Black pastors in cross-racial appointments often comment that their white congregations “love my preaching and my praying, and my singing; they even laugh at my jokes. But when it’s time to make a decision, especially a major administrative one, I become invisible and inept.”
Can we conclude that in cross-racial contexts clergy power and performance are inherently bifurcated?
As a young dude, I get the same thing. "You're really exciting pastor, and I love your funny and thoughtful sermons, but when it comes to budget issues, let the adults do their job."
ReplyDeleteClergy power and performance may indeed be bifurcated, but how is that different than others within the field? Do pastors inherently bifurcate themselves between spiritual issues and "business" issues within their churches?
In his book, "White Like Me" Tim Wise tells the story of how as he boarded an airplane once, he peeped in the cockpit, like many of us do, and when he saw 2 African American pilots seated at the controls, he stopped in his tracks for a minute and his first immediate thought was, "Wait a second... Can these 2 guys actually fly this thing by themselves?" Subtext: "Are we ultimately safe without a white presence and overseer?"
ReplyDeleteWhen is the last time you did a double-take when you saw 2 white pilots, male or female in the cockpit?
When an educated white guy, like Wise, who devotes his profession to studying white privilege has to check himself in the immediate reaction that a white person should always be somewhere keeping things legit, I think this inherently bifurcates our clergy purview on this issue.
Put another way: In most administrative situations, there is a festering sub-dermal condition for black clergy that goes beneath the white clergys' epidermal itch.
I don't think I would think twice about that... Maybe a generational thing?
ReplyDeleteMaybe. But Wise is not exactly a geezer, probably not too much older than you, and if you read his stuff, he's definitely on the real about white privilege.
ReplyDeleteI'll check out Wise! All about check'n white privilege. Thanks for the lead!
ReplyDeleteOne reason we have cross-racial appointments is because we need to learn to share power. I tutored math and English in a community college lab. I was the only native English speaker. The others were from Africa and South America with degrees in English. They often came to me for explanations of idioms and exceptions to the English language rules. I learned some lessons on humility, especially when I was tempted to feel more like the more real American.
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