On Behalf of Our Children: Wisconsin’s Racial Disparities and the Call of the Gospel
Wisconsin ranks last among the states in the well-being of African American children, according to a nationwide study conducted by Annie E. Casey Foundation. Asian and Hispanic children also ranked lower than Caucasians in Wisconsin.
What’s driving these dismal statistics? And how can congregations play a constructive role in addressing these disparities at the local level?
On Behalf of Our Children, a four-session study guide produced by the Wisconsin Council of Churches, is a good place to start. The study guide leads you and other adults in your congregation through a thoughtful discussion about race and white privilege, the data from the Casey Foundation study, and concludes with some action planning for you and your congregation to plot your next steps.
On Behalf of our Children is designed to be used in an adult education class, as a mid-week resource (such as a Lenten series) or a half-day retreat.
You can also download these participant handouts:
Session 1 – Race and the Gospel
Handout 1
Handout 2
Handout 3
Handout 4
Handout 5
Session 2 – The Hidden Power of Race in our Community
Handout 6
Handout 7
Session 3 – “Race for Results:” Exploring the Data
Handout 8
Handout 9
Session 4 – What is God Calling Us to Do?
Handout 10
Supplemental Resources
Going Deeper with Scripture, the Church and Racism
While the Gospel seems clear on the evil of racism, the church has not always lived up to the Gospel’s call. Below are four presentations (called “scripts”) which provide historical, biblical, and theological discussions of the church and racism. The first presentation gives a historical overview of the church’s record. The second shows how Jesus confronted the racism of his times. In the third, the author explains how theology has sometimes allowed racism to arise and develop. The final presentation offers a theological defense of nonviolent activism as the appropriate Christian response to racism. Each presentation is followed by discussion questions. These presentations can serve as the basis of a multi-week adult education class as a follow up to the use of On Behalf of our Children.
Presentation 1-Introduction and Historical Overview
Nick Utphall is an ELCA (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America) pastor, serving at Advent Lutheran, part of the ecumenical partnership of Madison Christian Community. He’s been a long-time member of the WCC Peace and Justice Commission, and in addition to these resources has also contributed to WCC resources on the death penalty and torture, as well as the biannual lectionary reflections.
J. Denny Weaver is Professor Emeritus of Religion at Bluffton (Ohio) University. He lives in Madison where he is a member of Madison Mennonite Church, and a long-serving member of the WCC Peace and Justice Commission. His writings deal with issues of peace, justice, and nonviolence in theology. His most recent book is God Without Violence: Following a Nonviolent God in a Violent World.
Presentation 2-Confronting Racism with Jesus
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