Christ has set us free to live a free life. So take your stand! Never again let anyone put a harness of slavery on you.
Absalom Jones was born a slave who bought his own freedom. His evangelism increased the number of African Americans at the local church, which resulted in the leadership of the church to force them to sit upstairs. Instead of being harnessed by that yoke again, Jones and his fellow worshippers left the church. They ultimately started their own church, and were admitted as full and equal members of the Episcopal Church. In the early 1800’s, he was known as the first African American Bishop of the Episcopal Church.
With the luxury of 200 years, it’s easy to see the gross wrongs of that earlier time. Why would anyone think it’s ok to own another human being? Why would church leadership make a class of people sit upstairs? It’s easy to assess their behavior on our modern day understanding and expectations. And I think it’s fair to say that if that happened now, I’d know enough to know it’s not ok. But I’m not sure its safe for us to read into that time and their motives our modern standards and expectations. What’s normal and customary now, wasn’t.
Sure, there are things now that happen that segments of the population don’t believe are ok. I’m not making a judgment by mentioning these things, but things letting some people get married, but not others. Letting some people enter the country, but not others. Welcoming people who talk and look like me, but not others. I mention this list not to quarrel about any of the topics, but to say that our understanding is constantly evolving. Issues arise – slavery, women’s right to vote – and society takes a while to respond. And eventually a past expectation is changed, and is no longer ok. I believe there are some issues where the change is underway - there are people on both sides of a very political or challenging topic, who deeply and lovingly believe they’re right. It’s as if there are some societal issues where we as society are at the tipping point. To be on one side or another of an issue that has already been identified as an issue is not surprising. Mention the border wall, and it’s hard not to hear people’s opinions.
This morning, I’m thinking about those societal issues that have yet to be surfaced. Where someone like Absalom Jones hasn’t brought the topic into focus for discussion. What are our modern day issues of slavery or women’s rights, that none of us see? I’m not thinking about the topics that have already been raised, and some people take the moral high ground, feeling their on the right side. What are the things none of us have spotted as inherently wrong, as the yoke of bondage?
The prayer associated with today’s commemoration may hold some of the answers. Today, I pray I am open to all forms of prejudice and fear in me.
Set us free, heavenly Father, from every bond of prejudice and fear; that, honoring the steadfast courage of your servant Absalom Jones, we may show forth in our lives the reconciling love and true freedom of the children of God.
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