Two Privileges Revealed by the Virus

by Hannah Hanzel

Rev. Francis J. Grimke grasped the sides of his dusty pulpit in his humble hands. His congregation waited on the edge of their pews, smiles wide with joy of re-unification at long last. The Spanish Influenza had ravaged their city, indeed their country, too, and had caused them to be in quarantine for a time. This crisp, November morning in 1918 found the Fifteenth Street Presbyterian Church in Washington, D.C., meeting once again since closing its doors for quarantine.

Rev. Grimke studied the precious faces of his congregation, re-joining memory to sight of those smiles he had not seen for some time. The next hour or so, he poured over the pages of his sermon, Some Reflections, Growing Out of the Recent Epidemic of Influenza. In light of 3,000 local deaths from the Influenza, he preached…

We know now, perhaps, as we have never known before the meaning of the terms pestilence, plague, epidemic, since we have been passing through this terrible scourge of Spanish Influenza, with its enormous death rate and its consequent wretchedness and misery. Every part of the country has felt its deadly touch… among all classes and conditions, rich and poor, high and low, black and white… I have been asking myself, ‘What is the meaning of it all?’ 

The Reverend continued on in his “welcome home” sermon with eight reflections on the virus that plagued the world. Woven like a scarlet thread throughout the well-crafted sermon was the taboo tone of anti-racism. We don’t like the term racism today as white evangelicals. We like to believe racism is dead.

But in our present age of fear, deep roots of prejudice and racism are exposed like a twisted, fallen tree after a tornado. In a recent episode of “United? We Pray,” a prominent podcast on racial harmony, hosts aptly stated, “Fear does not create racism, fear reveals racism.” What about COVID-19 has resurrected words of hate toward Asian brothers and sisters? What about this pandemic has provoked the tribal self-preservation in communities? Are we not one Church?

After the virus has left, Lord willing, we will have to face reflections like that of Rev. Grimke. Will we reflect on a church that whole-heartedly sought sacrifice and humility with our fellow man… regardless of race, denomination or divide? Will we reflect on the racial and economic barriers the virus did not respect? Will we have tried to tear down those same barriers too?

 Among Rev. Grimke’s observations, he said of the racist…

Did the whiteness of his skin protect him (from the virus)? Did the epidemic pause to see whether his skin was white or black before smiting him? Of what value has white skin been during these weeks of suffering and death? What possible advantage has accrued to any one because of the whiteness of his skin?

Look now from the sad reality of white privilege to a different kind of privilege that the good reverend called the “privilege of the sanctuary.” Of this greater privilege, Rev. Grimke spoke…

The fact that for several weeks we have been shut out from the privileges of the sanctuary has brought home to us as never before what the church has really meant to us. We hadn’t thought, perhaps, very much of the privilege while it lasted, but the moment it was taken away we saw at once how much it meant to us… It is a great mistake for anyone to stand aloof from the Christian Church. Everybody in the community ought to have a church home, and ought to be found in that church home Sabbath after Sabbath.

I miss you, church family. I miss our domino games, our potlucks, our addiction recovery support meetings, our children’s classes, our youth mixer games, our raised hands in worship across the sanctuary, our flickering candles at the altar… I miss all of it. What a privilege it is to gather with you, and what a joy it will be to gather as one again in the box we call the church building with the people we call the Church. 

Do not let this age of fear drive you to those racist, prejudiced thoughts, or to ingratitude or neglect of the privilege of gathering as the Church. But “in view of the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God; this is your true worship. Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God” (Rom. 12:1-2).

Author Bio
Hannah Hanzel is an opinionated, passionate gal that loves sharing what God is doing in her often busy and complicated life. She strives to show God's glory in working as the Art Director for the Baptist Messenger, serving as a multi-client freelance graphic designer and communing with CRBC. When she's not working, you can find her sipping coffee in a hammock, watching classic '40s movies or going on an adventure with friends or family.