SETTING THE WHITE MAN FREE: THOUGHTS ON A LIFETIME OF LIBERATION WORK"

“SETTING THE WHITE MAN FREE: THOUGHTS ON A LIFETIME OF LIBERATION WORK”

Caroline and I have been up in Cloudland Canyon this weekend doing a wedding there, and my long-time friend David Billings kindly consented to write this week’s blog.   If you have not yet read his 2016 book “Deep Denial,” please get it somewhere and read it – it is one of the best books on the continuing power of racism and the white denial of it.  His blog is below.

Title: Setting The White Man Free: Thoughts on a Lifetime of Liberation Work by David Billings,  Author of Deep Denial: The Persistence of White Supremacy in United States History and Life (2016)

When Nibs asked me to write something for his blog, my first thought was "Do I write something from our shared childhood or something about the current state

of things in our nation?"  "How about both?"

Nibs is undoubtedly, in my mind, one of the great theologians of our day or any day for that matter. This is in spite of his not being as well-known as he should be and amid the rapid secularization in the society. At least among predominantly well-educated, middle class white and black people, Oakhurst is now an oasis for persons across the many national divides, not all of whom are Christians.

Nibs Stroupe has been an outstanding pastor along with his co-pastor, the Rev. Caroline Leach for close to 40 years, until they retired -- three years ago for Caroline and last year for Nibs. They led Oakhurst Presbyterian Church in Decatur, Ga. for nearly four decades and modeled for the 21st century what a church committed to tearing down the walls of white supremacy and white male dominance looks like.  Oakhurst was slated for extinction when they arrived in 1983; they bequeathed to the community new leadership a healthy and vibrant congregation.

Why do I say Stroupe is one of the great theologians of our day? Because in our race-constructed nation where everything is about race and everything is impacted by race, Stroupe always brings it up. He doesn't just speak about race and racism when that is his subject, but he speaks to race because in our nation nothing is race-neutral. There are racial dynamics in every happenstance of life, public and personal. His ability to see and name how racism pervades our everyday events, activities, and thoughts is rare. There are a growing number of white people who are striving to understand white supremacy, but few of us name racism if it is not our subject or focus. But Stroupe does and that makes him unique, certainly among white Christian pastors.

Nibs is also relentless in calling out sexism and misogyny. Heavily influenced and tutored by Caroline Leach in this, he is again intent on bringing it up even when society is loathe to do so.

It is this twin approach to liberation ministry that recently led the two to be recognized by the Presbyterian Church, USA with their Human Rights Award for their Lifetime service to the church.

What their ministry teaches us is when we emulate people like Nibs and Caroline, and when we identify the everyday racism and misogyny all around us, we will be ready to transform ourselves, our churches and the other institutions to which we give our allegiance. 

But, I mentioned in my opening paragraph that Nibs and I grew up together.  We lived in the heart of the Mississippi Delta, in Helena, Arkansas. We both pursued a ministry that focused on a Christ-centered, anti-racist theology and methodology. Both of us preached liberation, understanding the complicity of the church in others' oppression and our role in it. Nibs and I -- full of hubris, but also passion -- sought redemption through scripture.  That led us to action that was about breaking the taboos of race and gender we were brought up with and nurtured by. We didn't always succeed in this, but we persevered nonetheless.

When we were entering our teens, Nibs and I thought of ourselves as budding theologians. We went to our local pastors asking them to tell us when did Jesus first realized that he was destined to be the Messiah. (I mentioned hubris, didn't I?). They suggested we should pursue more normal teenage interests such as baseball or comic books. Instead, we rowed out onto Moon Lake (between Helena and the Mississippi River) to continue our quest on determining the “Messianic Consciousness of Jesus.”  I don’t think that we ever answered that one!

A short time later, Nibs introduced me to the concept of "house church" and invited me to join him at a meeting of laity (Episcopalian in this instance) who were discussing The Late Liz, a book about the conversion of a former prostitute now turned Christian. In one of these share groups, I offered my definition of  "grace." The next week, I learned that when Nibs' mother, Mary Stroupe, heard someone quote my definition in her beauty salon, she burst out laughing.  Mrs. Stroupe did not suffer fools.  Her response provoked a mini-crisis of faith in both of us. I can still hear her laugh.

I could tell more. I like to think these adventures led Nibs to be the person he is today.  I also hope someone out there writes his story and gives him his due. Maybe a history that gives Caroline and Nibs their deserved place in our history.