Reported by ALEX NITZBERG | April 05, 2022
The website of a woke church in Illinois says that during Lent the church will not utilize any music or liturgy created by white individuals. A section on the home page of the website of the First United Church of Oak Park bears the headline, “Lent 2022: Fasting From Whiteness.”
“For Lent this year, First United is doing a mix of ‘giving something up’ and ‘taking something on.’ In our worship services throughout Lent, we will not be using any music or liturgy written or composed by white people. Our music will be drawn from the African American spirituals tradition, from South African freedom songs, from Native American traditions, and many, many more,” the website states. “For Lent, it is our prayer that in our spiritual disciplines we may grow as Christians, united in the body of Christ with people of all ages, nations, races, and origins.”
Turning Point USA posted a photo of a church sign that bears the headline, “Fasting from Whiteness” — the sign includes the message, “This Lent we build our worship life around the voices of Black people, indigenous people, and people of color.”
The church is unabashedly pro-LGBT, declaring on its website, “We welcome lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people into the full life and ministry of the church, including ordination, expecting and encouraging them to share their talents and gifts in the life, liturgy, leadership, and employment positions of our congregation, as our ministers, teachers, members, visitors, and friends.”
Editor’s note: The original published version of this story contained a headline that erroneously stated that the church was avoiding liturgy created by “non-whites.” We apologize for the error.
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