Perspective: Socio-Political Responsibility of the Black Church

This week’s Bonini, Mendonca and Oppenheim (2006) article captured me and I began to wonder how non-profit businesses like the church, particularly the African American church “incorporates an awareness of social and political trends” (Bonini, Mendonca and Oppenheim, 2006) into their strategies.

I grew up in the trenches of the African American church, where the call was to seek God and help others. It was in the church that the civil rights era was born and implemented through men like Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., and Rev. Ralph Abernathy, then passed along to men like Rev. Al Sharpton, Rev. Jesse Jackson, Sr. And today men like Bishop T.D. Jakes to name a few.  As African American churches have grown into what is called “mega-churches” this clarion call has never been more necessary than in today’s society when social and political issues intersect.  Churches have so many opportunities to strategically influence their stakeholders.

Many pastors of leading churches are also businessmen, authors, and brands in and of themselves. They are tasked with the responsibility of dealing with social issues like the epidemic of HIV/AIDS among African American that is on the rise, youth violence and education, many pastors are also principals of charter schools. They even touch the political trends of today, sitting on Presidential councils and serving as surrogates or ‘spiritual advisors’ to elected officials.

Ernest Hemingway, an American writer and scholar, once penned, “Never mistake motion for action.” The socio-political responsibility of the black church is a necessary action. An action that keeps Pastor and author Patrick D. Shaffer of Chicago IL from the south side of the city creating strategic programs for youth and raising awareness about HIV/AIDs in the black community or as he says, “the silence of the church on these issues” (personal communication, February 26, 2012). So, I reached out to him via email to gather his thoughts on the socio-political responsibility of the black church.

I wondered how Shaffer as a black businessman who also pastors a church, how he defined sociopolitical issues, “It is defined within the context of faith but not exclusively limited by faith.  Rationally as we look beyond ourselves we see extraordinary injustices that are reflected in the work of Jesus.  Jesus synthesized social injustices and gave a theological context.  That socio-theological construct allows us to challenge socio-political strongholds to make equitable changes in the community” (personal communication, February 26, 2012).

Shaffer shared that his church which recently moved from the middle class Hype Park neighborhood to a neighborhood suffering from the effects of the recession, actually had a strategic sociopolitical platform. That did not surprise me as much as his reply. “Yes, it is rooted in listening to the words of Jesus and seeing Jesus as a champion and voice for those who had been forgotten, oppressed and targeted for economic violence by our government and each other “(personal communication, February 26, 2012).

Emphatically, Shaffer believed that black churches and/or religious denominations “absolutely do” (personal communication, February 26, 2012) have an obligation to create and implement strategic sociopolitical platforms. One of the many he and his congregation address is the HIV/AIDs epidemic and youth violence. As a a frequent writer & commentator within various media he identified other their sociopolitical issues or campaigns that he believed to be necessary and  successful.

           

One being “combating the food and dessert issues in urban communities is a paramount public exercise and there are a number of growing organizations that see America as a mission field and set up shop in areas of the country that are seemingly forgotten.  When people have no access to healthy food, it leads to poor health for a people that have little access to health care, which drives up the mortality rate disproportionately” (personal communication, February 26, 2012).

I asked Shaffer if his church, City of Faith has a 'social contract' (Bonini, S. M. J., Mendonca, L., and Oppenheim, J. 2006) with its parishioners and community. ‘Yes we do.  Church and its meaning must be lived out publically.  We must be advocates for social and political change and instruments to bring resources to communities in which we are planted to aid and transform the community" (personal communication, February 26, 2012).

Finally as an author, pastor, 35-year old sacred activist I asked Shaffer if he felt that black institutional non-profits (NAACP, NUL, etc.) and media companies (BET, TV-One, Radio-One, etc.) have been strategic in addressing sociopolitical issues for both their internal and external stakeholders, namely their viewers and community to which they serve? “Yes they have but not effective and consistent ones.  Those outlets need funding for their main source of business.  For them to give attention and resources to use their platforms to advocate for their core audiences have not been a part of their strategic business plans” (personal communication, February 26, 2012).

References

Bonini, S. M. J., Mendonca, L., and Oppenheim, J. (2006). When social issues become strategic. The McKinsey Quarterly, 2, pp. 19-31.

P. Shaffer, personal communication, February 26, 2012. Interview conducted via email.