After Charlottesville, what’s next?

By Rev. Dr. Katharine R. Henderson

(photo via @AndyBCampbell)

In the last few days, faith leaders and people of moral courage have been rising up to condemn the horrific display of white supremacy we saw in Charlottesville this past Saturday.

Read the firsthand accounts from two of our Senior Fellows who participated in the counter-protest: Will America Pick Up its Cross? by Lisa Sharon Harper and What I Saw in Charlottesville by Brian McLaren. Powerful, raw, and poignant. Auburn stands with all those who sang, marched, prayed, and continue to work toward the vision of America where justice prevails.

Here are just a few of the hundreds of stories covering Saturday’s events and the role of spiritual leaders:

• Newsweek, Unlike Trump, President’s Pastors Condemn Alt Right at Charlottesville Without Reservation. Members of Trump’s evangelical advisory board condemned the rally in Virginia.
• The Atlantic, How Will the Church Reckon With Charlottesville? Religious communities are grappling with the racism that enabled violent attacks against protesters—including racism within their own ranks.
• Haaretz, What I Discovered About White Supremacists While Protesting Alongside Rabbis in Charlottesville. A firsthand Jewish perspective of Saturday’s events.
• VOX, A Charlottesville faith leader to Unite the Right: “love has already won here.” Congregate C’Ville’s lead organizer, Brittany Caine-Conley, discusses the visible and documented faith-based presence before, during, and after the rally.
• Baptist News Global, Reflections on Charlottesville for white Christians. A discussion of the role of white Christians and their responsibility to fight discrimination.
• CBS, Religious leaders criticize police response in Charlottesville, Virginia. Faith leaders question the response by local and state police officers in Charlottesville.

And check out the Powerful Images of Spiritual Resistance from the National Council of Churches.

We are now called to deepen our commitment to denounce racism in all its forms and to stand up against white supremacy wherever we see it. Here are some of the resources that our partners have developed to help us, as we recommit ourselves to be a force for racial justice.

• Standing Up for Racial Justice (SURJ): workbook on the history and justification for racism and how to dismantle it.
• Standing on the Side of Love: comprehensive racial justice resource center.
• Ten Ways to Fight Hate from the Southern Poverty Law Center.
• Best practices for responding to cyber hate, and anti-bias resources from the Anti-Defamation League.

We are praying for the victims and their families following the violent attacks in Charlottesville — and are deeply grateful for those who put their lives on the line to demonstrate #loveoverhate.

Rev. Dr. Katharine R. Henderson is President of Auburn Seminary.