St. Lydia’s Dinner Church Condemns State-Sanctioned Violence

One hundred years ago, activist and journalist Ida B. Wells collected facts about lynching cases all over the country to demonstrate that Black people were being falsely accused and murdered. She demonstrated that lynching was law in the South. The governing institutions themselves were not only neglecting to protect accused Black persons, but were actively criminalizing and killing Black people to uphold a social system built on white supremacy.

Today, Black Americans continue to suffer state-sanctioned violence and killing. We have seen it with the killings of Michael Brown, Eric Garner, Tamir Rice, George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and as we release this statement, Daunte Wright in Minneapolis. Too often, white people including white Christians, lend support to this horror by assuming the worst of the victim and the best of the killer.

As a predominately white Christian church, St. Lydia’s is compelled to make a statement condemning the many examples of state-sanctioned violence continuing to unfold across the country. We call for accountability and justice from the U.S. government, and we encourage all churches to stand up for Black lives, to support and stand with movements and organizations led by Black, Indiginous and people of color in fighting such systemic evil.

St. Lydia’s Dinner Church is based in Brooklyn, NY, and gathers every Sunday and Monday night to share a sacred meal. If you have any questions, you can email info@stlydias.org or Interim Pastor Christian Scharen at pastor@stlydias.org.

Read the full statement here.