Justified by Her Children: Deeds of Courage Confronting A Tradition of Racism

Review\nFrom The Living Church, June 13, 2021--Pollina has demonstrated to me that opening the pages of a scrupulously documented parish history can expose one's own troubling cognitive dissonances and one's comfortable lazy thinking.
-- Richard J. Jones
Emeritus Professor of Mission & World Religions, Virginia Theological Seminary\nThe Quarterly Journal of the Historical Society the Episcopal Church
December 2021\nHSEPC published in their Journal a review of Justified written by The Rev. John L. Kater, Ph.D., Church Divinity School of the Pacific. In his review Professor Kater stated that, "This book is the result of passionately pursued research" and "Justified by Her Children is a stark reminder of how deeply the history of the Episcopal Church is mired in racism, how its tentacles reach into the local congregation and touch the lives of its members, how difficult and painful change can be - and a cautious affirmation that it is possible."\nIn May of 1958, Virginia newspapers were reporting that the Christ Church, Martinsville, Virginia congregational leadership had declared that their bishop's plan to integrate the summer youth camp "is both illegal and ill-advised" and that they would oppose any "intermingling of the races." Amid this controversy, a quiet revolution stirred among that congregation's young people, uplifted by their youthful, energetic priest, The Reverend Philip Gresham. When these brave young people stood with their bishop in favor of an integrated youth camp their opinion was derided as youthful naïveté. It was suggested that they focus on their studies and leave such problems to the adults. Rather than discouraging them, their church leadership's humiliating dismissal inspired them to devise a more tangible expression of their position. They would acquire and present a gift, a "peace offering", as a token of their solidarity with their bishop.\nRacism will not be finally eradicated by one large divisive victory. The wall of racism will be undone brick by brick by the brave deeds of little known men, women, and young people doing the right thing. Justified by Her Children: Small Deeds of Courage Confronting a Tradition of Racism reminds us that evil often masquerades as the accepted way of doing things - and that confronting evil is often seen as opposing the good order of society. Justified by Her Children is written in the hope that readers will gain a better understanding of "how it was," and from that understanding, know better how to deal with "how it is" today.\nFrom the Back Cover\nMany white Americans do not understand or accept the reality of systemic racism. They do not want to admit that their community, their schools, their government, their churches have a history of participation in a system of racial oppression. Frustrating the attempts to make sense of the history of racism is the exasperating argument that "you just don't understand how it was." Justified by Her Children bears witness to the fact that understanding "how it was" can be a precious gift to help us to understand how it is now-at a time when we need that understanding more than ever.\nRacism will not be finally eradicated by one large decisive victory. The wall of racism will be undone brick by brick by the brave deeds of little-known men, women, and young people doing the right thing. Justified by Her Children reminds us that the evils of racial segregation masqueraded as the accepted way of doing things-and that confronting evil is often seen as opposing the good order of society. Justified by Her Children is written in the hope that readers will gain a better understanding of "how it was," and from that understanding, know better how to deal with "how it is" today.