Recently, I finished reading two books which have both challenged and blessed me as a student of the scriptures. The first book is titled - "The Cross and the Lynching Tree" by Dr. James Cone. The second book is titled - "Finding God in the Margins: The Book of Ruth" by Carolyn Custis James. The first deals with the intersection of Theology, Race and History in America. The second is a deep look into the patriarchal backdrop of the book of Ruth. In both cases scripture, history and current events were illuminated by these authors and their perspectives.
Regarding, "The Cross and the Lynching Tree" I will begin by saying that no summary or observations I will make here can substitute for reading this book on your own. I highly recommend it, as a text for insight into race relations in the United States, and as a theological text for grappling with the evils done because of the sin of racism. I have read several of James Cone's books, and took a class on his work while in seminary, and I found this one the most insightful of all.
Fair warning, it is not a light-hearted read; rather, it wrestles with the history of white Americans lynching black Americans between the Civil War and into the Civil Rights Movement. The graphic detail is necessary to understand the devious and sinister nature of racism in the United States, and while it may make people uncomfortable, that is often a key side effect of hearing the truth.
What I found most insightful and most disturbing was the compartmentalization done by white Christians, who claimed they followed a crucified Lord, and who celebrated the lynching of innocent blacks as a terrorist action meant to keep an entire demographic enslaved to fear. Cone candidly and directly shows the hypocrisy of a faith which follows Jesus of Nazareth to the Cross of Calvary, and minutes later after hymns and sermons in pristine chapels walked out to trees where innocent black folk swung from nooses.
While the theological insight was powerful and eye opening, I found that the most important effect this book had on me was the invitation to reflect on my journey of learning American history. Even before I had finished reading the book, I came to the realization that as a white male who grew up in Northern Minnesota, I didn't hear about lynching in the U.S. history books. I didn't hear about the various forms of torture and terror that white Christians leveled against black men, women and children over the course of the 100 years since the end of slavery. I didn't know about any of it, and in the same moment, I was also reminded of my privilege.
Some people do not believe there is such a thing as white privilege, but I am convinced that the twin sins of racism and hatred have over millennia created unwritten structures, rules and hierarchies which are the byproduct of generations of groups hating one another.
White privilege is an undercurrent of reality, that most whites are blind to, because they benefit from it. Black people don't need to be taught about privilege, because they experience the harmful effects of it regularly. Examples include, but are not limited to - a much higher rate of arrest and accusation of crimes, being treated differently in stores by salespeople, and a much higher incarceration rate than most other ethnic demographics in the U.S.
This was far more than a book of history, or some theoretical work of theology and doctrine, this book did what the best books do, it took something from the level of thought and reflection and brought it down to the level of life and action. It left me asking many questions of myself, as a highly educated, white male, but more importantly as a Jesus follower and pastor. One question among them rose to the surface: "What are you going to do about this reality?" And, while I have a great many ideas, I believe my first step has to be to continue the learning journey of understanding the privilege I experience and the negative effects of that privilege on those who don't share it with me simply on the basis of having a different skin color.
The second book titled - "Finding God in the Margins" by Carolyn Custis James, walked me through the book of Ruth in a very insightful way, and while it's main topic was not racism in America, there was a clear connection between the main themes of James Cone's book and this book.
James walks readers through the story of Ruth, a short four chapter long text, nestled between Judges and 1 Samuel. For so many people this story is a biblical romance story, but James will not let us oversimplify or reduce the book of Ruth to just one genre. As with Cone's book, I highly recommend you read this on your own, for what little observation I offer here will not do the whole book justice.
The key component of insight from this book for me was a deeper understanding of patriarchy and its effects both in the book of Ruth, and in the contemporary world. Simply put, patriarchy is the name for a society built by men, for men, and in which all others (women and children) are valueless without a direct connection to men.
In Ruth's case, she and her mother-in-law, Naomi, are valueless as they return to Israel from Moab, without husbands or sons. They are man-less in a culture that will only value them if they are married or have produced sons through marriage.
I can't read this little book with the same simplistic romance bent any longer. The 'behind the scenes' context which James has illuminated can't be erased in my mind and now I am beginning to see the impact of both patriarchy and God's condemnation of it throughout the entirety of the text of scripture.
And not only that, it has challenged me to see the continuing effects of patriarchy on society today. Even in the U.S. where the word egalitarian is thrown around as if it is the norm, there are still very strong remnants of patriarchy at work in many areas of culture. Examples include, but are not limited to - the way a woman is treated if she brings an accusation of sexual impropriety against a man, the way salespeople treat a woman versus a man, and the attempts to make women fit molds made by men for men.
I could wax on for days about this book, but that would again rob you of the opportunity to read it for yourself. Sufficed to say, I recommend it. It has challenged me to look at the world with open eyes, eyes to see the curtain of evil that lurks behind gender relations. This curtain can only be seen when we understand how power works when it is misused to put men over women, rather then seeing what James calls - 'The Blessed Alliance.'
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