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I was blessed to have had the opportunity to be raised by someone who participated in the Civil Rights Movement. My uncle, Mr. Bob Gore, who is much like a father to me, marched with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and many others during the 1960’s. I continue to be amazed by the heroic and unprecedented sacrifices made by both the leaders and the participants of the Civil Rights Movement. To my surprise, Mr. uncle informed me that many African-Americans and white Americans did not participate in “The Movement.” Some people were resistant to Dr. King’s leadership because they were concerned about their employment or their physical well-being (e.g., it was possible to become injured or killed while marching). Like the Hebrews in Moses’ day, people “grumbled” against Dr. King (see Exodus 16:2). Nevertheless, Dr. King, additional leaders of the Movement and many followers stayed the course. The criticisms of white clergy (see Dr. King’s “Letter from the Birmingham Jail”) , the threats and acts of violence, the loss of income and the ostracization by family members or friends did not dissuade them from their mission. The leaders often heard the “grumblings” of the people; however, they held on to their purpose. My uncle’s commitment to assisting African-Americans in the process of attaining our Civil Rights would prove to be instrumental in my character development and sense of political consciousness. I am eternally grateful for his involvement in my life. Leadership is a challenging phenomenon. Undoubtedly, leaders are essential for the cohesion of society. People need leaders, and in the absence of ethical and visionary leadership, the historical record throughout the world has proven that people will following myopic, ineffective, unethical and seemingly incompetent leaders. Moses and his brother Aaron were competent, ethical, divinely-inspired and visionary leaders; however, the people often “grumbled” against them. At one point, the Hebrews criticized Moses, and wished that he had not freed from slavery in Egypt (Exodus 13:3). Moses listened, but depersonalized their grumblings. Essentially, he said: “You are not grumbling against me, but against the Lord (Exodus 16:8).” Moses loved the people and cared for the people in spite of their grumblings. Moses prayed to the Lord during his challenging, leadership experiences, and the Lord provided the people with manna, which is bread from heaven (Exodus 16:15).” If God has appointed you as a leader at you job, in your home, at your church or in your civic or social organization, I want to encourage you to continue to be an ethical, visionary, competent and divinely inspired leader. Stay the course, even when you hear the grumblings of the people, and watch the Lord provide resources (also known as manna) for you.

As an African-American, I celebrate the recent election of four Congresswomen of color: Representative Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, Representative Rashida Tlaib of Michigan and Representative Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts. Even though there were Congresswomen of color leading the nation on Capitol Hill prior to their arrival, their election to the most powerful and prestigious legislative body in the world should be celebrated given the racist and sexist history and extant racist and sexist climate of this country. As a Christian minster, I do not embrace each and every political position championed by these courageous, four women; however, I celebrate their achievements, support their vision for a more inclusive society and support their Constitutional right to dissent and challenge the status quo. Lost in this mainstream discussion about their views which are in opposition to the President, conservative America and racist America is the fact that they are Black people (i.e., people of African descent) whose brilliance, tenacity, vision and diligence earned them a place in history. Their very presence should be cause of celebration for America. I know many people who are affiliated with the Black Church celebrate their historic achievements and/or their current political position(s). I understand that some white, evangelicals cannot or will not celebrate black excellence. However, the caustic, racist, xenophobic political climate that they refuse to denounce poses a threat to both Black life and the Christian message. Much of the rhetoric which appears in national headlines is anti-Christian. For example, the popular chant “Send Her Back” is in direct contradiction to the Christian mandate to love one’s neighbor (Matthew 22:39) and to welcome the stranger (Matthew 25:35). The silence of the church as it concerns the racist, sexist, xenophobic, divisive and dangerous national narrative, means that church is in agreement with it. This silence cripples community, cheapens Christianity, causes faith to falter, truncates the truth, promotes a nihilistic threat to Black life as it dissuades a generation of people from wanting to embrace Christ. If it is not careful, the evangelical church that supports this caustic narrative will be on the wrong side of both human and salvation history. Jesus encouraged humanity to love God and to love our neighbors as we love ourselves (see Matthew 22:34-40). As members of the church universal, we have a Christian mandate to support a narrative which affirms the humanity and dignity of people wherever and however they may be found. As Christian leaders and laity, we must denounce any narrative which seeks to devaluate and dehumanize people. Indeed, we are the salt of the earth (Matthew 5:13). However, if the salt has lost its saltiness, what is it good for (Matthew 5:13)?

This is what advocacy looks like. Jasmine Roberson, a junior studying biology and Spanish at @fisk1866 in Nashville, Tennessee, first got involved with Bread for the World during its 2017 Lobby Day. Roberson, along with several other Fisk students, spent the day visiting their members of Congress and advocating on issues such as the Global Food Security Act. Last year, Roberson assisted in the planning of a Sunday morning worship on Fisk’s campus that featured a letter-writing event as part of the 2018 Offering of Letters. Roberson currently serves as a student health ambassador at the Meharry Medical College-Fisk University HBCU Wellness Project where she helps address health disparities among racial lines—some of which stem from lack of access to quality food. As a proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Roberson often volunteers at the Second Harvest Food Bank. And through her role as a chapel assistant, she organizes events for homeless women at the Nashville Rescue Mission. “All my experiences of volunteering have allowed for me to have an awesome experience while at Fisk and give myself to others who may be in need,” Roberson said. This article was published in the monthly newsletter by Bread4theworld in 2019.

The first amendment of the Constitution of the United States maintains that there is a separation between church and state; however, it is not uncommon to hear elected officials quote scripture from the bible or to see clergy and lay people support a political candidate for a local, state or national office. Recently, I heard a public figure, Attorney General Jefferson Sessions, quote a passage of scripture to provide moral justification for a policy that is antithetical to the Christian message. In an attempt to justify his support of President Trump’s “Zero Tolerance Policy” concerning immigration, Mr. Sessions stated that God expects hard-working, suffering, traumatized, impoverished, disenfranchised, afraid, confused and possibly injured men, women and/or children seeking safety in the United States to obey “the law” as stated in Romans 13. In many instances, these families are requesting asylum in the United States to escape the violence in their countries. As these poor and vulnerable families seeking a better way of life cross into the United States, children are forcibly taken away from their parents and both parties are taken to two different locations. Contact between children and parents comes to an abrupt halt, and it is unclear when the families will be reunited. There are also news reports from the major networks which suggest that the parents may be deported without their children. There is no question that the United Stated is in need of immigration reform; however, a policy which is designed to deter immigration to the United States by creating traumatized children and parents is both morally reprehensible and inhumane. I am the parent of three children, and I cannot imagine the shock and horror of being indefinitely separated from them, without the ability to contact them, in a foreign country. The normative, Judeo-Christian ethic that emanates from the New Testament as it concerns the life of Jesus is undeniably about love. We should show love toward God, our neighbors, ourselves (see Mark 12:30-31) and even our enemies (Matthew 5:43). Creating a family crisis and inflecting trauma is not showing love. When the highest ranking law enforcement official uses the bible to justify the inhumane treatment of families seeking refuge in the United States, the country has indeed lost its moral compass. A nation which enjoys its current status because of immigrant labor and claims to be built upon Christian principles has lost its moral credibility as a beacon light of hope, freedom and safely for people throughout the world. The current administration’s policy position on immigration is sure to indicate that America was on the wrong side of history. We must vote in the upcoming elections to attempt to addresses this egregious error in national judgment.

I know many people who were looking forward to a break, and they were equally excited about spending it in New Orleans. The music, food and carnival associated with Mardi Gras are legendary, and the students of today are as interested in experiencing this cultural event with the same enthusiasm and excitement of previous generation. As a University Chaplain, I’ve expressed my reservations about their decision to attend the event, but, given the magnetic pull that the festival has on creative imaginations, my ten minute conversations with them are primarily limited to safely issue and the religious significance of the event. The Carnival Season has come to an end, and Ash Wednesday began on Wednesday, February 14, 2018. In a previous year, I heard a student say: “Yeah Dean, I’m going to have as much fun as I can because Lent is right around the corner, and I won’t able to do anything.” I reminded him that it was possible to have fun and refrain from sin, but more importantly, I was pleased to see that he remembered that Ash Wednesday was a scared day because it marks the beginning of a new Christian season in preparation for remembering that blessed Easter morning. Many churches continue to recognize the significance of Ash Wednesday by holding morning or evening worship services. Several years ago, I remember attending a worship service during which the pastor the church used ashes to paint a cross on my forehead. Historically, the ashes were made from the unused and burnt palms from the previous Palm Sunday. Ash Wednesday denotes a time of penance in which we ask forgiveness from God for the sins that we have committed by omission or commission. As the first day in the season of Lent, it marks the beginning of a spiritual season of fasting, praying and reflecting on the meaning of Easter for our daily lives. Ash Wednesday unites us with church all over the world, and it affords us the opportunity to become closer to Christ by placing the symbol of the cross on our foreheads. I agree with Paul who said in Romans 1:16, Paul says: “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.” As we prepare to enter the season of Lent, let us remembers the historical and spiritual significance of Ash Wednesday. If our schedules will not afford us the opportunity to have a cross of ashes painted on our foreheads, let us hold fast to the cross of redemption in our hearts and we pause to consider the great price that Jesus paid for us. Amen.

Bread for the World is a collective, Christian voice which urges members of Congress to end poverty and hunger in America and throughout the world. The Fisk Memorial Chapel has partnered with this non-partisan organization throughout the course of several years. Bread for the World seeks to put a “circle of protection” around poor and hungry people by lobbying members of Congress to support legislation which is aimed at helping to end poverty and hunger. Bread for the Word Sunday will be held this Sunday, February 11, 2018. Service will begin at 9:00a.m. Minister David Street, the Interim Co-Director of Grassroots Organizing, will be our speaker. Also, we will have a special musical performance by Mr. Khrys Hatch ’18. Please see the attached flyer or the screenshot below. Brunch will follow service. We hope that your schedule will afford you the opportunity to attend this service. Thank you. Dean Curry

Black History Month is indeed a time in which we pause to celebrate the tremendous, unprecedented and unparalleled achievements of African-Americans who are alive as well as those who have moved on from labor to reward. Throughout the month of February, we both recognize and celebrate the achievements of people of African-Americans such as Venus Williams in the arena of athletics, Oprah Winfrey in the field of business, former President Barack Obama in politics, Dr. Johnnetta B. Cole in education, Roberta Flack in music, Paul Roberson in acting and a host of other people of African descent in various areas. History declares that they worked incessantly to maximize the human potential that God provided them, and in doing so, they have inspired generations of people of all ethnicities who reside in the United States as well as abroad. To be sure, the accomplishments of the African-American that we celebrate this month, in particular, and throughout the year, in general, are rooted in the tremendous sacrifices made by African-Americans and others in this country and abroad. For example, we remain indebted to Fannie Lou Hamer for helping African-American exercise their right to vote and to François-Dominique Toussaint Louverture for resisting European imperialism in Haiti. We stand today on their shoulders. We are, however, unable to pay adequate homage to those to have achieved and sacrificed so much to promote African-American progress without remembering those who endured the ultimate sacrifice for our collective well-being. During the month of February, we remember those who were killed seeking to improve the lives of Black people throughout the world such as Malcolm X (el-Hajj Malik el-Shabazz), the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Medgar Evers, Patrice Lumumba, Stephen Bantu Biko, Harry and Harriette Moore, the Reverend George Lee, and Fred Hampton. Biblical scholars have informed us that most of Jesus 12 disciples were martyred. The Christian faith that we now embrace was propelled throughout history through the “ink” (e.g., the printing press and scribes who copied by the bible by hand) and blood of the martyrs. In Matthew 23:29, Jesus eloquently captured how many prophets, who spoke truth to power, were viewed once they were gone. In this passage of scripture, Jesus said: “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You build tombs for the prophets and decorate the graves of the righteous.” In short, people who were once hated as agitators are now recognized as contributors to society. It is important to keep the memory of those who were martyred alive. It is also important to remember their legacy by becoming champions of justice, beacon lights of hope and change-agents that seek to promote democracy and a life-sustaining environment worldwide.

The Reverend Dr. Vincent E. Stokes II is a 2009 graduate of Fisk University. Throughout the course of his matriculation at Fisk, Dr. Stokes served the Fisk Family as a Fisk Memorial Chapel Assistant and as the President of the Student Government Association. After graduating from Fisk, Dr. Stokes earned the Master of Divinity degree at Yale Divinity School. In 2016, Dr. Stokes was awarded the Doctor of Ministry degree from Azusa Pacific Seminary. His dissertation was titled “With a Strength Not of His Own: The Christian Background of the Reverend Nat Turner and its Impact on the Black Baptist Church in the 21 st Century.” Dr. Stokes is married to Ms. Fannie Stokes. They are the proud parents of a baby boy named Vincent E. Stokes III. Dr. Stokes is a member of the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.

On May 6, 2012, the Reverend Dr. Otis Moss Jr, a Civil Rights icon, preached a Baccalaureate address in the Fisk Memorial Chapel titled “Words Matter.” In a standing room only arena with people of African descent of various ages and educational achievements present, Dr. Moss eloquently and successfully made the case that the words that we say about ourselves and the words that are said about us have political, economic, cultural and spiritual implications for our future as a people. For example, if elected officials who do not love black children successfully argue that they cannot learn, then these officials will promote legislation which reduces funding to programs such as Head Start, and they may promote legislation which leads to racial-profiling and the excessive policing of black communities. His sermon echoed the words of Solomon in Proverbs 18:21: “Death and life are in the power of the tongue….” Silence on consequential matters is often interpreted as agreement; therefore, there are times in which those who have a respect for democracy, community, civilization and people of African descent must reemphasize that words truly matter. There is a strain of thought operative in our current, national dialogue which suggests that people from the Motherland and people from the nation of Haiti have little if nothing to offer the international community. Has the world forgotten that Africa is the birthplace of civilization? Has the world forgotten that the genesis of Greek thought is deeply rooted in African philosophy (see Black Athena by Martin Bernal or The Stolen Legacy by George James)? Has the world forgotten the brilliance of Kwame Nkrumah, an HBCU graduate (Lincoln University) and an Ivy League graduate (University of Pennsylvania), who resisted British imperialism and become the first Prime Minister of Ghana? Has the world forgotten the genius of Toussaint Louverture who helped to establish a new and better future for the resilient people of Haiti? Has the world forgotten the contributions of famous African women such as Nzingha, Hatshepsut, Mariam Makeba, Winnie Mandela and Wangari Maathai? If African nations have become somewhat destabilized, it is largely because they are still recovering from hundreds of years of colonialization and systematic exploitation. The Continent is not without challenges; however, the resilience of these nations is a testament to the brilliance of the people within them. As an academician, I can attest to the fact that the brilliance of the students of African decedent from Africa and the Caribbean persists to the present day. Many of our most astute and conscientious students are international students. We value them, and we love them. Indeed, we are forever mindful that the words we employ around them will indeed help to shape their future.