In recent weeks and months, people of Asian descent have been targets of fear, suspicion, hatred, and violence. As the coronavirus continues to spread, so does this narrative and these wrongful acts.
The Commission on Christian Action and the Commission on Race and Ethnicity call the denomination—and the larger church—to stand with sisters and brothers of Asian descent. It is a call to love our neighbors and a call to stand against racism.
The statement is provided here in full. Following the statement are three videos that share stories of injustice and ideas for standing with people of Asian descent. Additional resources are posted below the videos.
Crisis can bring out the best in us. In this worldwide COVID-19 pandemic, we have seen many examples of people serving heroically and sharing sacrificially with those in need. Sadly, crisis can also bring out the worst in us. In this pandemic, we have seen too many examples of selfishness, hoarding, and hatred.
The coronavirus has been joined by another growing and virulent force in our society: a renewed acceptance of racism. One of the terrible things we have seen is a rising number of reports of blaming and shaming people of Asian descent. Some of our own RCA members have been subject to this. A virus has no nationality. A virus has no ethnicity.
We grieve and condemn these senseless attacks—not only the actual violence and shunning, but also the micro-aggressions of dirty looks and derogatory comments—on and about people of Asian descent living in North America.
As Christians in Canada and the United States, let us be aware of these dangerous trends and actions. Our neighbors and our kindred in Christ are suffering real consequences because of them. Let us speak out against these anti-Asian acts, words, and attitudes. Indeed, as followers of Jesus, let us not simply be opposed to evil. Let us do good, going out of our way to stand with, protect, and love our brothers and sisters of Asian descent.
The Commission on Christian Action
- Jane Brown
- Elizabeth Carroll
- Scott DeLeeuw
- Ellen Jo (E.J.) Emerson
- Mark Ennis
- Edward Lungu
- Sophie Mathonnet−Vanderwell, moderator
- Reginald Smith
- Robin Suydam
- Cameron Van Kooten Laughead
- Kim Winchell
The Commission on Race and Ethnicity
- Karla Camacho
- Richard DeBruyne, moderator
- June Denny
- Stephen Kim
- Young Na
- Kelvin Spooner
Further resources for action
- Harvard University’s Project Implicit: Go to Harvard University’s Project Implicit and read more about their Implicit Association Tests. Then, watch this video on Implicit Association Tests. Finally, choose the Asian IAT tests to take.
- Watch the “ASIAN/How You See Me” video.
- Read Christianity Today’s article “Asian Americans Call on the Church to Preach Against Coronavirus Racism.”
- Today from 3:00-4:00 p.m. Eastern, join a webinar on how to love immigrants and displaced people during a global pandemic. These webinars are led by Laura Osborne, the RCA’s coordinator for interreligious relations, and JJ TenClay, refugee ministries coordinator for RCA Global Mission. Further webinars will take place the first Thursdays of May and June from 3:00-4:00 p.m. Eastern Time. Join Laura and JJ by Zoom videoconferencing.
- Join a monthly webinar on how to love immigrants and displaced people during a global pandemic. These webinars are led by Laura Osborne, the RCA’s coordinator for interreligious relations, and JJ TenClay, refugee ministries coordinator for RCA Global Mission. These webinars take place the first Thursdays of April, May, and June from 3:00-4:00 p.m. Eastern Time. Join Laura and JJ by Zoom videoconferencing.