Kimchi Drenched in Ranch Dressing

Soong-Chan Rah in his book The Next Evangelicalism argues that American Evangelicalism is being held captive by Western white culture. His book is a passionate and provocative plea to free Evangelicalism of this captivity and to embrace the dawning next evangelicalism which is characterized by diversity and multiethnic churches.

 

This brings me to the point I want to highlight from Rah’s book. In his chapter on racism he discusses two images that have been used to define “American culture as it relates to multiethnicity” (86). In elementary school children learn about “the great American melting pot.” This reminds me of my senior year in high school where our senior class home coming float’s theme was the “melting pot.” Rah comments that “the melting pot image claimed that the vast array of rich and diverse cultures that make up America would melt away into an unrecognizable mass of cream of mushroom” (86). There is always the temptation to homogenize everyone around us and to down play difference and to pretend they don’t exist. It can be frustrating when people abstract who you are by denying your particulars. Rah comments “there was an arrogant presumption that these non-Anglo cultures could be melted away and absorbed into a larger American culture (i.e., white culture)” (86).

 

Next Rah discusses the image of the salad bowl that allowed for each vegetable to retain its flavor. Rah is quick to point out that, “unfortunately, we often took this rich array of flavors and drenched it in creamy ranch. The dressing overwhelmed and covered all the other vibrant flavors” (86). Even the kimchi flavor was drained out by the ranch dressing.

 

According to Rah this is what happens in American Evangelical churches and how they conceive of multiethnic church – the ranch drenches covers up all the other vibrant flavors.  Apparently in practice even multiethnic churches tend to homogenize everyone else to the dominant culture.

 

Rah argues for the need of a racial reconciliation approach when it comes to pursuing a multiethnic church. By that he means “that significant sins have been committed related to the issue of race. These sins cannot be avoided or swept under the rug. These historical and social sins need to be dealt with when bringing the range of different races and ethnicities together as a worshipping community” (87) Rah concludes, “if the American church is able to look toward the future with hope and a promise, then the sin of racism must be confessed and racial justice and racial reconciliation become a theological priority” (87).

 

All this makes me think of South Africa and the Truth and Reconciliation Comission – how Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Nelson Mandela lead the country in racial reconciliation and forgiveness after apartheid came to an end.