July 7, 2010 / Praxis
In response to the earthquake’s devastation in Haiti, the church must look to its constitutive story—the cross and resurrection of Jesus—in order to speak and act faithfully in solidarity with those who are suffering.
How faith has resisted racial injustice and violence, or has been co-opted and perpetuated such violence, is particularly important for today’s church. Across denominations and spiritual movements there are hopeful signs of a fuller witness to unity, but there also remain racist chasms between brothers and sisters in the faith. This issue of The Other Journal will explore the topic of race theologically out of the conviction that matters of race are the most important matters of our time.
The life of Bartolome de Las Casas suggests that, for Christians living in privileged nations such as the United States, poverty in solidarity with the poor is a requirement of discipleship; the necessity of such solidarity is demonstrated by the United States Catholic bishops’ conference’s inability to grasp the true nature of its country’s relationship to Haiti.