Thread by @aejohnsonphd

Okay, I am back to this wonderful thread on forgiveness. First, @Pastor_Earle and I have a soon to be published chapter on the subject in an upcoming book on the #CharlestonMassacre.

Basically, in the chapter, we titled, “But, I Forgive You?”: Mother Emanuel, Black Pain and the Rhetoric of Forgiveness," we examine the rhetoric of forgiveness and how forgiveness, as a trope, performs in public when expressed through black pain.

We maintained that the wider public not only expects a rhetoric of forgiveness when racial ghosts of the past (and present) manifest in ways that cause black pain but families must offer the forgiveness in non-threatening and expeditiously ways that eases public consciences.

Much of the research focuses on the communicative role of the person or group asking forgiveness. But what if the person or group participating in the rhetorics of forgiveness is the one offering forgiveness? Moreover, what if they offer forgiveness despite anyone asking for it?

In short, when racist tragedies happen to Black people in public, there is an expectation for Black people to forgive publically. Reporters even have the nerve to ask families "Do you forgive the shooter?"

In the chapter, we examine narratives of forgiveness within the African American context. This would for us also include a re-examination of the “forgiveness narratives” from the victims’ family members as well as narratives of (un)forgiveness.

We also argue that Christian narratives of forgiveness – especially within the traditional ways of Christianity – dominate African Americans understanding of forgiveness. Thus, we also consider the swiftness in which the victims of the Emanuel Nine forgave.

While we do not question the validity and sincerity of their forgiveness, we do offer suggestions as to the factors that may have contributed to the haste in which they offered forgiveness.

In so doing, we maintain that the embedded narrative of forgiveness within black communities is fraught with issues and problems that undermine presupposed norms and values that give rise to an inept, indecent, and immoral ideology of forgiveness.

We believe that this understanding of forgiveness sets almost inhumane expectations on African Americans and limits them from authentically grieving.

This, we argue, hurts their chances for authentic growth and development that continue to perpetrate systematic oppression, marginalization, disenfranchisement, and violence against black bodies.

In short, society expects (Black) Christians to forgive because forgiveness is an important part of their faith. However, we feel that this type of forgiveness leads to what Robin DiAngelo calls "White Fragility.”

Moreover, white emotion usurps the affirmation of black humanity. This is why African Americans in times of such tragedy cannot express “black rage” or anger. That's why the media hypes family members' ability to respond to the heinous crime against them with compassion and love.

We also noticed in the chapter that other family members were not ready to forgive. To us, that seemed to be a rational or reasonable human response. We understand that many want to move toward forgiveness and healing.

However, we submit that the only way to heal, to move forward and eventually get to an adequate understanding of how these types of traumas impact us all, is to sometimes allow Black pain and hurt its full manifestation and full range of human emotion to be affirmed in public.

Much of this work for me came from a blog post I wrote after the #CharlestonMassacre titled, "Father, Forgive Them: The Foundation of Forgiveness." patheos.com/blogs/rhetoric…

I asked what if Jesus, when being executed, could not find a way to articulate forgiveness at that particular moment, but instead, had to ask God to forgive them, for they do not know what they do.” If so, this will reshape what we think about forgiveness.