This post is from Friends of Justice founding member, Charles Kiker

On Thursday, March 4, my Alma Mater, Wayland Baptist University, hosted Dr. David Gushee as the featured speaker for the Willson Lectures. Since Wayland is only about 25 miles away, and since it is indeed rare that a noted Progressive Evangelical speaks so nearby, my wife and I took advantage of the opportunity, and took our Methodist pastor as our guest. I was glad for the opportunity, and our pastor seemed appreciative of the rare opportunity as well.
 
The lecture was entitled “Theological Foundations for the Baptist University.” For the most part it was more descriptive than prescriptive. He characterized educational institutions that had church related roots as falling into four broad categories: (1) those who have become completely secular; (2) those who are mostly secular but who have retained some vestiges of their original Christian roots; (3) those who have a “critical mass” of openly Christian faculty, staff, and students; and (4) the lower case “orthodox” schools who vigorously defend their Christian heritage narrowly defined, schools such as Bob Jones and Liberty.
 
Dr. Gushee was basically addressing the Baptist University (note the lecture title). And most Baptist universities would fall loosely into the “critical mass” category, with something of a continuum of those schools which have become more secularized to those who intentionally retain more of their Baptist and Christian heritage.
 
It would be difficult to discuss theological foundations for Baptist universities, especially in the South, without taking note of the theological controversy that engulfed Southern Baptists starting about three decades hence. And Dr. Gushee observed that the reaction to the controversy, on both sides, has unfortunately led people to think and act more out of fear than of love. Moderates tend to fear fundamentalism, while fundamentalists fear heresy.
 
I think his observation about fear applies on a much broader scale than just the Baptist university scene. It’s certainly observable in politics, in church life, and in discussions of racial justice.
 
Churches and Christian institutions are mandated to be dominated by love. “Perfect love casts out fear.” Where fear is cast out, the level of discourse can be markedly more respectful.
 
While our civil institutions, and thus our civil politics, are not and should not be dominated by Christian theology, is it too much to ask that they be dominated by respect?
 
For those of us who are “progressive” in working toward racial justice, I think we need to be circumspect in avoiding the use of the word “racist” in characterizing individuals, without pulling our punches regarding actions which are racist. I think we need to work harder in educating the public about systemic as opposed to individual racism. When confronting racism or other injustices, in regard to individuals let our aim always be to educate and persuade, rather than castigate and condemn.
 
Easier said than done.