Religion

The Black Church and the Strength to Forgive

Published

11 years ago

June 30, 2015

Emanuel AME Church stands in the background as a mourner visits a sidewalk memorial in memory of the shooting victims Saturday, June 20, 2015, in Charleston, S.C. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

By Jazelle Hunt
Washington Correspondent

WASHINGTON (NNPA) – For many outside the Black community, they had never seen anything like it. Though suffering and deep in pain from the loss of loved ones at the hands of Dylann Roof at Emanuel A.M.E. Church in Charleston, S.C., they reflected the finest reflection of Christian values.

A daughter Ethel Lance, 70, one of the nine killed at Bible study, struggled to find the right words.

“I will never be able to hold her again. But I forgive you and have mercy on your soul,” she said, her voice trembling with emotion. “It hurts me, it hurts a lot of people, but God forgive you and I forgive you.”

Speaking for her family, a sister of Rev. DePayne Middleton-Doctor, 49, had a similar message.

“We have no room for hate,” she said softly. “We have to forgive. I pray God on your soul. And I also thank God that I won’t be around when your judgment day comes with him.”

One-by-one, they took turns, sharing their grief, but not any rancor. How could they be so forgiving?

In order to understand the answer to that question, experts on religion say, you have to understand the role the church plays in Black America and how the nation’s most religious group – African Americans – take the teachings of Jesus’ literally.

“To understand the Black Christian tradition and faith that has nurtured Black people for centuries is to know that they live by a deep, resilient faith that God is on the side of justice, God is on the side of love,” explained Rev. Forrest Harris, president of American Baptist College in Nashville, Tenn. and a scholar on the Black Christian church. “And that ultimately, though people will tragically experience what we saw happen at Mother Emanuel, ultimately love will prevail and hope will prevail.”

Rev. Susan K. Smith of Columbus, Ohio says that Scripture shows that it’s reasonable to feel and wrestle with difficult emotions, instead of jumping straight to forgiveness.

“If you don’t deal with your real, strong feelings, it’s almost impossible to get to a place where you can forgive,” she said. Smith points to Psalm 13, saying, “The Psalmist, who expresses his pain…then at the end of the Psalm there’s a ‘but, I will praise you anyway.’ This is vital, because what we have with God is a relationship, and in relationships there are always times when you don’t get it.”

Rev. Amos Brown, pastor of the Third Baptist Church of San Francisco and NAACP national board member, said Blacks should not bear the brunt of suffering – or forgiveness – in the U.S.

“I do not feel in my spirit that Blacks should have to be the sacrificial lambs all the time,” he explained. “The pain is so great and it’s insulting that America has still not confessed to its wrong and its evil. And that evil is racism.”

Relatives of the nine slain in Charleston refused to be overcome by the evil of racism.

“In this particular context, we’re all deeply moved by the family offering up forgiveness, and I want to honor that supernatural manifestation of grace,” says Pastor Michael McBride, leader of The Way Christian Center in Berkeley, Calif., and director of the PICO Network Live Free Campaign, which uses faith to fight mass-criminalization.

“The process of forgiveness first has to acknowledge the offense…the gravity of the offense…the pain that’s been caused. Then it requires an analysis made in very clear terms the kinds of grievances that have been done, so as to not allow those grievances to continue to be perpetrated.”

According to a 2009 Pew Research Center report, nearly 80 percent of Black people say religion is very important in their lives, with 53 percent attending church every week (compared to 39 percent of the overall population). Church is especially important to Black women who are unrivaled in their dedication to their faith (84 percent say they are) and attend church each week (nearly 60 percent do).

Pastor Jonathan Newton, executive minister at Metropolitan A.M.E. Church in Washington, D.C., points out that the lesson of forgiveness is not only God’s way, but also served Black Christians well during the Civil Rights Movement by lending moral weight to the cause.

On the other hand, Pastor Newton explains that forgiveness is not necessarily passive.

Like Mother Emanuel, Metropolitan A.M.E. was founded in the early 1800s and has a storied legacy within the course of Black history. On Friday, hundreds gathered to pray for its sister church in Charleston – later, the church received a bomb threat in return. The previous day, a few other A.M.E. churches in South Carolina were threatened as well.

“[After the shooting] one of our A.M.E. bishops sent around to the churches a litany to explain that the church doors will remain open; we will continue to do what God calls us to do. But while we forgive, we still step up security,” he says.

“Our [A.M.E.] tradition starts with the concept of social justice. The disparate treatment of people is not to be quietly tolerated. That we forgive doesn’t mean we forget, it just means we release the hold that bitterness and hatred has on us.”

The A.M.E. church is indeed grounded in resistance. Free Blacks in Philadelphia founded the denomination in the late 1700s when White Methodist Episcopalians refused to pray along side them and used force to interrupt their worship. The Black parishioners began their own church and successfully sued for the right to be an independent congregation. O

This is not the first time a White supremacist had targeted a Black church.

According to one study, there were more than 300 racially-motivated church bombings or burnings in the 1960s, and an additional 200 between 1989 and 1996. In 2008, two White men were convicted of burning down a COGIC church in Springfield, Mass. in reaction to President Barack Obama’s election.

Pastor Newton and others maintain that emulating Christ’s example of love does not conflict with seeking justice and true reconciliation.

“This sounds trite, but the first thing is prayer. We believe that prayer changes things, but also prayer brings calm, reasonable, rational thinking.”

“[Then] we deal with it, and not try to suppress…we talk about the anger, the hurt. Our faith is what makes us strong through using political actions and our educations …in our strides to social justice.”

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Allen Temple Baptist Church Hosts Free Prostate Cancer Screenings on Oct. 17

The summit’s mission is to reduce the impact of prostate cancer through education, early detection, research, and support. It is presented in partnership with The Oakland Institute of Health, Inc., SCAN, Brotherhood of Elders Network, UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, Alameda County Public Health Department, Stanford Medicine Cancer Center, Impact Oakland Now, Bay Area Umoja Health, Bay Area Black Nurses Association, Inc., and 100 Black Men of the Bay Area, Inc.

Published

35 minutes ago

October 13, 2026

Post News Group

By Rev. Charlotte Y. Williams, Special to The Post

The Prostate Cancer 2500™ Care Summit brings together health systems, community organizations, and survivors to put early detection within reach

Black men in America are diagnosed with prostate cancer more often than other men and are about twice as likely to die from it. Early detection changes that outcome.

On Saturday, Oct. 17 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Allen Temple Baptist Church will host the Prostate Cancer 2500™ Care Summit (#PC2500), a free event open to the entire community.

. Attendees can receive prostate cancer screenings and health consultations on site, learn about prevention and nutrition, ask medical experts questions in an interactive Q&A, and hear from survivors who will share their stories and offer support.

Screening is recommended beginning at age 45, and at age 40 for Black men with a family history of prostate cancer. All men are welcome, and families are encouraged to attend.

For more information prior to the event, reach out to Rev. Charlotte Y. Williams at (510) 604-5242 | cwilliams@allen-temple.org

For more information on the day of the event, reach out to Deacon Dwight Williams (510) 501-1650 dwight.williams@allen-temple.org. The church is located at 8501 International Blvd., Oakland, CA 94621 The service is free and free parking and refreshments will be provided. The site is accessible to persons with disabilities. To pre-register, go to Allen-Temple.org

Allen Temple Baptist Church was organized in 1919 in Oakland. For 107 years, ATBC has served as a bright beacon of faith, hope, and love beyond its’ four walls. Allen Temple is committed to sharing the love of God and the message of Good News throughout the world. We welcome people of all ages and cultural backgrounds as we joyfully celebrate worship and fellowship, and carry out ministries of evangelism, discipleship, education, community outreach, and global missions. Allen Temple’s holistic, prophetic and social justice ministries address the needs of the whole person as well as the whole community. Dr. Jacqueline A. Thompson.

Rev. Charlotte Y. Williams is the minister and director of Communications at Allen Temple Baptist Church.

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Black History

IN MEMORIAM: The Rev. Leon “Sonny” Clark, Longtime Orange County Pastor and Community Leader, Dies at 72

Rev. Leon William “Sonny” Clark, the longtime pastor of New Spirit Baptist Church in Santa Ana and a prominent faith and community leader in Orange County, passed away on September 9 at the age of 72. Born in Bennettsville, South Carolina, Clark was a U.S. Navy veteran who dedicated his life to service. He served various Southern California churches before leading New Spirit Baptist Church for over 22 years, extending his work into counseling, mentoring, and civic engagement, and supporting the African American community. To learn more about his life and contributions, read more.

Published

2 weeks ago

September 28, 2026

Post News Group

The Rev. Leon “Sonny” Clark. File photo.

By Bo Tefu, California Black Media

Rev. Leon William “Sonny” Clark, longtime pastor of New Spirit Baptist Church in Santa Ana and a respected faith and community leader in Orange County, died Sept. 9. He was 72.

Born Oct. 2, 1953, in Bennettsville, South Carolina, Clark was a U.S. Navy veteran who later built a life of service centered on family, faith, ministry, and community.

Clark began his formal ministry at Metropolitan Baptist Church in Altadena in 1978. After acknowledging his call to ministry in 1980, he preached his first sermon and went on to serve churches throughout Southern California, including Second Baptist Church in Riverside, Mount Vernon Baptist Church in Rubidoux, Antioch Missionary Baptist Church in Pomona, and Friendship Baptist Church in Yorba Linda.

In November 2003, Clark was called to lead New Spirit Baptist Church in Santa Ana, where he served as pastor for more than 22 years. His work extended beyond the pulpit through counseling, mentoring, civic engagement, and efforts to strengthen Orange County’s African American community.

Clark served on the Orange County Heritage Council and supported efforts to preserve and celebrate African American history and culture. He helped organize the Orange County Black History Parade and Unity Festival, served on the Interfaith Committee and the Orange County Transit Authority, and served as president of the Orange County Ministers Conference.

In 2024, the City of Santa Ana recognized Clark for his contributions to the community. He also received the Orange County Southern Baptist Association Hall of Faith Award and was previously honored as Pastor of the Year by the Orange County Heritage Council.

Clark is survived by his wife, Andrea Joyles Clark; six children, Shawn Williams, Le Ondra Clark Harvey, Kyla Coward, Joshua Clark, Marissa Clark and Ashley Clark; grandchildren and great-grandchildren; siblings; extended family; and the New Spirit Baptist Church congregation.

A wake will be held Thursday, Oct. 1, from 4 to 8 p.m. at New Spirit Baptist Church, 701 S. Sullivan St. in Santa Ana, with a remembrance service from 5 to 6:30 p.m.

A Celebration of Life will be held Friday, Oct. 2, at Friendship Baptist Church, 17145 Bastanchury Road in Yorba Linda. Viewing begins at noon, followed by the service at 1 p.m.

Burial will take place Monday, Oct. 5, at 10:15 a.m. at Riverside National Cemetery.

Clark often shared a guiding principle that shaped his ministry: “Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.”

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Black History

In Wake of Death on Doorstep, Williams Chapel Baptist Church Calls for Better Care, Funding for Unhoused

An unhoused individual was found deceased on the steps of Williams Chapel Baptist Church in East Oakland at approximately 6:30 a.m. Monday. The church, located at 1410 10th Ave., extended condolences to the individual’s family, noting the tragedy reflects a broader crisis. Williams Chapel Baptist Church provides shelter and referral services, working with West Side Missionary Baptist Church. They call for increased funding and collaboration to expand services for unhoused individuals. Read more to learn about the church’s efforts and the call for solutions.

Published

2 weeks ago

September 27, 2026

Post News Group

Oakland Police and emergency vehicle arrive to Williams Chapel Monday morning. Courtesy photo.

By Special to The Post

Church extends condolences to individual’s family and loved ones

At approximately 6:30 a.m. Monday, an unhoused individual was found deceased on the steps of Williams Chapel Baptist Church, located at 1410 10th Ave. on the corner of 10th and International in East Oakland.

The individual appears to have come to the church seeking safety and may have needed medical support. We extend our deepest condolences and prayers to the individual’s family and loved ones.

This tragedy reflects a broader crisis affecting unhoused individuals and families throughout the Bay Area. Too many people are living without reliable shelter or timely access to medical care, mental health support, and other essential services. Limited funding and insufficient resources continue to leave vulnerable people without the help they need.

Williams Chapel Baptist Church, a member of the Interfaith Council of Alameda County, works alongside West Side Missionary Baptist Church to provide safe-haven overnight parking, tiny-home emergency shelter, and wraparound referral services to the unhoused.

With funding, both East and West Oakland sites can increase to full capacity and extend to other congregations, creating more safe places for people living on the streets to seek shelter, support, and connection to services.

We invite government agencies, nonprofit organizations, interfaith communities, businesses, and neighbors to join us in this work. By working together with compassion and purpose, we can develop meaningful solutions and help more people experiencing homelessness receive care, stability, and dignity.