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“You reclaim your power by loving what you were once taught to hate.”
-Bryant H. McGill, American Writer This past weekend was taken over by Black Panther mania. It spread across the fictional Marvel Universe, and was planted squarely in the hearts of people of African and African-
American descent. “What’s the big deal?” you might ask. “It’s just a movie.” Yes, but it’s more than a movie to many. As an orphan, I am keenly aware of what it feels like to have no connectivity to a family of origin: not knowing who I look like, whose mannerisms I display, or my health history. It’s disconcerting at best. Imagine millions of people holding an orphaned spirit. They’re attempting to navigate and succeed in foreign countries that neither understand, nor appreciate the richness of the ancestry that’s been stripped from them. We have had to assimilate to the dominant culture to survive. African-Americans know they’re somehow from Africa – but Africa is a CONTINENT! most have no idea which Country. Are our people hunters and gatherers, or shrewd in business and powerful kings? Does the place
hold riches in ores, minerals, or jewels? Has our Country of origin been colonized or are the people free? These questions have lurked in the minds of centuries of Black folks in America as well as in colonized nations across the globe. We want to RECLAIM our cultural identity. RECLAIM means to retrieve, redeem or recover. Something important has been lost: self-worth, value and identity. The Black Panther movie: it’s Black director, cast, costume designer and many crew of color, AND its fantastic story line, has helped begin to recover a sense of dignity for which we’ve been longing and searching. That is significant, and important for ALL Christ followers to embrace and celebrate. Those of African descent need to know that we too are made in the image and likeness of God (Genesis 1:26-27) When Revelation 5:9 and 7:9 describe those of every tribe, language, people and nation worshiping before the throne of the Lamb of God, we are those tribes. It’s important for our children to learn that the syncretism- (almagamation of different religions, cultures and ancestral worship) that Africa is known for, and that the movie addresses, was arrested in the Bible. In Acts 8:26-40, Phillip encountered the Ethiopian Eunuch, told him about Jesus and baptized him. Our children need
to learn the Gospel of Jesus Christ did not originally come to Africans through wicked slave holders attempting to subjugate masses for hate and profit. That was a cruel misuse of the Good News of Christ’s love, grace, mercy and peace. There is neither Jew nor Greek, bond nor free, male nor female, but you are all ONE in Christ. (Galatians 3:28) The Black Panther showed us men and women of color leading an advanced nation together, with strength. One issue pastors of color have with the Multi-ethnic Church is that it’s led primarily by Caucasian males. People of color flock to their churches, but Caucasians have difficulty following African-Americans as senior leaders. That’s not conjecture, there’s research. Blacks in churches struggle with having to totally divest ourselves of our culture to appease and appropriate dominant culture preaching styles, music, systems and time frames. So…a $400 million Global opening of a movie with African culture
speaks loudly. The movie celebrates the beauty that IS us. It affirms our intellectual, physical and sociological prowess, and attests to the fact that we can lead and create in excellence. I wish that the Church would do the same. We who are Christ followers know that our Heavenly citizenship is ultimately most important, that the Spirit of Adoption makes us Christ’s children (Rom. 8) and that only the Kingdom of God is an everlasting kingdom. However, amidst a world where Blacks have been typically depicted as slaves, criminals, ugly and uneducated; it’s refreshing for us to RECLAIM an aristocratic mantle, and show our children a reflection of God’s image in us.
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