The First United Church in Oak Park, Illinois received massive national criticism again, this time for its plan to fast from Whiteness during this Lenten season.
According to Religion News, the pushback began when the First United Church posted a banner on its lawn entitled, "Fasting From Whiteness." The banner explained that the church intends to set aside racism for Lent.
"This Lent we build our worship life around the voices of Black people, indigenous people, and people of color," the banner said before providing a schedule of their Sunday worship.
However, Turning Point USA saw the banner and reported the matter differently, citing that it is contrary to Christian teaching on loving one another and bringing all communities together. Turning Point's report was then picked up by other media outlets such as the New York Post and "Fox and Friends."
"In this case, they have decided to separate the White culture from those around it. We want to be creating unity instead of creating a lot of disunity by separating people based on the color of their skin. We don't want to go back to segregation times. We need to be bringing people together and loving them by creating more unity and not doing things such as 'Fasting From Whiteness,'" the Turning Point USA reporter said while recording a YouTube Short in front of the church's banner.
First United Church Senior Pastor Rev. John Edgerton explained in an interview with Religion News that the program embraces people of color through worship music, which is contrary to what TP reported. The program and theme, which is created by Edgerton himself, removes all worship music written by white composers during Lent. Thus, it does not promote division.
Edgerton elaborated that their church's and the village's population is predominantly White. The pastor said it is important to incorporate a diversity of voices in music for worship.
"It's crucially important for predominantly white churches to take up this work, because in the United States, our voice is the majority voice. Our message is the one that is always going to get a hearing," Edgerton said.
The pastor told the Chicago Sun Times that the sign was put up on Ash Wednesday and is regularly taken down at night to avoid any mischief on it. He said the program brings to the surface the reality of White Christians being a minority in the world throughout history. This is why he thought of the program since it is a way to fast from things that tug one's heart.
Edgerton pointed out that the Bible does not focus on the color of one's skin. It only speaks of one thing, which is the Word of God in the Person of Jesus Christ. He pointed out that faith in Christ unifies so many people and blesses so many.
Echoing the pastor's statements, the church released a statement on their Facebook page and website last April 6 clarifying the intent of their Lenten program. The church acknowledged that the theme has created much controversy, stirring people to question their message, which has resulted in considerable discussion among the public.
Contrary to how the banner's message was framed by the media, the intent of the Fasting From Whiteness is openness to hear the message of the Gospel beyond one's usual frame of reference. This, they said, brings diversity and beauty when integrated into the worship services of a church.
"In practice with the Lenten discipline of fasting, our intent was to lay aside our usual frames of reference and open ourselves to hearing the Gospel message through the voices of Black People, Indigenous People, and People of Color. Our worship services in Lent have been diverse and beautiful. We pray that God oils the hinges of our hearts' doors that they might swing open gently to receive the good news of Christ's resurrection, which we all await at the culmination of Lent," First United Church of Oak Park said.
Since negative news on their banner brought controversy, Edgerton revealed that his inbox has received hundreds of emails. The pastor admitted that he has not read a majority of the emails since most of what he did contain either vulgarity or support. The church's website reportedly also crashed. Meanwhile, the pastor has also received a lot of support from locals who have sent gifts to console him ranging from flowers to a giant plate of cookies.
