Black History 2 Reparations or Reconciliation?

My junior high and high school history classes in the early 1960’s were enriched by our celebration of the American Civil War (or War Between the States).  My imagination was captured by books, TV programs like The Rebel, and a series of centennial stamps.  Because of the notable character qualities of Robert E. Lee and Thomas J. “Stonewall” Jackson, the South drew my allegiance and I was saddened that they were defeated.

Then, I grew into manhood in the era of Alex Haley’s Roots which chronicled the life of the noble African native Kunta Kinte and his offspring through several generations of American history.   I began to realize that human glory and valor had distracted me from the untold suffering, humiliation, and death brought about by the institution of slavery, and the terrible cost of the Civil War that destroyed the lives and families of so many Americans.  I cannot imagine being a descendant of slaves wondering how my ancestors had suffered from being uprooted from  homeland and family in Africa, transported to a foreign land, and then be confined to labor on a plantation as the property of another human being.

My boyhood wish that the South had won soon gave way to the wish that this bloody chapter of American history had not occurred.  A chapter in which both the North and the South benefited from building their livelihood on the backs of an ethnic group of human beings deemed to be inferior—and a chapter which has continued to play out in the lives of African Americans who have not had the advantages of growing up a two-parent home, receiving a good education, and having a good network of peers.   So, I can at least partly understand the call for reparations (to “pay back,” or undo past offenses) to Black Americans for the losses they and their families have incurred over many generations. 

Ta-Nehisi Coates, correspondent for The Atlantic, has written a landmark article, “The Case for Reparations.”   Coates introduces his argument by quoting Deuteronomy 15: 12-15 in which God commands that slaves be offered freedom every seventh year, and that their masters not send [them] away empty-handed…[but give them] a generous farewell from the bounty of the land, all the while remembering that you were once slaves in the land of Egypt and the LORD your God redeemed you!

While some evangelical leaders today appeal to the Old Testament biblical command, many who do not profess faith in God are still moved by their God-given, inborn sense of right and wrong that enables them to feel in some indirect way the pain of injustice against Blacks.  The following Twitter exchange expresses this desire for reparation:

So let me get this straight; our [Black American] ancestors were robbed of their culture, lineage, dignity, and multiple trillions of dollars in wages over hundreds of years.  [But you still think] It’s an “entitlement” mindset for the modern descendants of those ancestors to demand to be paid?

In response to the questioner, Bob Woodson, Founder and President of The Woodson Center, tweets:

How is it (reparations) a remedy for the problems facing Black America?  What does it solve?  Reparations is a distraction, false solution, and an illusion of a cure.

I Invite Your Opinion
Rather than writing at great length about reparations when I’m just beginning to grasp the complexity of the subject, let me offer some points for discussion and invite you to respond in “Comments” below.  My points are as follows:  How will the cost of reparations be computed?  Will reparations really help?  Are reparations the right moral response?

Family separation at a slave auction.

Computing Reparations
First, consider the difficulty in computing the cost of reparations to Black Americans.  How could we establish the monetary value?  At what point in history would we choose as the starting year for the computation?  Realizing that most Black Americans today are not subject to the same harshness of their ancestors under slavery, how would this variable be factored into the cost to be paid for reparations?  For example, in his Atlantic article, Ta-Nehisi Coates writes that enslaved Africans in 1619, though torn from their homeland and transported to the colony of Virginia, “…did not initially endure the naked racism that would engulf their progeny. Some of them were freed.  Some of them intermarried. Still others escaped with the white indentured servants who had suffered as they had.”  So, are reparations also owed to enslaved whites?  Should Native American tribes who enslaved Blacks also be required reparations?

The fact that reparations are difficult if not impossible to compute does not itself provide reason for opposing the notion.  As Coates argues, “…for the past 25 years, Congressman John Conyers Jr., who represents the Detroit area, has marked every session of Congress by introducing a bill calling for a congressional study of slavery and its lingering effects as well as recommendations for ‘appropriate remedies.’”  Conyers’ bill does not require computation of reparations, but would “submit the question to study, and then assess the possible solutions.”  What do you think—should the Conyers bill be brought to the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives?

Will Reparations Really Help?
Some argue that reparations to Black Americans would simply be another slap in the face in which “advantaged White’s” are perceived as “paying charity” to “inferior people” who are not capable of “making it on their own.”  And, even if reparations were not perceived in this way, what will be their effect on the social and economic status of Black Americans?  Bob Woodson believes, “It is important to recognize that the destiny of Black people is not determined by what White people do or not do; it is in our own hands… It is our values that determine our condition in life not what some oppressor has done.”  
What do you think?  Instead of trying to pay reparations, would it be more beneficial to Black Americans in the long run to use contributions and tax dollars to develop educational, spiritual, and employment opportunities for all ages aimed at restoring hope, dignity, and purpose to individuals and families?

Are Reparations Morally Right?
Here, as with any moral issue coming under the category “social justice,” we must identify an objective standard for judging what is moral.  For example, in his landmark article cited above, Ta-Nehisi Coates references a biblical command given in Deuteronomy.  Whether he acknowledges it or not, the only truly objective foundation for moral judgments is the inspired Word of God (2 Timothy 3: 16; Proverbs 1: 1-7).  Unless we all agree that Blacks and all other ethnic groups are equal and valuable, that racism or any oppression of one ethnic group by another are moral and spiritual problems, and that reparations must be weighed against the need for moral and spiritual restoration of people living today, our efforts in my judgment will fall short.

The Statement on Social Justice and the Gospel presents a view of social justice and ethnicity (or “Race”) based on the Word of God:
God made all people from one man. Though people often can be distinguished by different ethnicities and nationalities, they are ontological equals before God in both creation and redemption. “Race” is not a biblical category, but rather a social construct that often has been used to classify groups of people in terms of inferiority and superiority. All that is good, honest, just, and beautiful in various ethnic backgrounds and experiences can be celebrated as the fruit of God’s grace. All sinful actions and their results (including evils perpetrated between and upon ethnic groups by others) are to be confessed as sinful, repented of, and repudiated.

DISCUSSION:  Inviting Your Comments:
Question #1 Individual Accountability:  Do you agree that everyone of us is individually responsible to act according to an objective moral code or law?  For example, how would you respond to the following statement and the Scriptures cited:
Any human deviation from obedience to God’s commands in Scripture, including our neglect to love our neighbor, regardless of ethnicity, is sin.  The Bible teaches that every person is individually accountable to God for his or her own thoughts and actions (2 Corinthians 5: 10; Romans 1: 18-2: 16).  The Bible also teaches that every person has an inborn sense of right and wrong which can lead us to repentance, confession, and forgiveness (Romans 1: 18-21; 1 John 1: 9).  This point is illustrated in Acts 3: 17-21, a portion of the Apostle Peter’s sermon preached not long after the crucifixion of Christ.  As you read it, notice how Peter’s challenge comes down to a clear invitation to individuals and their spiritual accountability to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Question #2 Responsibility for the Past:  Do you feel responsible to make reparations for the sins of our ancestors? What motivates individuals to look beyond their individual moral standing and become committed to reparations for the failings of others throughout history?  Do you agree or disagree with the following:
Grievous as human sins of the past may have been and as much as we wish we could be a part of erasing the evil of the past, those sins are not “our sins.”  We are not meant to bear the weight of conscience from sins committed by others in history.  Yet, many in both the Church and in the secular world are obsessed with paying back what is owed by the injustices inflicted throughout history.  But God’s plan through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ is for redemption of humans and His whole creation is not about reparations, but all about restoration.  God spiritually regenerates and restores individuals and adds them as “living stones” into His church, the body of Christ on Earth (1 Peter 2: 4-6).   As the psalmist writes (Psalm 49: 7-8), only God can redeem us (buy us back) from the slavery of sin because only He can pay the infinite cost:

No man can by any means redeem his brother
Or give to God a ransom for him—
For the redemption of his soul is costly,
And he should cease trying forever—

Only God knows perfectly each sin of the past, and only God has the full remedy.  The Apostle Paul declares, For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people's sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5: 19). 

Can we agree, human effort alone cannot eradicate injustice?

Question #3 Is there a “right way?”:  Most would agree that history is filled with gross violations of what many call “social justice.”  Although we may not agree on how to address social injustices, would you agree that we must have a moral standard or reference by which to judge what is or is not “just?”  Would you also agree that this moral standard ought to address the nature of humankind and our tendency to fall short of that standard?  If we answer the above in agreement, then can we also agree that there is a common root cause for both the actions of perpetrators of injustice and the responses of those who are objects of injustices?  Finally, if we can agree on the root cause of injustices, can we also agree on at least the general nature of a restorative plan for both perpetrators and those unjustly treated?  Consider the following excerpt from the Statement on Social Justice and the Gospel which states, based on God’s Word, that …whatever evil influences to which we have been subjected via our culture can be—and must be—overcome through conversion and the training of both mind and heart through biblical truth.

For anyone who is grieved at the injustices perpetrated against Black Americans, and for those who have been victims of perceived injustices, healing and restoration begins by repentance and confession of sin.  Our restoration and healing are made possible because Christ paid for both our sins and our griefs on His Cross (Isaiah 53).  We must rely on the authority and trust in the sufficiency of His Word (2 Timothy 3: 16).

Will reparations of past injustices solve current ones?

Once we are transformed by the grace and forgiveness of Christ, the words of Bob Woodson can become a guide to moving forward in the freedom of Christ: “…the destiny of Black people is not determined by what White people do or not do; it is in our own hands… It is our values that determine our condition in life not what some oppressor has done.”  

All of humanity, deceased and living, are offenders and have been offended.   Grave injustices still occur all around the world as statistics on current human slavery reveal.  Christ-followers need to be attentive to how they might participate or support efforts to end human slavery and other injustices through biblical means.  

Concluding Points to Consider:
We began with a citation from Deuteronomy 15: 12-15 by Ta-Nehisi Coates in his Atlantic article that slave masters not send [slaves] away empty-handed…[but give them] a generous farewell from the bounty of the land, all the while remembering that you were once slaves in the land of Egypt and the LORD your God redeemed you!   Based on the spirit of this passage, what would be the nature of an approach to promote meaningful and lasting restoration of Black Americans and others suffering under real or perceived injustices?  Are you aware of organizations or programs that resemble such an approach?  Check out The Woodson Center which offers a hands up approach.

Related Articles: 
Black History: 1  Correct History Brings Light
Black History: 3  Bible and Biology Erase Racism

Will “Mittens” Be in Heaven – Part 1

Our 10-year-old granddaughter, Della Rose, became a forceful advocate for a stray cat that she eventually named “Mittens.”  But, for some unknown reason, soon after Mittens snuggled and purred her way into the family, they found her dead.  As you can imagine, Della Rose was devastated and began to question her mom and dad, and even her grandpa, about where Mittens went after her death.  But her lead-in question to me was more general:

Della Rose and doggy pets, Riley and Ruby.

“Grandpa, do you think there will be animals in Heaven?  

When I heard her question, I thought to myself: “How can I comfort a sweet granddaughter while her little brown eyes search my face with childlike faith and wait for an answer to her big question?  Sure, Della Rose believes her Bible which promises that her faith in Jesus as her Savior from sin makes her a child of God (John 1: 12; 3: 16; 1 Corinthians 15: 1-10).  For every Christ-follower, Eternal Life begins at their moment of decision (Luke 23: 43) where they also receive the assurance of a home in Heaven.   Babies and young children, developmentally disabled children who remain childlike, and the unborn who die of “natural causes” or tragically by abortion will also enjoy Eternal Life in God’s presence (Deuteronomy 1: 39; 2 Samuel 12: 18-23; Isaiah 7: 14-16)

Della Roses's kitty named Lily still lives in Wooster.

Whether I can answer her questions or not, I am thankful that Della Rose is falling in love with Jesus and is prepared to go to Heaven one day.  However, on that day of her distress, I soon realized the real purpose of Della Rose’s big question.  She really wanted an assurance that she would see her Mittens again.  Trying to be too logical, my mind remained fixed on her more general question, "Will there be animals in Heaven?”   

My answer was “Yes, I am sure animals will be in Heaven.”
But then, I quickly dashed Della Rose’s hopes by adding,   
“Della, I don’t know if you will see Mittens in Heaven.”
Sadly, she replied, “But Grandpa, I want to see Mittens again.”

Learning More about Heaven
Realizing my inability to comfort her and give hope on that day, I decided to do more study on the subject.  Fortunately, the Bible has much to say about animals.  Randy Alcorn, in his excellent book, Heaven (Tyndale, 2004), states that the Bible portrays animals as Earth’s second most important inhabitants.  God entrusted animals to us, and our relationships with animals are a significant part of our lives (p. 373).  Why wouldn’t animal life also be a part of Heaven?

Before we discuss the future God may have in store for animals, we ought to lay some groundwork to establish God’s plan for humans who will receive the reward of life forever in Heaven.  Two questions are important to consider:  Where will Heaven be?  And, what will the nature of the lives and bodies of God’s redeemed people in Heaven?

The subject of Heaven is vast and is well supported throughout the Bible.  Alcorn’s treatise on Heaven is regarded as one of the best single sources on the subject and I highly recommend the book.  Yet many preachers and teachers seem to shy away from addressing the details of this eternal hope of Christ-followers.  Consequently, many believers lack the knowledge and enthusiasm exuded by men like the Apostle Paul (2 Corinthians 12: 1-4) and the Apostle John (Revelation 21, 22).  Paul said, I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us (Romans 8:18).

Alcorn attributes our lack of anticipation of Heaven’s glory to both the lack of clear teaching on Heaven, and to the blindness promoted by “the father of lies” (John 8: 44), Satan himself.   Alcorn quotes Revelation 13: 6 which states that the satanic beast opened his mouth to blaspheme God, and to slander his name and his dwelling place and those who live in heaven.  Here, Alcorn rightly points out that Satan slandered “God’s person, God’s people, and God’s place—namely, Heaven.”

Heaven on the Resurrected Earth
I appreciate that Randy Alcorn’s teaching about Heaven is based on his careful interpretation of Scripture.  After all, “now we know in part” and will not know fully until “the perfect comes and the partial is done away (1 Corinthians 13: 9-10).”  Therefore, I am comfortable with Alcorn’s interpretation of Scripture that locates Heaven on what he calls the “resurrected Earth.”  This view is very consistent with what Jesus taught about Heaven when He prayed, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven (Matthew 6: 10).  Early Christians anticipated the imminence of a New Heaven and a New Earth where righteousness dwells (2 Peter 3: 13).  This claim is reinforced in Old Testament passages like Isaiah 65: 17-19:

For behold, I will create
new heavens and a new earth.
The former things will not be remembered,
nor will they come to mind.
But be glad and rejoice forever
in what I create;
for I will create Jerusalem to be a joy
and its people to be a delight.
I will rejoice in Jerusalem
and take delight in My people.
The sounds of weeping and crying
will no longer be heard in her.

Notice that Isaiah’s prophecy affirms that God will one day come and “rejoice in Jerusalem.” According to Revelation 21:22, God’s beloved “city of peace,” will have no temple in it, for the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb are its temple.  

In his book, Heaven is Place on Earth (Zondervan, 2004), Michael Wittmer states, “The story of Scripture is the story of ‘Emmanuel’, for it describes how God progressively comes to live with us on our planet, at each appearance staying longer and in more permanent form (p. 205).”   Scripture suggests that God is looking forward to the time when His coming to Earth will not be a visit for a few hours like He spent with Abraham (Genesis 18), or for only thirty-three years as He did through the incarnate life of Jesus Christ (Luke 3: 23), or even for 1,000 years of the Millennium (Revelation 20: 4).  He will come to abide forever—then, Emmanuel will literally be “God with us.”

I hope my brief summary of what at least some theologians believe about Heaven will motivate you to read more on the subject and search the Scriptures for confirmation of your belief.  Before considering what God may have in store for the very prominent and valuable part of His creation, namely animal life, we ought to consider what the Bible promises for human life in heaven.

Resurrected Bodies on the New Earth
As I have written in an article entitled, “Recognizing Loved Ones in Heaven,” God’s special revelation in Scripture affirms and complements His natural revelation in creation to teach that resurrected Christ-followers will have new bodies and personality (1 Corinthians 15).  Consider that the resurrected Christ is a “first fruit” or promise of things to follow.  We understand that we will have at least some of His capabilities in our resurrected bodies.  This means we will engage in meaningful worship, work, fellowship, and enjoyment of meals together, even as the resurrected Christ enjoyed with His disciples (John 21). 

It seems logical from Scripture that humans who are created as relational beings in the image of God would enjoy an eternity in intimate relationship with our Creator, with one another, and with God’s creation—including animal life.  Heaven will represent a complete restoration of what was so tragically lost in the Fall of humankind in the Garden of Eden.

With reference to these and many other Scriptures, Alcorn’s vision of Heaven is reflected in a Gospel Coalition interview in which he states (emphasis mine):  What God made us to desire is exactly what he promises to those who follow Jesus Christ: a resurrected life in a resurrected body, with the resurrected Christ on a resurrected earth. Our desires correspond precisely to God’s plans.

Grief Gives Way to the Joy of Heaven
I can understand why both children and adults grieve at the loss of loved ones including their beloved pets.  When a death occurs, an intimate relationship is broken and we feel as if we have lost a part of ourselves.  But for Christ-followers who anticipate a blessed reunion with family members in Heaven, God’s Word offers comfort and assurance that what we hope for will become reality.  As Alcorn believes (emphasis mine), It’s not that we want something, so we engage in wishful thinking.  It’s the opposite—we want real human lives as real embodied people because God has wired us that way, and has always planned for it.

The Bible offers much assurance to Christ-followers of our hope of Eternal Life in Heaven.  But, for a little girl who has lost her kitty, the assurances about human life in Heaven may bring little comfort.  Della Rose’s plea sums up this point: “But Grandpa, I want to see Mittens again.”  

Will there be animals in Heaven?  More specifically, will Della Rose see her beloved Mittens there?  Please stay tuned for Part 2 of “Will We See “Mittens” in Heaven.”

How About You?
The Bible makes it clear that Jesus came into our fallen world to rescue sinners, people whom God’s Spirit has convicted of their sin, or rebellion against God’s authority in their lives.  When a sinner is convicted of his or her sin, repents, and asks Christ to become Lord of their lives, they are assured of Eternal Life in Heaven.   For more specific information on Heaven and the Resurrection of those who have surrendered to Christ, refer to the article entitled, “Recognizing Loved Ones in Heaven.”