Lucy had to leave the room. The graphic cruelty and brutal suffering was beyond what her eleven-year-old mind had imagined possible among human beings. She endured the first several scenes, the capture, the slave boats, the attempted escape, but the lashing of Kunta Kinte was more than she could bear. We set her up in another room with a different movie, while the rest of the family continued watching the 2016 release of Roots.
We've prayed for our daughter, Lucy, since before she was born. She's learned and memorized scripture and we've talked a lot about Jesus, as a family. She still goes to sleep listening to the CD of Bible songs that we played for her when she was a baby. In 2014, I had the privilege of baptizing her into the faith. Like all of our children, much of her discipleship has included an emphasis on things that are beautiful and pleasant. Yet, facing the ugliness of human sin in our world must be part of our growth in faith. How else will we learn to oppose injustice in the world around us and see the depth of sin in our own hearts?
We brought the DVD's of the Roots miniseries on vacation with us to New Mexico this summer. Teaching my kids to love God and to love their neighbor is my most important responsibility as a father. Helping them understand and connect with biblical themes in the context of our history and our present is a huge part of this. Discussing and processing slavery, Jim Crow laws, the civil rights movement, mass incarceration and current events related to racial injustices, racial bias and the devastating effects racism has had in the lives of African-American people throughout the history country is a very important practical part of our journey together.
One of the most beautiful and beneficial aspects of our experience living in the urban core in Kansas City, KS has been the opportunity to share life with people of different races and cultures. In addition to our ministry involvement with Mission Adelante, our neighborhood and Sumner Academy, where our kids have attended high school have given us the special gift of seeing life through diverse perspectives and learning from people of color. Sumner Academy, one of the best high schools in Kansas, has a student population that is comprised of 42% Hispanic, 34% Black, 15% White, and 8% Asian students. Growing up in this context has given our kids a respect and admiration for people from diverse backgrounds. Being part of such a rich community has given our entire family the blessing of interacting with gifted students, talented musicians and athletes, and coaches from different racial and cultural backgrounds. Proximity helps; it's a little easier to avoid unhealthy biases when the reality you see around you doesn't reinforce the stereotypes the dominant culture is trying to sell you. But, I should emphasize that despite proximity, a pretty high degree of intentional effort is needed to counter the world's pervasive, destructive, and anti-biblical messaging about race.
Our discussion of Roots couldn't have been more profound. We broke it up into four nights, watching two episodes each night and then spending some time after each viewing to share thoughts and observations. Lucy watched other shows in a different room, but joined us for the discussions. The kids noticed the striking incoherence of a version of Christianity that supported and promoted slave-holding and slavery as an institution. They called out the twisted irony of Christian slave-holders who were "nice" to their slaves. We discussed the separation of children from parents, the rape of black women, the erasing of family history and cultural identity, and the comprehensive nature of oppression that affects people physically, emotionally, and psychologically for generations. Charlie asked, "Why don't we have a holiday in the U.S. that celebrates the freeing of slaves?" (Good question, Charlie!) We discussed racism and racial injustice as an affront to the foundational, biblical truth that all people are created in the image of God (Genesis 1:27). Our discussion led us to process together how the history of our nation continues to impact our present. And, we asked ourselves how we would have responded had we lived in those times and how we should respond in our times.
There were many memorable moments during our New Mexico vacation. We rode horses, hiked to the bottom of the Rio Grande gorge, and watched dozens of hot air balloons launch. But, in five, ten, and thirty years, I'm quite sure that our discussions about Roots will be what marked our lives the most.
