Woke ‘Pastor’ Likens the OT Israelites Entering and Occupying The Promise Land to White Settlers Stealing Indigenous Land in America
Caldwell Presbyterian Church in Charlotte, NC, is a woke PCUSA congregation led by Gail Henderson-Belsito. The church’s mission statement is to “seek to build a diverse, intentional, affirming community animated by joyful worship and called forth into social action for service to the greater good” by welcoming a “diverse community of seekers – ALL ages, races and ethnicities, sexual orientations, cultural and economic backgrounds, gender identities, and family structures – ALL people.”
During a recent service, Henderson-Belsito compared the Israelites “violently” taking over the promised land after Egypt to white settlers stealing and occupying Indigenous land in America, which is why they start off their church services with a “land acknowledgment.”
God had done a good thing, the Psalmist declared, a restorative thing, a mighty thing in bringing the people out of enslavement in the land of Egypt and establishing them in a new land.
But, Caldwell, we cannot ignore the ugly truth that the people of God violently took land from the people who already dwelled in that land. The truth is that the battle for that same land continues to this very day.
Most every Sunday here at Caldwell, we begin worship by recognizing the ongoing evil of stealing and occupying land that belonged to indigenous nations. The holiday we celebrated just a few days ago was a reminder that calling occupied land a “blessing” is still very much a thing.
Let’s take a breath here and sit in that.
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