One Race: the Human Race

There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

Galatians 3: 28

Did you know that all of humankind share a genome that is 99.5% identical? Biologically speaking we are all the same. There is only one race—the human race. By design, we have more in common and are more connected than we are different and divided.

The Third Option by Miles McPherson

In his ministry on earth, Jesus identified with our humanity. He had no boundaries and saw past cultural, social, moral and racial divides. With respect to racial divide, Jesus did not hesitate to meet the Samaritan woman. (John, ch. 4). The Jews hated the Samaritans to the extent that in travelling from Judea to Galilee they would take the longer route rather than go through Samaria. The Jews had no dealings with the Samaritans because they had worked hard to maintain their racial purity as Jews; and the Samaritans were the products of intermarriages with pagans. In travelling to Samaria, Jesus did not take the longer route, as ‘He needed to go through Samaria, because the Father had work for him to do there and people for Him to seek – people needing eternal life. Jesus – a Jewish rabbi, an orthodox Jew – walked right through “unholy land”, as the Jews considered it. When the disciples returned from buying food, they were surprised to see Jesus talking to a Samaritan woman, at the well of Sychar. He didn’t see a Jew, and he didn’t see a Samaritan. He saw a person needing Him.’ (The Jesus You May Not Know by David Jeremiah) This encounter with the Samaritan woman led to an invitation from the Samaritans to visit their city. Jesus stayed for two days and many of them believed his teaching, ‘… we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world’.

God is shown in the Old and the New Testament alike as being opposed to all forms of injustice and exploitation. There are no divisions in the Body of Christ. God loves each of us with an everlasting love. Our world is broken and impoverished because of the evil sin of racism. The Church of England accepted the definitions for racism and institutional racism from the Stephen Lawrence Inquiry Report in 1999. ‘“RACISM” in general terms consists of conduct, words or practices which disadvantage or advantage people because of their colour, culture, or ethnic origin. In its more subtle forms, it is as damaging as in its overt form.’ ‘INSTITUTIONAL racism’ is the collective failure of an organisation to provide an appropriate and professional service to people because of their colour, culture or ethnic origin. It can be seen or detected in processes, attitudes and behaviour which amount to discrimination through unwitting prejudice, ignorance, thoughtlessness and racist stereotyping which disadvantages minority ethnic people.

Let us pray:
Heavenly Father, we remember that Jesus came to earth
not to be served but to serve the poor, marginalised and disadvantaged.
Please forgive people who have perpetrated racism at every level of British society.
Over the centuries, countless people have been disadvantaged economically,
scarred psychologically and emotionally for life;
e.g of recent note, the racist treatment meted out to people from the Windrush generation
who came to work in Britain, from the British West Indian colonies, at the invitation of the British government.
Father, please awaken the consciences of those in authority at all levels of our society
to commit themselves to setting up, implementing and establishing policies throughout their structures;
in order to tackle effectively the cruel and inhumane force of racism.
Father, in your mercy and grace, please heal our land from the scourge of racism.
Father God, we pray and ask you to heal and comfort persons still suffering from the coronavirus
which has taken so many lives.

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Amen

Glynne Gordon-Carter