On Oct. 6, Dr. Rebecca Barrett-Fox lectured at an event called “Worthy of Their Calling: Can American Churches Reject Hate?” It was sponsored by Interim Director of the Center for Global Understanding and Peacemaking (CGUP) Dr. Leigh Shannon Haley-Maze.

This event, which occurs once a year, is a collaboration with the Elizabethtown College Peace Fellowship. Haley-Maze said the event is heavy on “time planning and is time-consuming.” Despite that, it coincides with their mission, which is creating opportunities for people on campus to promote peace globally.

Barrett-Fox is a scholar of group hatreds and religion. She became interested in rightwing Christianity when she was a student at Juniata College.

Barrett-Fox defines rightwing Christianity as “Christianity that is politically, socially and theologically conservative. It tends to be nationalistic, materialistic, patriarchal and heterosexist.”

Throughout the event, Barrett-Fox discussed how American Churches display rightwing Christianity. She used a Hebrew Bible to help prove her points. She read from the book of Judges since it tells how the Israelites decided their politics. The Israelites wanted a king, and Barrett-Fox compared that to American Churches today.

Barrett-Fox discussed a parable within Judges about trees wanting a king. They asked for an olive tree, a fig tree and a vine asking to rule over them. The three trees declined, and the original trees asked a thornbush that Barrett-Fox called a “bramble.” The bramble agreed but also threatened to harm them if they disobeyed him. The trees chose a bad master due to them desiring a king.

“Most oppressive acts of hate come from religious organizations,” Barrett-Fox said.

It is displayed through hate crimes toward other religions, immigrants and people from the LGBTQ community.

“A church grows because of its compassion for others,” Barrett-Fox said.

She mentioned that that motive is not present in many American Churches. It seems to only apply to real Christians.

“There are many people to love and care about,” Barrett-Fox said.

Being a Christian means caring for the vulnerable.

“We build a kingdom of peace,” Barrett-Fox said. She added that Christians fight against hate as if they are fighting for themselves.

In hate incidents, people assume that the ones responsible are outsiders.

“It keeps protecting the idea of the country’s innocence,” Barrett-Fox said.

Close to the end, Barrett-Fox listed some suggestions on how hate can be countered, not just in churches but in other communities.

One suggestion was to know where we stand when fighting against hate.

“People are positioned to be proactive,” Barrett-Fox said, “but sometimes we must mount a defense.”

We should all respond to hate, but not until the hate incident has already happened.

Another suggestion was to care for the primary and secondary targets of the hate crime.

“Know your local context,” Barrett-Fox said.

The secondary targets may be part of the primary target’s community.

Barrett-Fox also stressed that when addressing a primary target, we must know our capabilities. We should not offer any help that is beyond our abilities.

“You want victims to lead the conversation,” she said.

It helps provide information on the situation. At the same time, Barrett-Fox said, “we should not force victims to discuss their troubles.”

Community was discussed in her last suggestion.

 “Find what your community does well in,” Barrett-Fox mentioned.

Knowing your communities allows you to help others prevent hate and live out their values.

Barrett-Fox hoped that through this event, people find ways to promote peace. She believes that people can do so much to make American Christianity better.

“It can be influential for good,” she said.

To do so, we must make hate unsustainable and combat it.

Haley-Mize said the event is heavy on “time planning and is time-consuming.”  

Despite that, it coincides with their mission, which she said is to “empower individuals to advocate for action and engagement in ways that embrace diversity and global connectedness.” 

“CGUP supports the promotion of peace and the commitment to the values of peace, human dignity, social justice, service, and environmental sustainability,” Haley-Mize said.