‘Fasting from whiteness’ — here’s how an Illinois church is repenting during Lent

A church in Illinois declared it is “fasting from whiteness” during Lent, the 40-day religious observance that ends during the week leading up to Easter

The announcement for the Lent services was made on the website for First United Church of Oak Park, an “open community” church outside Chicago.

“For Lent this year, First United is doing a mix of ‘giving something up’ and ‘taking something on,’” the church wrote on its website. “In our worship services throughout Lent, we will not be using any music or liturgy written or composed by white people. Our music will be drawn from the African American spirituals tradition, from South African freedom songs, from Native American traditions, and many, many more.”

The church continued by saying, “For Lent, it is our prayer that in our spiritual disciplines we may grow as Christians, united in the body of Christ with people of all ages, nations, races, and origins.”

Lent began this year on March 2 and will continue through mid-April. Those who observe the 40-day season often give something up that is a part of their regular life.

First United is a part of two denominations — Presbyterian and United Church of Christ. Its lead pastor, Rev. John Edgerton, is white.

“We seek to be an inclusive expression of Christ’s body celebrating our diversity while finding our unity in Christ,” the church says on its website.

Members “practice inclusion by valuing people of all races, ethnicities, cultural identities, gender identities, sexual orientations, and abilities in every aspect of our congregational life.”

A video from Turning Point USA, a conservative nonprofit, shows a “Fasting from Whiteness” banner outside the church.

For its March 29 “evotional,” First United used an excerpt from a book written by Bruce Reyes-Chow, according to The National Desk. Reyes-Chow is a “3rd generation Chinese/Filipino” who is the pastor of a mostly white congregation in Palo Alto, California.

Nearly two-thirds of the residents in Oak Park are white and 18% are Black, according to the U.S. Census.

This story was originally published April 6, 2022 at 8:36 AM with the headline "‘Fasting from whiteness’ — here’s how an Illinois church is repenting during Lent."