Christians have responded with so much love and forgiveness in light of the tragic Charleston church shooting in South Carolina, which claimed the lives of nine individuals attending service at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church.
However, Christian hip-hop artist Lecrae believes the church must do more than just forgive.
"Let's not simply encourage the oppressed to be calm and act peacefully," he wrote in an opinion article for Billboard, citing the need for Christians to correct oppression.
He shared Bible verse Isaiah 1:17, which says, "Learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression."
Lecrae then provided a brief history lesson of how racial discrimination tore the United States apart back in 1816 when African Americans were not allowed to worship with the whites. Things have changed significantly since then, but the rapper asked if people truly believe that they live in a post-racial society. Dylann Roof's recent attack tells a different story, he said.
"I use this history lesson to help the idealists see that many times we'd rather ignore the brokenness of our country, which then leaves us limping because we've not tended to a serious wound," he further wrote. "A wound that goes ignored becomes infected and eventually deadly. Our country has these dangerous, undressed wounds. We have wounds that we have not healed from, and covering them with a bandage does not make them go away."
History has lasting effects, and the discrimination among black Americans continues to hound people to this day, Lecrae said.
He asked people to be racially and religiously consistent when it comes to showing love and concern.
"There is a great antagonist, and it does not have black or white skin. It is the brokenness of humanity. May a love that miraculously mends our brokenness be the protagonist," he said.
