A Heaven of forgiveness The Liberating Word for Monday In yesterday’s Gospel lesson, Sadducees asked Jesus a question to test his concept of resurrection and heaven. At Virginia-Highland Church, we were challenged with this illustration: In the early days of the church, although life was short and cruel and hard, the promise of heaven made death less threatening. Thus the image of the future described in Revelation was comforting if inscrutable. Much of the music and theology of the African-American church still gives heaven a prominent role. It is a value that arose during the time of slavery when, too often, the only hope was that the day of God’s liberation would bring freedom and balance the scales. Heaven continues to be important today to people who are shut out of the “American dream.” This is no pie-in-the-sky theology, though. Its understanding of liberating grace is profound. Dr. Delores Williams, editor of the African American Heritage Hymnal, writes: While researching the spiritual songs of African-American slaves I was surprised to come upon a line that commanded: “When you get to heaven, rub poor lil’ Judas’s head.” Most Christian teaching casts Judas into hell as an unforgiven sinner. Never had I heard a kind word about Judas. What is going on here? I’ve never settled this matter. But the sentence has communicated an important message. To me, “When you get to heaven, rub poor lil’ Judas’s head” speaks of the full victory, forgiveness, blessing and expectation of a great new dispensation. Perhaps only oppression and struggling can understand help us really understand the eternal power of grace. Compare how privileged and powerful America responded to the tragic events of September 11, to the response of black South Africans at the end of devastating and cruel apartheid. More than 3,000 Americans died on that cruel and tragic day. But tens of thousands of black South Africans died under apartheid. The privileged group responded with outrage by spending a trillion dollars to launch endless wars, embracing torture, and abandoning civil liberties, while those who had been oppressed for decades responded by creating a Truth and Reconciliation Commission to foster healing and forgiveness. They created a foundation for a future together. Perhaps that also speaks about the eternal future toward which we all move. Blessings, Rev. Michael Piazza Co-Executive Director The Center for Progressive Renewal
Posted on: Mon, 11 Nov 2013 21:22:38 +0000
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