Is this a real transformation or a tragic publicity stunt?
Written by: Jelani Kerr
Given the current state of politics, many are disappointed when they remember when Kayne West was a 21st century brand of unabashed and personally authentic Blackness. He personified the complex mix of customary Hip Hop hypermaterialsm, 60’s era progressive politics, personal vulnerability, Black church-based spirituality, and a stylish aesthetic reflecting an aspirational, upwardly mobile African American populace. For many, this was the most bona fide expression of the African American experience in Hip Hop.
Everyone does not traffic in drugs. Every African American is not violent. The vast majority are “regular” people who work, take care of family, live with casual racism, show God a little love, and have some fun when possible. Many in the community are more like Kanye than other high-profile early 2000s era Hip Hop acts whose musical content focused more on the drug trade and violence. Thus, it was confusing and painful for many when Kanye, who had once brilliantly and succinctly articulated the perspective of many African Americans during a telethon for Katrina (the “George Bush does not care about Black people” moment), seemingly went against his community and embraced a perceived bigot in the White House. Nevertheless, in a move that may be marketing genius and/or a sign of spiritual reawakening, Kanye has somewhat re-engendered himself to the Black community. He has done this by touring the country with a superior gospel choir and intriguing gospel remixes to 90’s era rhythm and blues arrangements. His politics have not changed, but it is interesting that this spiritual reawakening seems to coincide with his embrace of the right-wing.
Perhaps he has adopted a fallacy that many believe. Due to sophisticated, long-standing marketing of a particular brand of Christian thought by politicians and some televangelist, many people believe that embracing Christianity is analogous to embracing political conservatism.
Support for this position is overblown and erroneous. There is perhaps as much, if not more support for a leftist political perspective of the Gospel as a right-wing interpretation of it. For example, historically, slave masters and southern politicians often cited appallingly misunderstood scriptures on slavery to justify a Black holocaust in the middle passage, the horrific conditions of slavery, and Black subjugation under American apartheid (Jim Crow). Even today, some leftists use this passage as an example of how the Christian faith has supported right-wing politics of the 1800s.
However, a closer examination of the precepts of the Word and its application among people of more enlightened Biblical understanding reveals a God that has been active in American freedom movements of the oppressed. Harriet Jacobs, Frederick Douglass, and others weave compelling Biblical arguments against slavery within their slave narratives. The abolition movement, and to an extent, the Underground Railroad, was supported by Quakers under the auspices of Matthew 7:12 (So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets).
Ida B. Wells’ courageous writings on lynching highlighted the hypocrisy of the practices of many White Christians while imploring a more Biblically-based understanding of Christian brotherhood. The Civil Rights movement was animated by Biblical calls of justice (Amos 5:24 is specifically quoted by Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.) and fought with forgiveness (non-violent resistance rooted in Jesus’s instruction to avoid “eye for an eye”). The adherence to a social gospel and the persistent faith of the African American has won him a level of emancipation unimaginable to both slaveholder and slave alike.
Jesus, the embodiment of Isaiah 61:1, assures the believer in Luke 4:18-21 that God is interested in the freedom of the captive and the afflicted (and as prophecy dictates, this is a physical and metaphysical freedom). Clearly God has been on the side of the oppressed and not the bigot (and, as Rev. Dr. King states, the stagnant White moderate).
Today, some of the bellwether positions of progressives clearly align with Biblical principle. A prominent example can be seen in economic inequality. According to the Federal Reserve, in 2018, the richest 10% of the country accrued 70% of total household wealth in the US (Forbes). Meanwhile, over the past 30 years, the wealth of middle class and poor families have dropped about 30% (Forbes). During this period, the wealth of the top 10% has only increased (Forbes). Translation: As a whole, the rich are getting richer by absorbing the wealth of poor and middle class.
Few people begrudge wealth generation in and of itself, however, policy has been designed to increase profit maximization for the wealthy top 10% while simultaneously cutting spending on social services that benefit the poor. This increasing inequality is widely seen as a result of 40 years of policy that prioritizes tax cuts and legalization of business practices that benefit the rich and corporations (e.g. elimination of labor unions, eliminating or refusing to enforce industries such as financial institutions). This does not have to be. Using data from the US Census Bureau, the Children’s Defense Fund found that roughly 13 million children (about 1 in 5) live in poverty in the US. According Karl Widerquist of Georgetown University in Qatar, the US could eliminate all poverty for the cost of $539 billion dollars (Georgetown). This could be accomplished with direct cash payments to Americans (Georgetown). Although the idea of cash payments is provocative and the acceptability of it may be up for debate, this suggestion does indicate that some poverty in the US could have been eliminated if the total wealth of the country had not being siphoned off from the poor increase the profits of the rich. In terms of politicians, the party that explicitly invokes Christian tenet (Republicans) the most is also the party fighting most ferociously for the policies that exacerbate this inequality.
James 4:1-5 however instructs the believer not to show partiality towards the rich. Instead, based on the precepts which Christ teaches (Matthew 5:24; Luke 14:12-14), the focus of the believer should be on the poor and oppressed. The Book of Proverbs teaches that consideration for the poor leads to blessing (Proverbs 19:17; Proverbs 14:31; Proverbs 28:27) while oppression of the poor leads to a curse (Proverbs 22:16; Proverbs 22:22-23). The Mosaic Law mandated that landowners partition a section of their land so that the poor and the alien may eat off if it (Leviticus 19:9-10; Exodus 23:10-11), clearly highlighting God’s intention that the people of God provide opportunities to militate against the effects of poverty for the disadvantaged.
In Ezekiel 16:49, God informs the prophet that the sin of Sodom is rooted in selfishness. Specifically, the people of Sodom were arrogant and self-absorbed. Despite an abundance of food and a comfortable life, the condemned of Sodom did not help the poor and the needy. This is the same infraction that helped drive Dives to damnation while Lazarus was comforted in Abraham’s bosom (Luke 16:19-31). Similarly, from a policy perspective, the government, corporatist, and some of the rich who have undue influence in the political system has sacrificed fairer distribution of profits, guaranteed healthcare, and a variety of social protections in exchange for increasing wealth for the rich. Clearly a nation that purports to be founded on Christian principles must have a church body with the spiritual inertia to redress undue favoritism towards the rich.
Christian precept dictates that the Church give attention to the disadvantaged. Perhaps in an ideal world church bodies across the country would take up the mantle of addressing the needs of all of the vulnerable in society. To be sure, a great many are doing this in their local communities and deserve commendation for that. However, the size and scope of poverty in the US is too large for the church to address. The only entity large enough to successfully remedy this is the collective will of the populace operating through the government. Thus, in order to effectively address the problem on a national level, the Christian should be compelled to fight for policy that can facilitate this process.
A previous article from the Vision Chronicle discussed elements of political evangelicalism and its possible role in young American’s gradual exodus from the church. Put simply, a theology that once touted integrity, morality, and family values has sacrificed these ideals on the altar of Trump and this is an anathema to many Generation Y and Zers who are generally more tolerant than previous generations. It may be that the only antidote to youth malaise towards the faith is a church that embraces a social gospel and a theology that recognizes the importance of humanity and justice when glorifying the King. Participation in social justice movements can expose the believer to audiences they may not otherwise encounter.
As Christ’s great commission still applies to modern day disciples, the presence of the soul winner in the social justice space provides an opportunity for non-Christians to recognize an alignment of the Christian principles of love and justice with larger community interest. Further, efforts to recognize the humanity of the disadvantaged is a means by which the believer can spread God’s love to others. Perhaps the church’s focus on social equity is a mechanism to advance the gospel and new souls can be claimed for the Kingdom.
It is likely that Kanye will enjoy some degree of redemption in the African American community. It is also likely that conservatives will continue to support him. It should be every believer’s desire that he glorifies the most High and God uses him to touch others. The hope, however, is that this is accomplished without the fallacy of an assumed alignment of Christian growth and conservative politics. There just may be an opportunity for spiritual growth for him and the American church with a continued focus on love and justice.
View Kanye West's Nebuchadnezzar Opera Finale below:
Sources Cited
Children’s Defense Fund. (Google child poverty in America 2017: National Analysis)
Georgetown: www.georgetown.edu/news/less-than-3-percent-of-gdp-could-end-u-s-poverty-new-research-shows/
Comments