May 23, 2005
by Daphne Mack

NEW YORK – Using prayer, song and personal experiences, the Rev. Dr. James A. Forbes, senior minister of New York City's historic Riverside Church, helped re-launch the Episcopal Church Center's anti-racism training program for employees on May 19.

"We have a journey to fuller inclusion, fuller respect and to deeper and more meaningful dialogue," the Rev. Jayne Oasin, social justice officer at the Church Center, told the staff. "It is my hope that as we re-begin our journey together we will be better able to discern the roles that we can play "as citizens, as staff of the Episcopal Church Center and as people of integrity."

The journey must continue, said Oasin, who serves on the anti-racism training planning team with colleagues John Colûn, director of human resources; Vivian Harrison, human resource manager; and Robert Williams, director of communication.

Presiding Bishop Frank Griswold introduced Forbes as "one of the great preachers of this era" and said, "I assume we are going to be pierced through [the heart] by what you have to say and I trust that it finds a place within us and becomes a living word that we can live out as a result of your sharing with us."

Forbes ignited applause when he opened by sharing a personal prayer and song he said he has been reciting as his daily devotion each morning since the attacks of September 11. He then outlined his agenda as helping to frame the issue of racism because "I understand that he who sets the frame, basically controls the dialogue and the development of the programmatic response" and "I need to road test it as I go around talking about it."

He asked that the consideration of race, class and spiritual revitalization be the outcome of his message. He compared the challenge of discussing one without the other to separating [conjoined] twins: "You can't talk about race today without talking about the Siamese twins' of race and class and even a skillful surgeon cannot separate them."

Forbes invited the group to review the class considerations present in Isaiah 6:5-7.

He said that the concept of race can be positive when it has functioned as a convenient way of self identification or a way of identifying with people you have something in common and with you have a special affinity. But, acknowledging that race is a "false and arbitrary categorization," he added that in a U. S. context, it tends to give white people a belief in their superiority over people of color.

"We will not effectively address race and class, not even in religious organizations, apart from a mighty great awakening in this nation," Forbes said. "The value base is not there [because] it has eroded [and] the contours in the culture prevent responding."

Forbes said he is on a mission to recruit "human race activists."

"I'm spending my time working towards the next great awakening of spiritual revitalization which touches the depth of the human spirit and gives rise to movements that bring about social transformation," he said. "That's what its going to take in our nation to begin to believe that ‘We are one in the Spirit, We are one in the Lord.'"

With respect to class, Forbes said the Church must discover what "ratio of privilege" can exist in the church and in society. Fundamentally he does not necessarily assume that we have to be levelers but "it's a sin before God to have folks hoard vast resources while there are brothers and sisters for whom bare necessities are not available."

Forbes closed to a standing ovation after performing a self-composed rap song called "No time for foolishness" and urging those gathered to "do your research on God." He said an anti-racism workshop begins with the kingdom of God in a contemporary perspective.

Before leaving, Church Center staffers were asked to assist the committee by responding to a sheet of four goals and outcomes titled "Goals for Becoming Anti-Racist in the Workplace" by May 27.

"We are asking employees to complete this feedback form which the planning group will use to help us shape the anti-racism training," said Colûn. "This work belongs to all of us and the training is to be done by everyone at the Church Center and its field offices so the feedback is crucial as we move forward in this process."

The mandates of the 1991 General Convention of the Episcopal Church resolution (D113) called the church to a nine year commitment to address the sin of racism within the church, world and our society. Two additional resolutions (A047 and B049) at the 2000 General Convention recommitted the Church to continue its work with particular emphasis on abuse of power and privilege and required lay and ordained leadership of the Church to take anti-racism training.

Episcopal News Service
Daphne Mack is staff writer for Episcopal News Service.