EMANUEL: Radical Forgiveness In A World Desperately In Need

I distinctly remember when Jon Stewart made his late-night address about Charleston, which in itself is extraordinary because I don’t watch his program. Regardless, his words caught hold of the public consciousness. This was a helpless cycle we were stuck in totally endemic of the system at hand.

But a distinction must be made. The situation is already so complex that Emanuel is not explicitly about gun control. Instead, it digs knee-deep into the prevalence of racist violence reaching yet another horrible conclusion with the acts committed against the Charleston 9 that fateful day in 2015.

There’s a Mr. Rogers quote that makes the rounds every so often in the wake of egregious moments of tragedy and grief. It goes something like this. When horrible events happen, look around and you will find the helpers; you will see the heroes. Emanuel is a testament to heroes, but their heroism is heartachingly candid exemplifying how they radically confronted the immense evil enacted against their entire community.

The supernal beauty of this story is how it turns the conventional narrative on its head. Because this is a film illustrating Newton’s Third Law of Thermodynamics. For every action, as we know, there is an equal and opposite reaction. You can meet malevolence with more malevolence, or you can break the chain – smothering the fires with a deluge of forgiveness.

In an era of tribes and factions where my friends can only be like-minded, these unassuming heroes are countercultural in how they readily wade against the currents of the times – mostly without trying to. We live in a society where forgiveness is seen as weak as something to the detriment of social action. Wherever you fall across this gradient, Emanuel does attempt to provide some context to make us understand the gravity of this radical response.

Sobering Context

To even begin to appreciate what has been enacted, we must start to grapple with a history deeply entrenched with animosity and bigotry. Charleston, South Carolina was a hub of slavery since the founding of this nation, and it’s no coincidence it became the first state to secede during the Civil War.

Joseph Darby, a wryly perceptive AME pastor makes two especially pointed remarks. He likens Charleston to “Confederate Disneyland” and subsequently notes “racism is American as Apple pie.” They elicit an uncomfortable laugh because he touches on some very unsettling realities.

But in the wake of all this, we have the proliferation of black churches in the South, soon becoming an emblem of freedom and a way to stand against oppression. They literally offer a sanctuary for spiritual renewal and on a social level, they provided a sense of true ownership to the African American community – a place of individuality. They could rally together, build one another up, and promote social justice in a very bleak, white-dominated landscape. As it happened, Emanuel church was at the seat of this movement as the first free-standing black church in the South.

The Sequence of Events

Flash forward to June 17th, 2015 and in this same historic refuge a young white man, fueled by hate, gunned down 9 members at the church during their prayer meeting. Director Brian Ivey wisely lets his subjects take front and center because any semblance of hope would not be possible without them.

Nadine lost her mother in the tragedy and recalls how she had to claim the body. Anthony, a pastor who lost his beloved wife Myra, remembers the last interaction they had together as she headed out the door.  Felicia was a survivor who hid under a table with her son and granddaughter as the shooter opened fire on the room. Polly shared a fateful exchange with the killer and was left behind to tell the story. What’s instantly observable about them is the warmth permeating their lives. How much their lives are defined by love.

However, there are few words to describe the desecration of such a sacrosanct space. A place and people of peace disrupted by so much violence. Surely, this is not an isolated event. We’ve seen it time and time again with police brutality, needless bloodshed, riots in the streets, and civil unrest in the face of hatred and injustice. It is another sobering addition to the overwhelming cycle Stewart eluded to. Where hatred fuels tragedy and grief and then more hate. And it happens again and again and again. Except for this time.

Breaking The Chain

48 hours after the shooting a bond hearing was held, as per Charleston legislature, for the apprehended killer. Only two days after, and the grieving family members and victims walked into the courthouse to meet face-to-face with the perpetrator of it all! You can feel the magnitude.

What happens next is a sheer miracle. The images and the audio don’t lie. It’s one of the teary-eyed, goose-pimply moments in the film. Beginning with Nadine, she tearfully pronounces, “I forgive you,” Anthony shares the Christian Gospel message, and others follow straight down the line with grief but ultimately, a message of grace.

It’s astounding. How are we to respond? Truthfully, some people were angry with this, and it makes sense. Is this justice? Is this another instance of the African American community being subjugated? I want to say emphatically, No. What it suggests is something deep within the character of the members of this congregation.

Emanuel: Final Thoughts

Instead of being the stories that polarize us these need to be the stories we can champion. Look to the heroes. Because the horrific events within Emanuel fill me with rage and they should. That’s a perfectly valid and normal response. It’s necessary. But we make a grave error to think our only course is to lash out in anger.

And I cannot sit here as a high-hat extolling the virtues without sounding like a hypocrite; I’ve never experienced anything as excruciatingly awful as they have. There are people in this film who still remain bitter – they’re transparent about it – and rightfully so. Their loved ones have been ruthlessly ripped from them. There’s not a harder thing to deal with in the world. That’s part of what gives Emanuel so much power. Here are people living out the most radical expression of love in an upside-down, unexplainable world.

This is only one person’s opinion but it’s dangerous to equate forgiveness with submission. It’s often perceived as an excuse not to do anything more. They aren’t pursuing a broader base of social action. Courage also means stepping out and not letting tragedy eat you up for the rest of your life.

If anything, the lives of these folks are a testament to so much fruit. Nadine now runs a company called “Forgiveness Is Power” its message clear enough. Chris, a top baseball recruit and an exceptional human being, who lost his mother in the shooting, echoed the exhortations of the other Emanuel members. Felicia and Polly took their message of reconciliation to the floor of the Democratic national convention in 2016.

It’s somehow fitting that in Hebrew Emanuel means “God with us.” How can these people say that amidst all of this bloodshed, and hatred, and animosity? It does seem admittedly ludicrous. And yet I imagine any of them would gladly ascribe to those words.

After all, these are the same people who forgave a killer and called him to repentance so he could turn their life around. Where the blood-red pages of a recovered Bible reminded them of the blood the Christ in the Bible narrative shed for the wrongdoings of a wayward world. For them, it’s no coincidence. For them, it’s a testament to a God who works in “mysterious ways.”

During the eulogy when President Obama broke out into “Amazing Grace” he was joined by a chorus of joyful voices, and it’s an electric moment. It says so much about the congregation gathered within those hallowed walls. It speaks to their fortitude in the face of trials and to their resounding spirit as people personified by joy in the face of hardship.

You can only forgive others if you know how much you’ve been forgiven. You can only love if you’ve been loved even more. You can only respond in this manner if you believe in something more powerful than hate. There’s still hope for this downtrodden world. Emanuel reminds us heroes still live among us even in the midst of tragedy. Whether or not they are in the hands of a higher power is up for each individual to deem on their own. These folks certainly believe it.

What are your thoughts on forgiveness in the face of a tragedy like this? Is it a sign of submission or ignorance? Should it be applauded? Let us know in the comments below!

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