Repentance, Justice .... forgiveness

I have just finished watching the BBC series Broken, these are a few things that struck me so I am putting them down as they come to be. Spoiler alert.

I don’t think I have seen anything so moving about my faith. Broken captures the grit and the everyday struggles of Christians. Moments of self-doubt, fear, guilt and shame are captured with the six episodes of the series. Broken delivers on presenting what the title suggests.  One of the issues I am glad the series addresses is the unlawful shooting of a black teenage boy. Black Lives Matter is often construed as an American issue, seeing the brutality in an area that is recognisable sends home a powerful message that violence against black people is part of the everyday fabric of our society.

I am also glad a black Christian woman was presented with dignity onscreen. Most times black Christian women are treated as hysterical, superstitious and spewing politically incorrect nonsense. Helen Oyenusi the black mother who looses her teenage son is given dignity and strength. She is devastated at the loss of her son but she isn’t presented as hysterical, nor is she presented as the stoic black mother who moves on.

In the last episode when she is at her son’s inquest she makes this little speech which I think captures what black Christianity has been trying to say. 

If I had a penny for every time said ‘but racism and colonialism happened in the past’ I would be very rich indeed. I don’t expect apologies from white people all the time what I expect is acknowledging present mistakes, for making a stand against injustice, and that includes repentance.

All my life I have been told to forgive without the other person knowing what it is I am forgiven them for, nor do they repent. This has made me less trusting of those who advocate forgiveness. Repentance is necessary to seek absolution it is also essential in trying to change, without it forgiveness seems meaningless even tokenistic.

Helen’s stance is brave because she breaks out of a tradition that has lost meaning. Her forgiveness is conditional, she doesn’t want to give the perpetrators of her son’s death comfort without them repenting. Perhaps this is something churches across denominations should be looking at, not just when it comes to racial issues but also other times when it advocates forgiveness. Repentance and justice when emphasised will help bring about true change and will help our brothers and sisters from being slaves to their sins. 

Here is a trailer of the series. 

This is the wonderful title track of the series by Nina Simone.

Articles to read 

Forgiving Dylan Roof — Is It Christian or Racist?

Forgiveness, ‘Cheap Grace,’ And The Struggle For Justice In Charleston