Episcopal Press and News

Urban Caucus Annual Meeting Addresses Racism

Episcopal News Service. March 7, 1997 [97-1705]

Barbara Ogilby, Communications Officer for the Diocese of Pennsylvania

Racism was at the top of the agenda at the annual gathering of the Episcopal Urban Caucus, held this year in Philadelphia, February 5-8.

This 17-year-old national organization of laity and clergy from dioceses throughout the church affectionately bills itself as "what's left of the Left." Concerns heard at the conference included black church burnings, the preponderance of African-American males in U.S. prisons, the crisis in urban schools, and cuts in welfare that hurt the poor.

Conference keynoter Sandra Peters brought the topic of racism to the forefront in her presentation on the ongoing investigation of the torching of black churches in the South. Peters is a former member of the National Council of Churches team investigating these fires; she now works on racism issues at the Episcopal Church Center in New York and the Diocese of Massachusetts in Boston.

Noting that there are more than 150 documented church fires believed to be caused by arson, Peters charged that many church burnings go unreported by government authorities and the media. She accused federal investigators of intimidation and harassment, saying that some pastors and parishioners of burned churches have been accused of complicity in the setting fires in their own buildings.

Peters expressed concern that the connection between white supremacist groups and the fires has not been adequately pursued, noting that some of the young white men arrested in connection with the fires claim membership in hate groups.

Black churches are community centers in many communities, Peters said, and destroying them is an attempt to destroy the heart and soul of a people. While being grateful for monetary donations to rebuild the burned churches, concerned citizens "need to do more than rebuild the structures," Peters said.

"Our country is unwilling to admit to racism -- it covers it up," Peters said. "Churches have to take the lead in changing public policy."

In a discussion following her presentation, Peters also touched on the "prison industry," which she said costs some $32 billion annually, and the tragedy of overwhelming numbers of black males in prisons nationwide.

The caucus members voted to submit a resolution to General Convention calling for a five-year moratorium on all prison construction and expansion, and requesting that those funds be used for "economic development, expansion of government support for children and families, drug treatment on demand, community service, and a program for victim restitution."

A workshop led by a Philadelphia organization, Resources for Change, focused on "Race, Education, and the Urban Mission of the Church." Margaret Berry and Suzanne Adair-Windley explained their program of "family group" which involves students, teachers and staffing at several Philadelphia high schools. The goals of "family group" are to build relationships and community in schools and to help children succeed academically, Berry said.

Caucus members also visited three diocesan congregations that perform significant ministry in struggling neighborhoods: St. Gabriel's, Olney; Christ Church & St. Ambrose: and Advocate, North Philadelphia.

Bishop Barbara Harris, suffragan bishop of Massachusetts and president of the caucus, spoke of the organization's history and future at a banquet attended by Bishop Suffragan Franklin Turner, Bishop Coadjutor-elect Charles Bennison, and other members of the diocese. In 1991, the Episcopal Church said it would concentrate on anti-racism work," said Harris, but "we see interest waning and apathy" at all levels of the church.

"We are attempting to get the church to follow through in a significant way on an agenda adopted years ago," Harris said. "Our original vision will be refined, reshaped and honed to address today's realities."

Reciting the myriad challenges facing church and society that the caucus had spent the day considering, Harris asked, "What is the vision for American society that will empower the work of justice? ... How can our tradition-bound religion be a vehicle for social change?"

"I am convinced that if the people of God can be transformed and restructure their lives, so other people will be transformed," Harris said. In such a way, "the agenda of the civil rights movement becomes the agenda of the people of God."

Other resolutions passed by the caucus included a call for the caucus to develop a plan to lead the church in a celebration of "Jubilee Year 2000." The caucus also voted to call on General Convention to endorse the strengthening of existing affirmative action and fair employment guidelines, and to encourage the use of purchasing power to support affirmative action.