Rethinking darkness and light

Adele Halliday, anti-racism and equity officer for the United Church of Canada, says language that equates “black” or “dark” with evil is detrimental to many. Photo: Michael Erdelyi

Language is an important part of Christian worship traditions, whether in Scripture, song, liturgy or prayer. But when this language is unexamined, the result can be alienating—or worse, perpetuate longstanding prejudices, Halliday says.

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Halliday says that how we read, understand and interpret Scripture, and how words like “light” and “darkness” are used, is very important. “This can make a significant difference for how people engage in the worship experience and even whether people actually see themselves reflected in the image of God and in our liturgies,” she says.

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Of course, some of this troubling language appears in our translations of the Bible itself, Halliday says. The goal is not to shy away from the language that’s there, but to talk more deeply about it, she adds. One way to do this is by engaging intentionally with passages through an anti-racist or racial justice lens.

Read Joelle Kidd's article at anglicanjournal.com