Excerpt from the “Racism and the Church: Overcoming the Idolatry”

From the “Racism and the Church: Overcoming the Idolatry” by the Commission on Theology and Church Relations of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod:

"We in The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod have before us a wonderful opportunity to commit ourselves to strive toward making racism a thing of the past, and to demonstrate before a watching world how people of all cultures and groups can become one in Christ, who has made of many one body for the edification of all. Racism is sin. To the extent that racism continues to exist within the church the world is defining the purpose of God’s creation. But those whom God has created, redeemed, and sanctified are to have fellowship with him and with each other, and to serve him and their fellow human beings. In Ephesians 2, St. Paul is unmistakably clear on this matter. In Christ God has destroyed all barriers between himself and human beings, as well as all barriers between human beings.As the apostle puts it, Jesus Christ came “that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace” (2:15).

If the church is to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ effectively to a world that is becoming smaller and smaller and at the same time being violently torn apart by racial and ethnic differences,the church itself will do well to pay heed to the counsel of St. James, who said, “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves,”and “show me your faith apart from your works, and I by my works will show you my faith” (James 1:22; 2:18)…

It is time to let our light shine and, through the proclamation of the glorious Gospel of our blessed God,to lead the way to the inclusion of all our sisters and brothers in Christ in the full exercise of the rights and privileges that belong to them as priests.What a beautiful opportunity we have to let God’s will be done on earth as it most certainly is done in heaven, where there is not now, nor will there ever be, any partiality shown to anyone. We must all continually seek God’s help in helping each other in our Synod to resist the temptations toward racist thinking and to eradicate its poisonous effects in our lives, that we may walk together in true unity of mind, heart, and purpose, even as we are one in Christ."

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