Week 5 Analysis

A quick search around on google showed me that black churches are far more proactive in addressing the HIV/AIDS epidemic. There were far fewer news articles or resources from their Caucasian counterparts and none from other minority groups. Virtually all the news articles, resources, and websites from faith based groups are found in either black churches or black church organizations. My list of links are just a small selection of what I found.

All this got me wondering as to why other churches are virtually silent on the issue? As a product of a church that was and still is silent on HIV/AIDS, I have a few hypotheses.

1) A limited understanding of the implications of the Gospel. The Gospel has been reduced to the question of spiritual salvation. Tyler and I were talking in class about the importance of undergirding our wiki with a theological treatise explaining a thicker view of the Gospel.

2) A fear of turning "liberal." A few community building events were fine but incorporating social justice issues into the fabric of the church is to some extent seen as a sign of losing our evangelicalism. Again, we need to look to Jesus and see what He has to say about the poor, the orphaned, the widows, the sick, and the marginalized.

3) A feeling of helplessness. The disease and its effects are simply too large to grasp. It is too overwhelming. Though I too sympathize with these feelings and feel even more so right now after researching HIV/AIDS, Tyler has been awesome in finding links to faith based organizations that are heavily invested and involved in the fight. A large part of our wiki will be devoted to listing opportunities that are available for churches to join.

I chose the John 8 passage for the obvious reasons: Dealing with sexual sin and judging people.

Luke 10, the famous parable of the Good Samaritan again is an obvious choice. To not view our faith as a club with membership but instead seeking people out and being a neighbor to others.

The James 1 passage came as a response to the research I did regarding what HIV/AIDS does to families and developing nations. Simply put, it leaves children orphaned, makes families impoverished, women widowed, and nations in economic shambles. To often the Western evangelical church has focused on the last part of James 1:27, to "keep oneself from being polluted by the world," and neglected the mandates prior, to care for orphans and widows or perhaps not cared enough to actively seek out the orphans and widows.

The last passage, Psalm 86 is simply a look at the character of God which then begs to ask, "If this is God, are we reflecting God well to the world?"

These were just a few passages of scripture that immediately came to mind. I hope they qualify as "links" or sources. Any other suggestions?

Week 5 Links

Shifting now to some of the Church's response thus far to the AIDS epidemic. What has God already started in the church today? This is followed with a few passages of Scripture that may be relevant as to why Christians should be involved against HIV/AIDS.

Responses from the church to the AIDS epidemic:
National Episcopal AIDS Coalition: Interesting resource from the Episcopal church.
The CORE Initiative: A resource for faith-based communities to respond.
AIDS Care Network: African American church response to caring for those already impacted by the effects of AIDS.
African American religious leaders meet about AIDS: Article from the SF Chronicle about churches coming together to discuss strategies for HIV testing and education.
African American Churches Continue Effort to Increase HIV Testing: Article about the HIV/AIDS Church Information Kits.
Church Sign Has Me Wondering: Ann Landers like article but dialoguing a gay man with HIV and a pastor of a church in LA.

Passages of Scripture:
John 8:1-11: The Woman Caught in Adultery
James 1:27: Pure and Faultless Religion
Luke 10:25-37: The Parable of the Good Samaritan
Psalm 86: "But you O Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God..."

Analysis to follow...