DEAR FRIENDS
RUF is not making a statement on behalf of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA), yet we do affirm the following from our PCA General Assembly.
“Racism is the denial of the image of God and its implications to someone of another ethnicity. […] Racism inside and outside the church is a contradiction of Jesus’ command to love our neighbor as ourselves, and of God’s creation of all people in His image. So theologically, racism entails a denial of the biblical doctrines of creation, man, the communion of saints, and is disobedience to the moral law. We will not mince words. Racism is not only sin, serious sin, it is heresy.” – Excerpt from Overture 55 from the 2016 PCA General Assembly
I will never fully understand what my black and brown brothers and sisters experience daily. The horrific killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and countless others, is serious sin and our hearts break.
As we grieve, Micah 6:8 calls us to “do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with our God.” Pastor and author Robert Lewis reminds us “to reject passivity, accept responsibility, and lead courageously.” Both of these describe our charge to use our pastoral instincts with students, campuses, churches, communities, families, and each other. RUF has an intense desire to listen, to learn, to love, to lead where we can, and to follow where we should.
On Wednesday night, RUF staff from across the nation joined together with our National Committee in a time of prayer, lament and repentance. Please know that RUF sees, RUF cares, and RUF will not be passive. We long to see God at work in our lives and the ministry of RUF particularly as it relates to advancing cross-cultural love and witness. We are eager for Christ’s return and the fulfillment of Revelation 7:9-10 but until that day, we have Kingdom work to do.
In His Providence,
Will W. Huss Jr.
RUF National Coordinator
June 2020