We are all made in the image of God
There’s a lot of talk in this town about Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), and whether our government should celebrate, ignore or even acknowledge the beautiful tapestry of humanity in this country we call home.
It’s particularly ironic that we’re even asking this question as we embark on Black History Month.
As forces gather to downplay our history at best and erase it at worst, Black History Month has never been more important. Our diversity isn’t something to be tolerated; it is a gift to be cherished and celebrated.
Black History Month is a reminder that we are each made in the image of God, what the early church called the Imago Dei. As a popular meme notes on social media, you cannot erase the DEI from the Imago Dei.
God calls us to respect the dignity of every human being; if you’ve looked around lately, we humans are a diverse lot. We are compelled by our faith to fight for equity because we all stand equal before the throne of God. And Jesus himself showed us what true inclusion looks like, calling us to draw the circle ever wider. This truth is foundational to the Christian faith and common sense practice.
Figures in our own history show us the way. This month, we commemorate the 100th birthday of Bishop John Thomas Walker, the first Black Episcopal bishop of Washington and the first Black dean of this Cathedral. His words from 1977 are as true today as they were then:
“The Church … must stand firmly at that point where the church and the world meet, and the Church must address the issues of the day — not necessarily as having solutions, but as a body of concerned people who, together with other citizens, seek solutions to the larger problems of our time.”
In these perilous times, we give thanks for the example of Bishop Walker and so many others. This great cloud of witnesses that we celebrate during Black History Month showed us the way. May we have the courage of Bishop Walker and the saints who came before to continue the work of building God’s Beloved Community.
The Rev. Canon Leonard L. Hamlin, Sr.
Canon Missioner and Minister of Equity & Inclusion
Washington National Cathedral
Source: https://cathedral.org/blog/black-history-month-were-all-made-in-the-image-of-god/
Here are Black History Month events happening in Concord and the larger Charlotte area:
https://www.eventbrite.com/d/nc–concord/black-history
https://www.charlotteobserver.com/charlottefive/c5-things-to-do/article298519118.html