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Race Relations
371
sistent effort to discover the meaning of this will in the concrete situa
tions which are confronted in the daily life.
In the second place, along with this proclamation of the radical
monotheism of Christian faith and this witnessing to the relevance of
the Christian’s understanding of the divine righteousness and
agape
to all of life, the Church needs to interpret its own mission in the
world. Unless the Church’s own understanding of her prophetic min
istry as well as of her priestly ministry is made clear, many Chris
tians will continue to assume that she ought not to get involved in the
problems of the social order and many other Christians will continue
to suppose that she ought to endorse the norms and standards of cul
ture as representing the norms and ideals of the Gospel for these
areas. If, however, a congregation or a community is led to reexamine
its expectations of the functions of a church and a Christian ministry
in its midst, the way may be prepared for the receiving of the pro
phetic and redemptive message of the Church. This does not mean
that the Church’s witness and prophetic word will always be heeded,
but it does mean that if a congregation and a community expect the
Church to exercise moral leadership and proclaim judgment and serve
as a redemptive leaven in the community, she will be better able to
fulfill these functions. If men are not aware of their need for a pro
phetic word and if they do not expect it, it is likely to be only an
offence; if, however, they are aware of their need for it and if they
expect it and hear it in humility, they may respond with repentance.
If men are not aware of their need for radical renewal and strength
beyond their own, the announcement of the possibility of these is
foolishness; if, however, they are aware of this need and if they expect
such renewal and power to be mediated through the Church, they
may be led to open themselves to its healing ministry.
The task of interpreting the function of the Church cannot, of
course, be separated from the message which the Church proclaims;
but in many communities where the Church has become conformed to
the standards and practices of society and where her prophetic voice
has long been silent, she needs not only to prophesy but to first of all
make it clear why she must prophesy. This can be done—and indeed
can best be done—without direct reference at first to such concrete
social problems as race relations and economic issues if the latter are
charged with strong emotional feelings and if the discussion of these
topics puts people on the defensive. But once there is some under
standing of the nature and task of the Church in relation to its Lord