Reclaiming Christianity: Courageous Conversations 2021
posted by Ty Hamer-Yelverton | September 27, 2021 | In Arts and Culture, NewsThe Jude 3 Project, founded by minister Lisa Fields, helps the Black Christian community “know what they believe and why believe”. Through this apologetic ministry, those who are of African descent in the United States and abroad are equipped in their faith walk to contend for the faith as Jude says.
Jude 3 Project initially hosted Courageous Conversation in August 2018 in Chicago, Illinois. On September 3-4, 2021, the Jude 3 Project hosted a conference in Washington, DC at the National Community Church where participants could register to attend the event in person or virtual for courageous conversations about faith in practical ways for the church collectively and the Black church in the United States.
The conference theme this year was “Reclaiming Christianity.” This is an interesting title for Courageous Conversations harkens back to the beginning of the year when the Capitol was attacked in a riot which included some Christian nationalists. The improper use of the faith that calls believers to love God and love neighbor as yourself could be a reason for the Jude 3 Project calls to reclaim Christianity as the global religion that it is and not the “white man’s religion.”
The September conference had 28 panelists and discussed 7 conversation topics. The conversation topics that were discussed during the two-day conference: Truth & Trauma; Rediscovering Early African Christianity; Slavery in the Bible; Christianity and White Supremacy; Politics and the Pulpit; Black Religions and the Next Generation; and Patriarchy in the Church.
For Rediscovering Early African Christianity, the purpose of the conversation was to introduce the rich yet “hidden” history of early African Christianity. As the faith in the West is perceived by many as the “white man’s religion,” Christianity has a deep history within Africa’s continent involving African Christian prior to the Trans-Atlantic slave trade. Within the conversation, Fuller Seminary professor of church history Dr. Vince Bantu, discussed the importance of rediscovering this history because God’s creation was design to be ethnically diverse, which is a beautiful thing.
For Patriarchy in the Church, the purpose of the conversation is how to deal with patriarchy in the church. Within the conversation, minister and therapist Dr. Sarita Lyons answer the question on dismantling patriarchy in the church, with the involvement of both men and women working to remove this issue in the faith community. Dr. Lyons said that it was important “for men to listen to women who are in your congregation in their testimony and experiences in your family and in the world.” Dr. Lyons said,” The church is not as healthy when it is missing the wisdom, the discernment, and the direction of women.” Dr. Lyons discussed topics from marital elitism in the church to opportunities to serve in various ministries besides the traditional “hospitality or kitchen duty or childcare” ministries within that are still of value.
As a young Black Christian that attends an HBCU that was founded by the Black community in Fayetteville, NC on November 29, 1867, two years after the Civil War, I was elated to attend this event virtually and I believe these conversations are needed to further discussion within the Black church for the upbuilding of the faith.
For more information on the Jude 3 Project, visit the website at jude3project.org.
Photo courtesy of Sean Wolf
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