An open letter from Lutheran Student Community
We continue to grieve the murders of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, Tony McDade, and countless others across the nation who have been killed because of pervasive police brutality and white supremacy.
We acknowledge that we as a church have failed to love our neighbors as ourselves and have not lived in ways that reflect our understanding that all humans are created in the image of God. We condemn systemic racism and violence in our world, and we commit to work for change within our society and within ourselves. We urge our members and our community to address these injustices in their prayers and actions, and to respond to this crisis with open hands, open hearts, and open minds.
As a predominantly white denomination, we will never fully understand or experience the injustice, violence and discrimination practiced against BIPOC (Black, indigenous, people of color) communities, but we stand in support and solidarity.
We are here for any and all students in need of support during these difficult times. Come as you are. For a more complete list of resources and actions of the Lutheran Student Community, please see our resource list.
Resource List
The Lutheran Student Community is committed to combating injustice and oppression, as well as continuing and deepening our engagement with BIPOC communities. We are grateful to our past speakers who addressed issues of racial injustice, and look forward to many more in the future, including Nikole Hannah Jones, whose talk has been rescheduled to the upcoming fall semester.
Here are some relevant resources:
Complete list of BLM Resources
https://elca.org/Resources/Racial-Justice
ELCA reaffirms commitment to combat racism and white supremacy –
https://www.elca.org/News-and-Events/8039
Penn State Resources
- Paul Robeson Cultural Center (PRCC)
- Multicultural Resource Center (MRC)
- Report Bias: http://equity.psu.edu/reportbias
- Penn State Hotline: 1-800-560-1637
Book Study: “White Fragility” – contact Alicia for more information
Book Recommendation: “Dear Church: A Love Letter from a Black Preacher to the Whitest Denomination in the US” (Lenny Duncan)
Book Recommendation: “I’m Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness” by Austin Channing Brown
Nadia Bolz-Weber – A pastoral letter to my fellow white folks – https://nadiabolzweber.substack.com/p/a-pastoral-letter?fbclid=IwAR1HknL8zGUM0gy0PuNkCtfg5sVshqRDWCwgfcbQt9eeVtZDDrzKizdpLds