensitivity to put it in terms that get through to the listener. Those who have the gift are the evangelists. Their hearts can communicate with other...hearts, opening the way for the follow-up work of the teachers and other specialists."
-Howard Harper, The Episcopalian's Dictionary, Seabury Press, 1974-
Historic Black Freedom Church Evangelism
"EVANGELISM. The proclamation of good news-any kind of good news. The root word here is the Greek evangelos: a bringer of good news. Christian evangelism is proclaiming the Christian message, spreading the word...Remember, however, that according to St. Paul not everyone to whom the conversion experience comes has the gift of being articulate about it or the sensitivity to put it in terms that get through to the listener. Those who have the gift are the evangelists. Their hearts can communicate with other...hearts, opening the way for the follow-up work of the teachers and other specialists."
-Howard Harper, The Episcopalian's Dictionary, Seabury Press, 1974-
2.1) By contrast to the "mainstream" ELCA, and as a contribution to a much needed social corrective, Imani Evangelical Journal (IEJ) understands and seeks to express itself as an autonomous, left of center, Afrocentricity, and progressive multicultural Lutheran publication.
2.3) IEJ strives to become a voice inside and outside the ELCA and African America.
2.4) More, we seek to be an emerging historic Black para-church or interdenominational voice for, borrowing from the Kawaida philosophy of Dr. Maulana Karenga-of which we are advocates, "self-determination, self-respect, and self-defense."
2.3) IEJ strives to become a voice inside and outside the ELCA and African America.
2.4) More, we seek to be an emerging historic Black para-church or interdenominational voice for, borrowing from the Kawaida philosophy of Dr. Maulana Karenga-of which we are advocates, "self-determination, self-respect, and self-defense."
2.5) This said we are emergent not only out of the ELCA denomination but also out of the Black para-church and interdenominational NBEA (National Black Evangelical Association) itself founded in 1963, during the increasing height of the Black Freedom Movement, as a Black evangelical united front.
2.6) Note: as many of our readers are aware, the 3.8 million member ELCA denomination is 96% Euro-American, 4% people of color, including very roughly 50, 000 African Americans making up about a little under 1.5%.
2.7) IEJ objectively speaks from the ELCA margins.
By contrast, with regard to the NBEA, IEJ speaks as an integral Afrocentricity tendency voice, within the Chicago Chapter- that also serves as the country-wide coordinating center of the national Black evangelical united front.
2.8) In both cases however, our calling is the same: making an ongoing and open-ended contribution to advancing a progressive Black self-empowerment agenda, both for racial as well as social justice, in the ELCA and NBEA especially, but also, by extension, within Black America, U.S. society, Pan-Africa, and the international world.
2.9. Put another way IEJ seeks to be a creative production voice for ecumenical unity not among socially concerned Black evangelicals only.
2.10) More, we seek to advocate for an Afrocentricity influenced alliance within that unity both based on the voluntary religious principle.
2.11) IEJ also seeks to stand on the Kawaida philosophy principle of operational unity meaning voluntary unity without uniformity, unity in diversity.
2.12) Accordingly, IEJ stands for unity in the common defense of the Black community while leaving room for principled internal dialog over which way forward.
Part III. On Our Self-Understanding
"Then the [Holy] Spirit said to Philip, go forward and join yourself to this (the Ethiopian official's) chariot. 30 "Accordingly Philip, running up to (the Ethiopian official), heard [the man] reading the prophet Isaiah and asked, 'do you really understand what you are reading?' 31 "And (the official) said, 'How is it possible to do so unless someone explains it to me and guides me [in the right way]?' And he earnestly requested Philip to come up and sit with him." -ACTS 8:29-31, Amplified Version-
3.1) By evangelical we mean, borrowing from the Bebbington typography of evangelicalism hallmarks, we are
3.2) A. intentionally activist/blogger in rediscovering the journey story of the historic African American/African world Freedom Church.
3.2) B. More, we are born again in the theory and practice of the good news of the historic Black Freedom Church.
3.3) C. By evangelical we also mean we believe in the atoning African American/African world relationship with God thru Jesus Christ.
3.4) D. More, influenced by Wimbush's pioneering work, by evangelical we mean we value the African American/African world relationship with the Bible especially its racial and social justice interpretive tradition.
3.5) E. Finally, by evangelical we mean we advocate and practice answering the Holy Spirit's call to historic Black scholar/activism (activism in thought and practice) for the advancement of racial and social justice from within the Black religious tradition generally the Historic Black Freedom Church tradition particularly.
3.2) A. intentionally activist/blogger in rediscovering the journey story of the historic African American/African world Freedom Church.
3.2) B. More, we are born again in the theory and practice of the good news of the historic Black Freedom Church.
3.3) C. By evangelical we also mean we believe in the atoning African American/African world relationship with God thru Jesus Christ.
3.4) D. More, influenced by Wimbush's pioneering work, by evangelical we mean we value the African American/African world relationship with the Bible especially its racial and social justice interpretive tradition.
3.5) E. Finally, by evangelical we mean we advocate and practice answering the Holy Spirit's call to historic Black scholar/activism (activism in thought and practice) for the advancement of racial and social justice from within the Black religious tradition generally the Historic Black Freedom Church tradition particularly.
Part IV. On Our Values and Practice
"Imani (Faith) To believe with all our hearts in our people, our parents, and the righteousness and victory of our struggle."
-NGUZO SABA (The Seven Principles), KWANZAA (A Celebration of Family, Community and Culture), 1998, U of Sankore Press, LA-by Dr. Maulana Karenga, The Creator of Kwanzaa, Nguzo Saba, and Professor and Chair of Africana Studies, California State University at Long Beach.
"Afrocentricity is...used...rather than Afrocentrism... to stress its intellectual value as distinct from its ideological use...Afrocentricity is preferable to Afrocentrism to clearly distinguish it from Eurocentrism...an ideology and practice of domination and exclusion based on the fundamental assumption that all relevance and value are centered in European cultures and peoples and that all other cultures and peoples are at best marginal and at worse irrelevant. Afrocentricity is not built on or conceived as a denial of worth and values to others...it conceptually includes both a particular (African) and universal (human) dimension...As Asante (2003:51) has stated, 'Afrocentricity's response is certainly not to impose its own particularity as a universal as Europe has done. But hearing the voice of African culture with all its attendant parts is one way of creating a more sane society and one model for a more human world.' " Dr. Maulana Karenga, Introduction to Black Studies, Fourth Edition, 2010, University of Sankore Press, Los Angeles
"Imani (Faith) To believe with all our hearts in our people, our parents, and the righteousness and victory of our struggle."
-NGUZO SABA (The Seven Principles), KWANZAA (A Celebration of Family, Community and Culture), 1998, U of Sankore Press, LA-by Dr. Maulana Karenga, The Creator of Kwanzaa, Nguzo Saba, and Professor and Chair of Africana Studies, California State University at Long Beach.
"Afrocentricity is...used...rather than Afrocentrism... to stress its intellectual value as distinct from its ideological use...Afrocentricity is preferable to Afrocentrism to clearly distinguish it from Eurocentrism...an ideology and practice of domination and exclusion based on the fundamental assumption that all relevance and value are centered in European cultures and peoples and that all other cultures and peoples are at best marginal and at worse irrelevant. Afrocentricity is not built on or conceived as a denial of worth and values to others...it conceptually includes both a particular (African) and universal (human) dimension...As Asante (2003:51) has stated, 'Afrocentricity's response is certainly not to impose its own particularity as a universal as Europe has done. But hearing the voice of African culture with all its attendant parts is one way of creating a more sane society and one model for a more human world.' " Dr. Maulana Karenga, Introduction to Black Studies, Fourth Edition, 2010, University of Sankore Press, Los Angeles
4.1) To paraphrase a key contention of Kawaida racial and social justice philosophy, (founded, defined, and developed by Dr. Maulana Karenga): how we understand ourselves in the world is how we assert ourselves.
4.2) This said IEJ intentionally seeks to understand itself as an autonomous Black Lutheran advocate of the Kawaida approach to Afrocentricity and seeks to assert itself accordingly-in the Black religious praxis and Black media or creative production fields.
4.2) This said IEJ intentionally seeks to understand itself as an autonomous Black Lutheran advocate of the Kawaida approach to Afrocentricity and seeks to assert itself accordingly-in the Black religious praxis and Black media or creative production fields.
4.4) A second Kawaida contention is the assertion that "We are American by habit and African by choice. But we must choose to be African."
4.5) The above said, IEJ intentionally seeks the path of choosing to be African inside and outside the ELCA denomination as well as the Black para-church and interdenominational structure that is the NBEA.
4.5) The above said, IEJ intentionally seeks the path of choosing to be African inside and outside the ELCA denomination as well as the Black para-church and interdenominational structure that is the NBEA.
4.6) A third Kawaida contention is that: "to be African is a unique way of being human in the world."
4.7) More, to paraphrase, we (African people) are therefore called by heaven and history to the unique excellence of being both African and human in the fullest sense.
4.8) The above said IEJ seeks to be an opinion making voice for both objectives i.e being African and human in the world.
4.9) IEJ begins where we are, striving to articulate an autonomous Afrocentricity voice, inside and outside the spontaneous Black Lutheran Clergy Concerned (BLCC) caucus and continuing movement.
4.10) Note: IEJ helped to coin the name Black Lutheran Clergy Concerned-out of the May 2015 Metro Chicago Synod Assembly of the ELCA.
4.11) The above said, we begin where we are at the table of the Chicago Chapter reorganization of the ELCA's African Descent Lutheran Association (ADLA).
12. We also begin as well as an autonomous Afrocentricity tendency voice within the head quarters NBEA-Chicago Chapter.
4.13) IEJ stands for the NGUZO SABA (The Seven Kwanzaa Principles)-researched, rescued, reconstructed, and advanced by Dr. Maulana Karenga-inside and outside BLCC and NBEA of which we are activist members in both motions.
4.14) We see The Seven Principles as, as Kawaida philosophy teaches us, "the moral minimum views and values Black people need to rescue and reconstruct their history and humanity in their own image and interest(s)."
4.15) The Seven Afrocentricity Principles are, first in Swahili then in English, UMOJA-Unity; KUJICHAGULIA-Self-Determination; UJIMA-Collective Work and Responsibility; UJAMAA-Cooperative Economics; NIA-Purpose; KUUMBA-Creativity; and IMANI-Faith.
4.16) We pray our readers are ready for the ministry of IEJ. Because ready or not the time for IEJ is now.
Rev. Joel Washington (Khunanpu Sangoma), Lead Pastor of Reformation Church-Chicago ("Young Barack Obama's community organizing sanctuary") and for IMANI EVANGELICAL JOURNAL (IEJ), Updated 11/17/15. Updated: 1-18-18.
Forthcoming additional links:
4.7) More, to paraphrase, we (African people) are therefore called by heaven and history to the unique excellence of being both African and human in the fullest sense.
4.8) The above said IEJ seeks to be an opinion making voice for both objectives i.e being African and human in the world.
4.9) IEJ begins where we are, striving to articulate an autonomous Afrocentricity voice, inside and outside the spontaneous Black Lutheran Clergy Concerned (BLCC) caucus and continuing movement.
4.10) Note: IEJ helped to coin the name Black Lutheran Clergy Concerned-out of the May 2015 Metro Chicago Synod Assembly of the ELCA.
4.11) The above said, we begin where we are at the table of the Chicago Chapter reorganization of the ELCA's African Descent Lutheran Association (ADLA).
12. We also begin as well as an autonomous Afrocentricity tendency voice within the head quarters NBEA-Chicago Chapter.
4.13) IEJ stands for the NGUZO SABA (The Seven Kwanzaa Principles)-researched, rescued, reconstructed, and advanced by Dr. Maulana Karenga-inside and outside BLCC and NBEA of which we are activist members in both motions.
4.14) We see The Seven Principles as, as Kawaida philosophy teaches us, "the moral minimum views and values Black people need to rescue and reconstruct their history and humanity in their own image and interest(s)."
4.15) The Seven Afrocentricity Principles are, first in Swahili then in English, UMOJA-Unity; KUJICHAGULIA-Self-Determination; UJIMA-Collective Work and Responsibility; UJAMAA-Cooperative Economics; NIA-Purpose; KUUMBA-Creativity; and IMANI-Faith.
4.16) We pray our readers are ready for the ministry of IEJ. Because ready or not the time for IEJ is now.
Rev. Joel Washington (Khunanpu Sangoma), Lead Pastor of Reformation Church-Chicago ("Young Barack Obama's community organizing sanctuary") and for IMANI EVANGELICAL JOURNAL (IEJ), Updated 11/17/15. Updated: 1-18-18.
Forthcoming additional links:
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