White Jesus — Declined
Playing Hookey-Andre Henry
This summer, Jessa and I particiated in a workshop hosted by Evangelicals for Social Action (now Christians for Social Action). The leader of this workshop was Andre Henry, whom I quickly learned is an activist and musician. I recently signed up for Andre Henry’s newsleter and heard of the release of his newsest music video called “Playing Hookey”. I’ve linked the lyrics to this song because they are SO IMPORTANT to the meaning and message of the song so be sure to read through them before and/or during the video.
The message of this song resonates with me in a very real way because many of the points Andre brings up are issues that the church is not addressing in our world and with our fellow citizens. We are missing opportunities to show up in the spaces that need the presence of Jesus most.
When I began to realize that the story of Jesus was being walled in, I decided that attending Bible studies, band practices, nursery duty, prayer groups, committee meetings and small groups were distracting me from actually BEING in the world in which Jesus and placed me—in my neighborhood, my city, my state. Filling up my days with activities that were “good and godly” was keeping me from living out my faith in real and needed ways.
When I stopped categorizing my activities as spiritual or secular and started seeing my life as a ministry lived out in a very organic way that infuses my service to others and yes, even myself; then I could not continue to invest my time in meetings that crowded out interaction with those around me that were not “in my church family.” My time has been invested, rather, in my neighbors, the community, the fellow students my kids go to school with, our local government and public education sectors, the mentor program I volunteer in, and my piano students I meet with weekly, etc.
Recently Andre Henry addressed his grievences more specifically in this video Called Playing Hookey w/MLK. He sites a New York Times article about the numbers of black people leaving churches as well. Andre also shares some insites as he studies “Why We Can’t Wait” (audio version here) and specifically Martin Luther King Jr.’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail”. Andre’s thoughts on our historical ties and allegiences to a white jesus who equates nationalism, patriotism, capitalism and individualism with christianity challenges me to re-evaluate and redress my values and come to terms with the fact that the white jesus that has historicially represented christiantity is not the true Jesus I want to follow— a Middle Eastern man who advocates and lives among the poor, marginalized and foreigners. A person more interested in love then rightness.
So give Andre Henry’s Playing Hookey a listen to. Sit with the words and ask yourself what it means to you. I’d love to hear your thoughts!
**Note on my “White Jesus-Declined” and White Jesus-Rejected3x” artwork. No matter what word I would have painted on top of Jesus’ face, it would have been misunderstood. The message I hope to convey with this piece is similar to when a credit card is declined. It’s not accepted. The idea of a white Jesus we have grown up with needs to not only be questioned, but also declined. Rejected. Denied. Our assumptions of Jesus that fit our ideas of western christianity are not an accurate depiction of who Jesus encompasses.
