This is an artist’s rendition of Joseph, The Carpenter, entrusted with parenting Jesus with Mary. We don’t know a lot about him. But, I find Christians are able to imagine a lot about his life and feelings; they are even able to put themselves in his shoes and wonder what it was like to be him. Unfortunately I don’t find this kind of Christian imagination comes easy among some white people to imagine what it’s like to be black in North America. So, I’ve gathered up some of the articles by black men in North America reflecting on their experiences and the deep feeling of menace that accompanies them everywhere.
Breathing While Black.
Here in their own voice and script.
I invite you to pray with me before you listen:
Ô Maître, que je ne cherche pas tant
à être consolé qu’à consoler,
à être compris qu’à comprendre,
à être aimé qu’à aimer…
Willie Jennings —
My Anger/God’s Righteous Indignation. 2 June 2020. Listen to the podcast or read the transcript.
Shai Linne
George Floyd and Me. Gospel Coalition 8 June 2020.
Timothy Peoples —
Ahmaud, Breonna, Christian, George, and The Talk every black boy receives. Opinion article in Baptist News Global, 29 May 2020
LeAlan M. Jones.
Breathing While Black. 28 May 2020, The Nation
James Ellis III —
A lowdown, dirty shame: Ahmaud Arbery’s murder and the unrenounced racism of white Christians. Opinion article in Baptist News Global, 15 May 2020.
Steve Locke —
I fit the description. Personal blog 4 Dec 2015.
A growing list of events and stories —
Absurd America, collated by Sergio Peçanha. Washington Post, 5 June 2020.
I will continue to add to this post so we can listen.
Note:
The picture above is a small inset of “Joseph The Carpenter” from Annunciation Triptych, by Robert Campin on display at The Cloisters. What do you know about Joseph? Not much right? We don’t have much of his story but we have been able to imagine plenty. Unfortunately many of us have not been able to imagine what’s its like to be black in North America and then be angry about our common situation.