A Reflection on Racial Reconciliation and Unity

by Samuel Ajamu

The reality often is that unity proves exceptionally difficult to attain across cultural and racial lines. Socially, we gravitate to those similar to us. We find camaraderie among those with whom we share cultural and social structures. So, the question has always been for me, how does the church differ from this? It is within this context that I hope my experience is helpful to you.

Having moved to America with my family at around 8 years of age, I found it extremely difficult to find a community that shared a similar perspective to mine. In fact, communities that shared a similar complexion to mine did not share some of the same values perspectives. And within communities with a different complexion to my own, not only were our perspectives different but I was often uncomfortable and “tokenized.” In looking then to the church to see what unity across the different cultural lines looked like, I saw that our churches had long adopted some of the same lines. This contrasted with biblical truth where it speaks of unity as though we were all part of a family. And even further describing it as though we were all part of the very same body. This truth is not made irrelevant purely because we struggle to attain it.

So, as I grew up, living and schooling within predominantly white communities, the Lord showed me how to live beyond the discomforts when they arise because the unity that is to be attained within the church is greater than any found elsewhere. So often when asked the question what does unity look like? It often looks uncomfortable. It looks like pursuing the unity of Christ and his Kingdom even when it is not immediately pleasant. Though we have little in common, we share the greatest thing in common, Our Lord and Savior.