The news has been filled lately with unrest and violence over racial strife. Part of the action taken has been the tearing down of statues across the country. A statue of Christopher Columbus was thrown in the lake after being torn down in Richmond, VA and Robert E. Lee was taken down outside of a high school in Alabama. Tearing down statues is not a new thing. I remember seeing triumphant Iraqi citizens tear down statues of Saddam Hussein. Hungarians toppled a statue of Joseph Stalin in 1956. Across the world it continues to happen in light of recent protest. A statue of slave trader Edward Colston was toppled in Bristol, a monument to King Leopold was torn down in Belgium, among many others. If history is written by the victors, this is often a way to change that narrative to more accurately reflect actual events of history.
Several SBC leaders have spoken out in agreement with the removal of the statues in the US. Steve Gaines was part of dozens of pastors in the Memphis area that advocated for the removal of a statue honoring Confederate Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest in 2017. Current SBC first vice-president of the SBC Marshal Ausberry said removal of the Lee statue was “130 years overdue.” All that and more can be read in a recent article from Baptist Press.
When the article was posted on the BP Facebook page it quickly gathered a flurry of comments. To me it was disappointing but not surprising that many Baptists were opposed to the removal of confederate statues. People have very strong opinions about the removal of history. Most of the time it’s framed as “erasing history” or “caving to current trends.” The problem with that argument is that most of those monuments were not set up as a remembrance, but as a celebration. And there is a big difference between remembering and celebrating.
If you have ever been to a war memorial like the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, the New England Holocaust Memorial, or the WW II Memorial in Hawaii, you know the sobering feeling that they bring. Those names on the black granite wall or numbers etched in glass in Boston are a reminder of the tragedy and cruelty of war. These things stand as a memorial, literally in memory of those who lost their life. We want to remember those who unfairly lost their lives to genocide or war. These monuments are not celebrating the events that led to their erection but serve to make sure that we don’t forget.
Up the road from me in OKC sits the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum. One of its most iconic pieces is the statue titled “The End of the Trail.” A Native American sits on his horse, both of them looking tired in weary and body. It is supposed to signify the end of the Trail of Tears, the forced removal of Native Americans from their homeland. In no way could this sculpture be said to be celebrating the Trail of Tears. It serves as a reminder of a terrible part of US history. Everyone who sees it will be driven to learn about the history that it represents.
These stand in contrast to the larger than life sculptures like the ones Lee or Columbus. Those statues are often lifted up and elevated, meant to attract our gaze and wonder. Think of the Lincoln Monument or Mount Rushmore. We are meant to think that these people are important, more important than the common folk who sit in their shadow. These men are lifted up for us to look to, learn from, and admire.
This practice is literally as old as the pyramids themselves. Throughout history great leaders have sought to be remembered or worshipped as gods. Even Britain’s King George had a gilded statue in Manhattan before American independence. Soldiers and citizens later tore it down and made musket balls from the lead of the sculpture.
The pages of the Bible seem to show both sides of this coin. The Tower of Babel was built to celebrate the ingenuity of man. The Israelites were commanded to build towers to remind themselves and their children of how God had worked among them. Jacob laid a stone of remembrance where he had a vision in the desert. Nebuchadnezzar built monuments to himself only to be torn apart by the power of God.
Celebrating and remembering are not the same thing. But many of these monuments seem to blur the line. As someone who loves history I’m never in favor or erasing it, or pretending that it doesn’t exist. Southern Baptists should be people who aren’t afraid to acknowledge the mistakes of the past. Claiming that symbols from the past merely represent a heritage and not hate ignores the very real power that symbols have, a power that Scripture supports as we see the Israelites carrying 12 stones to the middle of the Jordan. Those rocks were a symbol to the work of God among them.
I will always remember being in the room when the SBC debated the renouncing of the display of the Confederate Flag. James Merritt stated that all “the Confederate flags in the world are not worth one soul of any race.” The same should be said of statues and memorials.
I don’t know of any Southern Baptist Statues that have been torn down. But I do know that our own Southern Baptist Convention has a history that we would like to forget, as does the United States. How can we walk the line between celebrating and remembering?
We walk that line by being honest about the past. This means we don’t try to hide the past, but we don’t lift it up and exalt it on a pedestal either. We teach a complete history, not just the one written by the “victors.” We realize that the victory gained was often gained at the expense and tribulation of others. We work hard to bring in different voices, to promote diversity, and listen to the experiences of those different from us. We strive to be a denomination that reflects the multitude before the throne of God, with every tribe and tongue worshipping the Savior.
We can remember the past without celebrating. And we can learn to celebrate the right things, the people and events that bring honor and glory to God. This means we don’t cling to the past, but hold it loosely knowing that while our past is not always everything that we wished it could be, our future in Christ is greater than we can ever imagine.
Luke Holmes is pastor of FBC Tishomingo, Oklahoma, and contributor to For the Church, LifeWay Pastors, and Facts and Trends.
Your points are well presented Pastor Holmes. I hope this would add to your point.
For Christians here is their Monument:
1Cor. 1:18 ¶ For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
The Cross is a monument Christians carry inside themselves so they can be ‘living monuments’ of the One and only One Who aught to be worshipped in this hurting world.
Colossians 3:11Where there is no Greek or Jew, no one with circumcision or without circumcision, no division between nations, no servant or free man: but Christ is all and in all.
Good thoughts. I think confederate leader statues should be located to museums and private land rather than on state land. I feel the same about the confederate/rebel flags. (After all these were insurrectionists and traitors). A little nuance perhaps – State park battlefields And memorials are different, imo, and Probably should continue to be protected for their Historical Teaching value (knowing that likenesses and statues may need to be present there *in context* of course.) I am less convinced in the prudence of changing names of streets, cities, Towns, counties, military instalations, etc…Based solely on imposing 2020… Read more »
Should the American flag be treated the same in Great Britain? After all, the revolutionaries were insurrectionists and traitors to the Crown.
No one flies the American flag in GB to remember America. I think that’s a moot point.
https://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2017/08/18/cnns_angela_rye_washington_jefferson_statues_need_to_come_down.html This will not end until the foundational truths of our nations history is changed. History is what happened and the job of historians to be specific and American citizens is to know what happened and understand why it happened. The call to erase a part of history will not cease. Jacksonville Florida and Washington D.C. will be having name changes or demands will never cease. The SBC of all organizations should know that you can acknowledge history, retain your organization beliefs and advance into a better understanding of who, what , when and why without endorsing all the… Read more »
No one is calling to “ignore, change and belittle the contributions” of leaders from the past. At least no one in SBC circles. What I am calling for is to recognize the difference that many of these monuments that simply claim to remember the past are in fact celebrating it, and that’s a big difference. It is a hard line to walk at times, but one that we must learn to walk. I mean these monuments are often literally lifted up high for us to look at and celebrate. I love history and don’t want to erase it. But I… Read more »
I would like for individuals to do research as I have on the United Daughters of the Confederacy – who are responsible for most of the monuments. Don’t just go to the website but dig deeper.
https://www.salon.com/2018/10/06/7-things-the-united-daughters-of-the-confederacy-might-not-want-you-to-know-about-them_partner/. Here is just one example.
Amy, This is one of the problems we have currently have. Your link is to a very good article in a very progressive site Salon, which is fine. In reality the Daughters of the Confederacy have as much influence in 2020 America as the Oracles of Delphi. The Salon article really goes back decades to show any relevance the opinion of the Daughters of Confederacy had. Who has more political, social and real power in Va. now, the Black Lives Matter group or the dying , ineffective D of C. Is it good to know the history behind the D… Read more »
Try to tear down a statue and see how ineffective those daughters are.
Well Said.
I remember years ago having a discussion among Baptist pastors about drinking. They agreed that scripture might allow for moderation but held fast that Christians should abstain because it may cause another to stumble. A week later, I was in a discussion with the same group and this topic of statues and confederate flags came up. Sadly, many did not care if it caused another to stumble.
It occurred to me that when we find that thing that we refuse to change even if it causes someone to stumble we have either found Christ or an idol.
Aaron-
I may even agree w/you on the monuments (put ’em in museums), but in your example you used the word “stumble” in two very different ways. In Romans 14, it’s clearly intended to mean “sin.” Not “to offend,” per se… just saying.
The author, while noting that this discussion is “Most of the time it’s framed as “erasing history” or “caving to current trends”” himself frames the matter as celebrating vs remembering, citing statue sizes, locations, sizes of plinths and the like. We can find some value in any of those categorizations. I’m more than a bit wary of letting government, bureaucrats, politicians, activists or mobs judge whether an artifact or attitude is unacceptably celebratory or acceptable remembrance but if there has to be an evaluation, let the community come to some agreement in it. I’m not going to war to keep… Read more »
I can agree with all those points I think. I’m not really in favor of throwing statues into the lake. Mob rule is never a good idea. Some would say the mob is the community discussion, but that’s a bit disingenuous. I get why they tore them down like they did, but don’t like how they did it, if I can say it that way. Still someone has to make decision finally, like the governments did in VA and LA a few years ago. Those were orderly removals.
William Thornton , Excellent, common sense viewpoint
I am a history buff, but also a Yankee (not a Yankee fan though). I have studied the Civil War for years… but celebrate? No. What is there to celebrate about it? Unless you mean the emancipation of the slaves, and I doubt that is what you mean.
Fine. Should there be laws against a certain level of emotion in regard to such? Should public places be sanitized of anything that anyone might possibly engage with unacceptable levels of enthusiasm. We’re pretty much at the place and time where monuments go in museums, private property or battlefields.
One’s own expression for these things, history, personages is protected speech, of course.
Luke, Thank you for a good post. In my opinion the law abiding citizens in each community should decide not only if confederate statues should be taken down but also what they will be replaced with if any thing ( and who should pay for the whole process) realizing that future generations might disagree with them. The point is that there is a legal process that is available for citizens to decide these matters. What we have seen and are continuing to see is mob violence and vandalism. As a result officials not only in local governments but in various… Read more »
Thanks for the article. I really enjoy artwork and I enjoy sculpture. I hate to see creative works destroyed generally. It’s a good thing that society chooses things to venerate. When those statues were put up, society felt one way. Now society feels differently. It’s eventually going to express itself. Most people are objecting to the mob mentality here. And there are also philosophical issues that get tied up in this. So, Thomas Jefferson penned some of the greatest words in the English language in the Declaration. But he was a slave owner. It’s a fair… Read more »
Many of you will regret this. I am an American of Confederate heritage I have always been a good citizen and a good soldier in the US Army. I tell this you this day I am against you.
Well, OK…..thats an interesting comment.
Not about Confederate monuments, Columbus, Washington, Jefferson, and even Lincoln memorial defaced……time for some educated dialogue about what these groups say they stand for……easy to read on their website. Do they love the light or darknesses? John 3
By this logic the Washington Memorial and the Jefferson Memorial need to come down. Mt. Vernon and Monticello need to be destroyed. Half of Mt. Rushmore needs to be chiseled away. Jackson’s Hermitage needs to be closed. Stone Mountain… James Madison James Monroe Martin Van Buren William Henry Harrison John Tyler James K. Polk Zachary Taylor Andrew Johnson And even Ulysses S. Grant …all Presidential slave owners with statues all over the country. Benjamin Franklin Patrick Henry Sam Houston Francis Scott Key William Penn The list goes on and on… Do we tear them all down? And the Southern Baptist… Read more »
D.E. There is simply no way in progressive thinking that white guilt can ever be washed away, their is no way we can atone for the sin of being white. In progressive thinking everyone is either trapped in perpetual victimhood or perpetual collective guilt. That is their logic. Thankfully there is the Gospel of Christ and now is the time for us to live it and show the world what love and forgiveness looks like. A child of the King is neither a victim or subject to collective guilt but instead a victor in Jesus Christ. Blessings in… Read more »
We’ll said.
By their own published words “US Constitution removal and a society that celebrates rejecting God”
I respectfully disagree at least in part to your thesis. You are certainly entitled to your opinion as am I. The statues being removed mean different things to different people. The paradigm that I view them with is just as valid as yours, I suggest. The problem is that we have began to judge the lenses we use to view this issue as more or less valid than someone else’s, that may cause wounds that will not be healed by a monuments removal and may create discord in our denomination that may not ever heal. I do not need nor… Read more »
Here is the danger next these same people will find oh let’s say the cross offensive and let’s tear it off churches,oh wait these books are offensive,let’s burn these oh wait many find the Bible offensive let’s burn it oh wait preaching against sin is offensive let’s burn him.
Why most Baptist pastors stumble to preach the full gospel? Example they want to declare Romans 1:26 : “For this reason God gave them up to evil passions, and their women were changing the natural use into one which is unnatural:” but In the contrary they fail to declare and stop racism “Colossians 3:11 where there is no Greek or Jew, no one with circumcision or without circumcision, no division between nations, no servant or free man: but Christ is all and in all.”