‘The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
   because he has anointed me
     to bring good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives
   and recovery of sight to the blind,
     to let the oppressed go free,

Luke 4:18 (NRSV)

I’m writing in the sanctuary, enjoying the calm and quiet as the world around me prepares for Summer. We have been in the midst of Pride Month celebrations, but in the middle of this month, the holiday of Juneteenth approaches.

Why should Christians care? 

Well, God speaks about liberation of the people throughout scripture, especially through the voices of the prophets who sing out God’s redemption. But additionally, Jesus reminds us that “the truth will set you free,” that is, God’s liberation is a powerful creative force, and I believe that force proclaims freedom to all oppressed peoples. 

So for me, Juneteenth is a vital moment in our American history. On June 19^th, 1865, General Granger of the Union Army stood on Texas soil in Galveston to proclaim the slaves free. Prior to that, slavers from other states had fled to Texas to try to shore up their “property holdings” and to continue the practices of slavery. Granger’s reading made that impossible. 

The World Had Changed, But Communication Hadn’t Kept Up

Texas was the first state to ratify the holiday in 1979, and there were actions taken in the Senate this week to ratify the holiday on a Federal level. 

Whether that passes in the House of Representatives or not, I believe with all my heart that this should be a CHRISTIAN holiday, where we acknowledge the existence of the evil of the past and find ways to look unflinchingly at this evil chapter in our national history. At this point, I don’t care which side your family fought on. Can’t we agree as Christians that slavery was one of the vilest practices of our past? By honoring the history, we needn’t be doomed to repeat it, and we can look honestly at those systems and practices that keep Black, Indigenous People of Color (BIPOC) sidelined. 

What Can You Do?

Check out this excellent article in AARP magazine for ways to celebrate Juneteenth. Get educated, celebrate, support black-owned businesses, and spread the word to the world. Slavery is wrong! We embrace the freedom of all, and seek a more just future for our BIPOC neighbors.