A year ago I was granted the opportunity to gather with young ecumenical leaders from the US Conference of the World Council of Churches in Washington DC at The Preacher’s College with the General Secretary of the World Council of Churches, the Rev. Dr. Samuel Kobia.  It was wintry afternoon and Dr. Kobia spoke to us with passion about his religious journey and his fight against injustices in his country.  In vivid color and animation he shared with young ecumenical leaders how he developed a sense of “righteous anger” toward issues which mandated justice and hope against hope (Romans 5:5) in the struggle for liberation. 

I was immediately captivated by his story and his passion, and heard very clearly a call a call from God to embody “righteous anger.” Dr. Kobia challenged us to search the scriptures and our souls, for a common theological perspective that moves the faithful beyond denominational divides to stand up for those without a voice.  There is an important role for the ecumenist in speaking out against injustices, and the development of righteous anger against oppressive structure, forces and institutions.

My own righteous anger has been set ablaze at Riverside Church through efforts to bring to light to the struggle of people, mostly poor, mostly very elderly, mostly very young, mostly people of color in New Orleans.  Outrages by what we have seen and what we have heard, each year we serve in the City of New Orleans—are transformed and changed, and then return to our beloved city to raise awareness of the struggled and plight of the people through an event called “A Social with Cause;” Acts 4:20 is the rational behind our annual social and fundraising event.  This year as members of the 3^rd Annual Ecumenical Work Week, sponsored by the National Council of Churches’ Special Commission for the Just Rebuilding of the Gulf Coast, we leapt over denominational divides and worked side by side with Lutherans, Methodists, Baptists, Episcopalians, and Congregationalists for the people of New Orleans.  As a gathering of disciples--young and old, abled and disabled, black, brown and white—firmly rooted in Jesus Christ, we worked on houses, a village community center, city parks, and cemeteries as we heard the stories of the people about how they made it over, and how God had made a way out of no way for them.  We were the body of Christ, each with varying and different gifts, working together to rebuild the City of New Orleans.  When righteous angers is the root cause of social justice, a kind of urgency is generated that encourages those engaged in the work of liberation to continue to the fight the fight of faith, and in our case make the streets livable again.

When raising the issue of righteous anger as it relates to my work in New Orleans, I am often asked what New Orleans might look like when it fully liberated.  I am asked, what does freedom look like in the City of New Orleans?  As the primary pastoral leader at The Riverside Church with a sustained focus on Gulf Coast rebuilding and relief efforts I joyously share my vision New Orleans fully restored.  My response, each time I am ask is simply:  the streets would be livable again.  I long for day for when my righteous anger gives way to righteous rejoicing, when those who have suffered loss receive full restitution not only for the loss the experienced due to the storm, but the loss they have experienced in years after the storm.  I long for the day when my righteous anger gives way to righteous rejoicing, when the levee system is no longer a makeshift wall, but strong and fervent wall ready to stand a Category 5 storm.  When I envision New Orleans liberated.  I envision neighborhoods restored.  I envision communities feeling safe, children being lifted out of illiteracy and poverty.  And oppressors, who have made strong gains on the back of the marginalized, having those gains turned over the disempowered, the marginalized, and the disposed of the land.