Of course, the historic Black church developed quite differently from the panoply of denominations and traditions that help comprise American Civil Religion.

This broadly includes mostly-white churches, assimilated Jews, some Hispanic Christians, Asia-American and Pacific Islander Christians, and many Black congregations. The Christian Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) populations can often be recognized by their political timidity and aspiration for saintliness. The constructive characteristic of these quantities is that they try not to make trouble for others. The lamentable aspect is that they also try not to make “Good Trouble,” as coined by the late John Lewis.

My orientation to Christianity, even within the Black churches our family attended, maintained at the same time both the liberationist nature of Black Christianity and, not without conflict, elements of American Civil Religion.

I was devoted to the Faith more passionately, as a college student and young adult, than most of my peers. As time passed, I began to question the whiteness of our Black Faith. I later understood the whiteness as Christian West Supremacy, which is the dominant form of the religion, not only in the West but wherever the West has ruled throughout the world.

I began to question and research Western Christianity while simultaneously attending seminary, which like most seminaries in our country, was an exponent of Western Christianity. My curiosity would not allow me to settle for that kind of “education.” My ongoing and growing respect for Jesus was enough to keep me from turning to another faith tradition, or none at all. My quest did leave me with a greater appreciation for other ways of thinking. Whether the world’s major religions, ancient Indigenous practices, agnostics, or atheists, I have come away with more questions and less judgment. These discoveries help explain how I have fallen head-over-heels in love with Creation and all her peoples.

I am grateful to all the beings that endorsed and helped to brace me during this continuing adventure. I also appreciate those who pushed back until they changed and came alive as I did, and also those still pushing back and appear determined not to change.

In summary, I apologize to dear ones whom I pushed against, and I celebrate being in a state of love for you all.

Thank you for reading this far. Please pause and take a breath here, outside Quebec City.