So I had planned to wake up this morning, December 26, and begin to celebrate "my people's holiday" aka Kwanza, until I did a little research. Anyone who knows anything about Kwanza knows that it is an African/American holiday whose core purpose is to bring unity and identity to a people who are in desperate need of such principles. (And you can do your own research on all that.) What obviously bothered me and what bothers most Black Christians is that Dr. Maulana Karenga, the founder of Kwanza, sought to make the holiday "self" focused instead of "God" focused. Some may argue it was to allow the holiday to include all religions within the African diaspora, however I believe he intentionally left God out. Each principle is focused on what self can and should do in its own strength. I and you should have a problem with that since we believe, as Christians, that there is nothing intrinsically good in us. We have been "born into sin and shaped in iniquity". With that being said my Black Pride and excitement for this day just went out the proverbial window. Yet I still feel the strong need for Black people to develop identity and purpose. There is a need for unity on the common purpose of becoming better than we have been. I just believe strongly that this hope is NOT rooted in the African but rooted in Jesus Christ. The hope is to have Christ in the African. This alone can change the world and our people. So as I don't believe in throwing the baby out with the bath water, I do believe that Dr. Karenga's seven principles (Nguzo Saba) can be recapitulated for a Christian context.
Principle #1
Umoja - Unity
"To strive for and maintain unity in the family, community, nation and race."
However, in order to maintain unity you must have love and forgiveness according to the Bible. This unity is centered on the "one mind" of Jesus Christ that brings all people together.
Peter says it best, "Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous, not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing..." 1 Pe 3:8
As Black people we need to unite to the only One that can keep our family, community, nation and race together, He is Jesus Christ, the Great Unifier of all nations and peoples.
Tomorrow we will look at the 2nd Principle of Nguzo Saba.
http://www.officialkwanzaawebsite.org/NguzoSaba.shtml
Love the insight and how you refocused the principle to reflect Christ!!
ReplyDeleteThis is so true. Our identity cannot be founded in our blackness. Blackness as racial identity is a social construction of white supremacy that can be dissolved or altered at any moment for the benefit of white privilege. Because of its fluid nature we must base our identity in Jesus Christ. In Him we are empowered to practice these principles as they are inherent to His very nature. Looking forward to following along.
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