What was your topic and why did you choose it?
My thesis was titled, “Race, Reparations, and the Catholic Church during the Black Lives Matter Movement.” In the wake of the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Rayshard Brooks, and others last summer, I noticed a wide variety of reactions from within the Church. Some loudly proclaimed, “Black Lives Matter” and acknowledged the insidious reality of white supremacy, while others opted for a “both sides” analysis, denounced the uprisings that were taking place throughout the country, or remained silent. The wide ranging responses from different parts of the Catholic world made me curious about how racism manifests itself in the Church, Catholic reparations efforts, and how the domestic Church might work toward anti-racism during the Black Lives Matter movement.
Tell more about what you explored in the theological and ministerial papers.
My theological essay considered the insights regarding race and reparations that can be garnered from Scripture, Church teaching, and contemporary scholarship. I considered the famous temple scene in the Gospel of Mark — in which Jesus causes a stir by overturning merchant tables — and how Jesus’ urgent action is a fitting parallel for the swift, forceful effort needed to topple racism today. I also leaned on the wisdom of Black theologians Bryan M. Massingale, M. Shawn Copeland, Andrew Prevot, and Dwight N. Hopkins to explore the harmful reality of anti-Blackness throughout the Church, and the need for it to be addressed. Lastly, I looked at the most recent United States Conference of Catholic Bishops publication on race, “Open Wide Our Hearts,” and explored where I felt it succeeded in discussing racism, and where it fell short. I concluded the piece by arguing that Catholic writings clearly demonstrate the reality of anti-Blackness, and urged imminent action to combat it.
The ministerial paper focused more plainly on how white Catholics today might be able to address racism in the Church and beyond. I argued that, before progress can be made, white Catholics must first name the reality of anti-Blackness in their own lives. I then pointed to the necessity of an institutional acknowledgement of racism in the Catholic Church, and how white believers in the U.S. can encourage accountability from the magisterium. I concluded by analyzing reparations, detailing past attempts at financial redress towards the descendants of those harmed by anti-Blackness in the Church, and considering how reparations might be used to further anti-racist efforts moving forward.
Tell us about the project you designed.
So much incredible work to address racism is already being done by those who know far more about equity, justice, and inclusion than myself. Therefore, I leaned on the efforts of “Undoing Racism: The People’s Institute for Survival and Beyond” — a multiracial organization specializing in anti-racism workshops, to design a six-week parish curriculum. The series seeks to center the voices and experiences of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color throughout. It focuses on the importance of sitting in the discomfort often brought up by conversations on race, education regarding the historical roots and present day manifestations of anti-Blackness in the U.S, including the Catholic Church, and how reparations have and can continue to be a critical aspect of building a more equitable world. The final meeting is a day of action: program participants meet to contact their elected officials, urging them to support H.R. 40 — Commission to Study and Develop Reparation Proposals for African-Americans Act, along with other redress-based legislation.
Did anything surprise you?
I was happily surprised to learn about the already-existing momentum reparations have in the Christian Church. As someone who was ignorant on this topic before undertaking this project, I was anticipating finding fierce resistance to the implementation of redress in the Church — similar to the resistance displayed by many lawmakers today. Discovering that several reparations projects have been undertaken in the Christian Church in the past decade was an unexpected, but hopeful result of this project. While the financial redress programs initiated could arguably have been much more comprehensive, I hope that their implementation can serve as stepping stones to more full-throated efforts in the future.
What did you enjoy most about the process?
What I enjoyed most about the writing process was getting the chance to learn from so many brilliant scholars. Until this project, I had not had much exposure to Black theology. Having the time to read and analyze the work of prominent Black thinkers was a profound, powerful experience that I found to be deeply moving. The lessons they taught me about race, hope, and how to live a Christian life will remain in the forefront of my imagination for, I believe, many years to come.
What’s an insight from your thesis that is important for all ministers to remember?
For those who benefit from systemic injustice, I think it is essential to listen to the experiences of the oppressed. As someone who does not experience anti-Blackness, I have an obligation to center the thought, work, and lives of those who do face racism. Throughout my writing process, I was constantly reminded that, although white people should shoulder the burden of addressing anti-Blackness, Black persons are the experts on racism, and know what is necessary to combat it. I was constantly challenged during my writing to engage more humbly, listen more fully, and center more concretely the lives and experiences of the Black scholars I was interacting with.