THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, June 19, 1996 TAG: 9606190601
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY CHARLISE LYLES, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: ATLANTA LENGTH: 122 lines
Christian Coalition leader Ralph Reed ate toast at the table of brotherhood with black ministers on Tuesday, promising ``racial reconciliation'' and resources to quell fires that have destroyed 38 black churches in the South.
``We come not in righteousness, but in repentance,'' said Reed, at a gathering of ministers that took on the fervor of a tent revival.
``We come to listen and to learn from those who bear the scars of the struggle for racial justice, a cause which in the past, the white evangelical church has failed to embrace to its great shame.
``It is a painful truth that the white evangelical church was not only on the sidelines, but on the wrong side, of the most central struggle for social justice in this century. So we come with broken hearts, a repentant spirit and ready hands to fight this senseless violence.''
He vowed that a July 14 ``Day of Racial Reconciliation'' at Coalition-member churches would raise $1 million to help rebuild black churches.
Reed summoned about 25 preachers whose churches had burned and civil rights activists to the posh Atlanta Airport Hilton for a brunch of made-to-order omelets, prayer and brainstorming to stop the burning. It began and ended with hugging, hand-holding, Scripture readings, prayer, preaching and shouts of ``amen'' and ``hallelujah.''
Dismissing the possibility of a political agenda, some viewed the church burnings and Reed's response as part of a divine plot to bring about racial harmony and quell evil forces that seek to undermine America.
``Every time a church is set aflame, that represents the gates of hell,'' said the Rev. Lawrence Haygood of Coffee Springs, Ala.
Since 1990 he has rebuilt his church twice after burnings. ``We must not allow the gates of hell to destroy us. We'll learn to live together or `perish as fools,' Jesus said.''
``I want to thank the Christian Coalition for extending its arm of love and acceptance to us,'' said the Rev. Brenda Stevenson of New Outreach Christian Center in Charlotte, which burned in March 1995, ``I felt the holy dance coming on when Dr. Reed was talking.''
But some cautioned against religious euphoria, pointing to the Chesapeake-based coalition's political agenda, typically seen as anti-black. For example, the coalition backed the Republican Contract with America.
``This was not church. The euphoria will not lessen with what we have to deal with tomorrow. And that is racism,'' said Nelson B. Rivers III, NAACP southeastern region chief.
``We have to be cautious about anyone who gets into our community with an agenda not in our best interests. Skepticism is helpful. This organization has been anti-NAACP on some issues. For us to walk into a meeting and pretend otherwise would not be realistic. We have to make sure whatever issue we get involved in is not a Trojan horse.''
Some prominent civil rights leaders refused to sit at the table. The Rev. Joseph Lowery, president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, was conspicuously absent.
``I'm sorry that we haven't been able to build a dialogue,'' said Reed. ``I hope that we'll be able to sit down and he'll see that our motives are pure. I'm among friends.''
A tall youth stood and interrupted the meeting as the racial reconciliation talk grew redundant.
``Is this a one-shot deal from the Christian Coalition?'' asked Markel Hutchins, 18, a Morehouse College sophomore.
``Are you going to address the fact that one-third of black males are incarcerated? We want to know is this repentance a spiritual thing, a one-shot deal, or will the coalition be there for the duration?
``Is the coalition's attempt to build with black leaders or just pastors?''
The Rev. Earl Jackson, the coalition's National Director of Urban Development, tried to dismiss Hutchins' questions, but Reed broke in.
``We can use this opportunity to do battle with many issues, stopping crime, drugs, and programs for young people.''
Some pastors complained of negligent law enforcement. In response Reed issued an all-points bulletin that lax fire investigations would not be tolerated.
``We can bring pressure on white law enforcement in a way that others can't,'' Reed said. ``I can go into a community and make that a major issue.''
Unfair treatment by insurance companies was a common complaint. The Rev. Stevenson said her church's insurance policy was canceled after vandals broke in. Six months later, it burned to the ground, uninsured.
Reed asked for the names of insurance companies and said the coalition would do a mailing urging members to cut off policies with those companies.
Most sought Reed's help on less tangible matters. ``What can we do to take care of the spiritual problem?'' asked Linda Woodall, of Project Light Learning Center in Marietta, Ga.
``If we put up smoke detectors and fire alarms,'' said Reed, ``and we don't reconcile racially, we have failed.'' MEMO: Staff writer David M. Poole contributed to this story. ILLUSTRATION: Color photo
CANDICE C. CUSIC/The Virginian-Pilot
Christian Coalition leader Ralph Reed, right, joins hands in prayer
with the Rev. James Freeman of Sweet Home Baptist Church in Baton
Rouge, La., center, and Christian Coalition national field director
D.J. Gribbin.
Photo
CANDICE C. CUSIC/The Virginian-Pilot
Markel Hutchins, an 18-year-old at Morehouse College, challenged
Ralph Reed's commitment to blacks. ``Is this a one-shot deal from
the Christian Coalition?'' he asked. ``We want to know, is this
repentance a spiritual thing, a one-shot deal, or will the coalition
be there for the duration?''
Graphic
SUGGESTIONS
In a brainstorming session with Christian Coalition leader Ralph
Reed, black ministers suggested ways to prevent church fires or
deal with them:
``Church watches'' or patrols equipped with cell phones.
Beefed-up church security, including smoke and motion detectors.
Church exchanges and educational programs to promote racial
harmony.
Stiffer penalties for church burnings and hate crimes.
Increased pressure on law enforcement for thorough
investigations.
Boycotts of insurance companies that cut off policies to churches
that have burned.
KEYWORDS: BLACK CHURCHES ARSON FIRES
CHRISTIAN COALITION by CNB