Academia, Politics, Society

Christ Church Removes Plaque To Its Former Patron, George Washington, Because It Created An “Unsafe Or Unwelcome” Space

ChristchurchalexandriaI have previously written about my concerns in the removal of statues and names from public buildings due to contemporary views of historical figures like George Washington.  For that reason, it should come as little surprise how I view the decision of the current congregation of Christ Church in Alexandria to a memorial plaque to George Washington.  I once lived near the church and occasionally went to services there. including the funeral of our late Associate Dean Admiral John Jenkins.  It is a thrill to sit in a church that once served Washington and others. It is deeply disappointing to see the congregation now reject that long history in the removal of a plaque placed on the church in 1870.  The reason offered below by church leaders is that the plaque made people feel unwelcomed or threatened because Washington was a slave owner.

The historic Episcopal church was one of the primary sites of worship for George Washington.  However, plaques to both Washington and Robert E. Lee were ordered removed because  “… Many in our congregation feel a strong need for the church to stand clearly on the side of ‘All are welcome — no exceptions’ . . .  Because the sanctuary is a worship space, not a museum, there is no appropriate way to inform visitors about the history of the plaques or to provide additional context except for the in-person tours provided by our docents.”

It is a rather odd statement since, as shown by the Jefferson Memorial, one can always add context to a memorial that acknowledges the hypocrisy of being a slave owner.  It would seem a rather simply thing to retain one’s historic association with Washington while adding a plaque that raises the issue of slavery and its meaning to the contemporary congregation.  Such an effort avoids the sanitizing of history in favor of better understanding that history.

The signatories below specifically states

Hebrews 13:2 says, “Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.” Christ Church lives into this call, feeding the hungry with our Lazarus ministry, welcoming the stranger in our refugee ministry, and inviting all to worship with us. The plaques in our sanctuary make some in our presence feel unsafe or unwelcome. Some visitors and guests who worship with us choose not to return because they receive an unintended message from the prominent presence of the plaques.

I fail to see why a plaque to the first President would make some feel “unsafe” in attending services in a progressive and welcoming church.  There are such references to Washington all around the church in Alexandria, including the fact that the street sign outside the church reads “Washington Street.”  That was named after the same guy, but most do not feel threatened in driving to the church or into Alexandria.  By the way, the cross street for the church is Cameron St. (named after Lord Fairfax of Cameron who was also a slave owner).

The 13 members signing the letter below seemed intent in making a statement with the removal of the plaque rather than actually address the underlying historical conflict.  The church once held a congregation of not just slave owners but confederates like Lee.  That is part of its history.  One can find meaning in that history — not by eradicating its evidence but acknowledging it and placing it into a new context.  I fail to see why the removal was necessary as opposed to the use of the memorial to address slavery with added information.

What do you think?

Here is the letter:

 

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Earlier this summer, the Vestry began to consider whether the George Washington and Robert E. Lee memorial plaques should remain in or be moved from the worship space in Christ Church. The Vestry also began to consider how Christ Church can better understand and present our significant history, which dates back to 1773. This was not a discussion we entered into lightly, but rather a sincere attempt to have a family conversation about our worship space, our larger history, and our future.

We spent the month of September listening to the parish: seven listening sessions, many emails, numerous phone calls, countless informal conversations, and many one-on-one meetings and discussions with parishioners. The passion, respect, and thoughtfulness of the people of this parish were evident throughout the listening sessions, conversations, and emails.

We are especially thankful for those who prayed daily for both the parish and Vestry, which has been prayerfully discerning where God is calling Christ Church.

The plaques were erected in 1870, just two months after Robert E. Lee’s death, by parishioners eager to memorialize two men who had impact within our parish and an outsized impact on our nation. We recognize that our church was present at the center of two of the most important events in our nation’s history.

Washington is unique in our nation’s history: the leader of the Revolution, the visionary who not only refused to be king but also gave up power after eight years, and a symbol of our democracy. He regularly worshiped in our pews and helped shape our city’s character.

Lee was a longtime parishioner, whose family had a significant presence in our church. From “Light-Horse Harry” Lee’s membership in our parish at the time he memorialized George Washington as “first in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of his countrymen,” to Mary Custis Lee’s gift of $10,000 to begin the Christ Church endowment, the Lee family was a prominent part of the Christ Church family.

We understand that both Washington and Lee lived in times much different than our own, and that each man, in addition to his public persona, was a complicated human being, and like all of us, a child of God.

Today, the legacy of slavery and of the Confederacy is understood differently than it was in 1870. For some, Lee symbolizes the attempt to overthrow the Union and to preserve slavery. Today our country is trying once again to come to grips with the history of slavery and the subsequent disenfranchisement of people of color.

Hebrews 13:2 says, “Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.” Christ Church lives into this call, feeding the hungry with our Lazarus ministry, welcoming the stranger in our refugee ministry, and inviting all to worship with us. The plaques in our sanctuary make some in our presence feel unsafe or unwelcome. Some visitors and guests who worship with us choose not to return because they receive an unintended message from the prominent presence of the plaques.

October 26, 2017

Many in our congregation feel a strong need for the church to stand clearly on the side of “All are welcome— no exceptions.”

Because the sanctuary is a worship space, not a museum, there is no appropriate way to inform visitors about the history of the plaques or to provide additional context except for the in-person tours provided by our docents.

The Vestry believes that the memorial plaques to George Washington and Robert E. Lee should be considered together. The plaques were erected at the same time. They visually balance each other, maintaining the symmetry of our sanctuary. The men they memorialize are giants in our nation’s history and were members of this parish. Robert E. Lee has taken on outsized symbolism in the national conversation about race and inclusion.

The Vestry has unanimously decided that the plaques create a distraction in our worship space and may create an obstacle to our identity as a welcoming church, and an impediment to our growth and to full community with our neighbors. Accordingly, the plaques will be relocated no later than the summer of 2018.

This decision is a beginning, not an end.

First, this decision is the beginning of a parish-wide process for discerning an appropriate new home for the memorial plaques. The Vestry will create a committee of parishioners to explore options for displaying the plaques prominently and with appropriate historical context on our campus. This committee will work over the coming months to explore the options and engage the parish in the discernment process, and will make a recommendation to the Vestry for the plaques’ new home by April 15.

It is important to understand that the plaques will not be moved to a storage area. Rather, they will remain in the church until they can be relocated to a place of respectful prominence where they will be fully visible to parishioners and tourists alike. And ultimately, they will be incorporated into a more complete presentation of our long and many-faceted history.

Second, this decision is the beginning of a parish-wide process to take ownership of our history. The Vestry will create a committee of parishioners to better define how we tell our story. This project will involve developing a narrative for Christ Church that spotlights many of the parishioners and experiences that give us our identity: men and women such as George Washington, David Griffith, Robert E. Lee, Armistead Boothe, Sallie Stuart, Henry & Trudye Fowler, and many more.

We envision that this work will result in a presentation of our history, a gift to the parish that will allow Clergy, docents, and members of Christ Church to clearly articulate our common story as we approach our 250th anniversary. Parishioners will be invited to help shape this important work throughout the process. This committee will launch in January 2018.

Third, this decision is the beginning of a parish-wide process for identifying and developing locations to tell our story across the entire campus. The Vestry will create a committee of parishioners tasked with working with parish members to identify ways we can highlight not only the plaques, but many other materials and objects from our past. This will allow visitors and researchers to more fully understand the role Christ Church has played in our community and our nation since 1773.

This work will result in a recommendation to the Vestry for changes to how we interpret our history across the campus, which could include a museum or interpretive center. This committee will also launch in January 2018.

This decision is the beginning of a prayerful, parish-wide effort to come together. The discussion about the appropriateness of the plaques in our worship space caused friction in our parish family. We understand that the discernment process has felt confusing and exclusive. We hope all parishioners will be more fully involved as we move forward.

To succeed, the committees must reflect the full range of perspectives and concerns of the parish. We invite you to share your hopes for this process and to nominate yourself or other parishioners to serve on these important committees. Reflections and nominations can be sent to wardens@ccalex.org.

Additionally, the Clergy, Vestry and other lay leaders will be actively seeking opportunities to bring parishioners together. We invite parishioners to reach out with ideas and recommendations. Vestry members will host a forum on November 5 and will also be available at the coffee hours every Sunday in November for conversation and comments.

As always, we begin this new journey with a prayer:

God of compassion, you have reconciled us in Jesus Christ who is our peace: Enable us to live as Jesus lived, breaking down walls of hostility and healing enmity. Give us grace to make peace with those from whom we are divided, that, forgiven and forgiving, we may ever be one in Christ; who with you and the Holy Spirit reigns for ever, one holy and undivided Trinity. Amen.

Emily Bryan Senior Warden

Nancy Carson

Kelley Brooke Hostetler

Kevin Metz Sandra Thomson

Dave Riggs Junior Warden

Geoffrey Giovanetti

Steve Humphrey

Betsy Powell

The Rev. Dr. Noelle York-Simmons Rector

Susan Hahn

James Lafley

Anne Shine

181 thoughts on “Christ Church Removes Plaque To Its Former Patron, George Washington, Because It Created An “Unsafe Or Unwelcome” Space”

  1. Ridiculous. But it’s always fun to watch the religious cherry-pick chapter and verse: the only consistency in any religion.

  2. What bothers me the most is the high percentage of people in this country that believe in this happy crap.

  3. As the insanity continues to grow, we will slowly but surely lose our collective memories. No one will be honored as no one is perfect. There seems to be no ability to exercise any judgement or reason.

  4. So, in lieu of education, we have ‘history scrubbing’. Eventually, there will never have been any slavery in the history of the US. Nope, it never happened. The greatest advocates for equality are the reminders of past injustices regarding inequality. Leave the monuments and attach the appropriate reminders. Educate the children. Openly use the words when referencing the acts. It is simply amazing how stupidity seems to accompany those in positions of leadership.

  5. As American Maoists continue their purge is it not fair to ask: once all the monuments have been torn down, who do you plan to honor with monuments that will replace those of our founders?

      1. Not really, Dave. The Episcopal church is essentially populated by democrats in these days. The conservatives were run off a long time ago. I know this because I grew up in that denomination, and watched it destroy itself before I left it.

  8. I agree 100% with this policy, but, to avoid hypocrisy they must also ban all Democrats for their long-time associations and affiliations with slavery, racism, and the KKK–so as not to offend, of course.

    1. Ralph Adamo – I like this suggestion, it would spell the end of the DNC. 😉

  11. There are much more important good works which could occupy these people’s spare time.

  12. Since I try not to worship humans, I am not surprised to find that even the ones I admire are flawed, sometimes deeply.

  13. It’s neurotic to claim that any plaque honoring George Washington, or any other notable person of the past down to antiquity, is unsafe or unwelcoming. We really shouldn’t encourage that kind of intolerance and hysteria. It’s not healthy and encourages a victim mentality.

    200 years from now, our own socially accepted mores will be highly questionable. Are we to strike the name and accomplishments of everyone every 50 years, self lobotomize our culture and body of knowledge, and call a do-over regularly? We could just keep reinventing the wheel so as not to make an unsafe environment.

  14. This is addressed to every person who feels they are in an “unsafe space” if they are near a picture of Washington, Jackson, or any other President who owned slaves.

    I am willing to volunteer to make your spaces safe by accepting all pieces of paper in your possession which contain the pictures of these men, particularly the papers with their pictures you carry around in your wallets. Bring me as many of these pictures as you are able. I’m very glad to relieve you of your discomfort.

    1. Also, I offer you a suggestion. You may want to use your influence on the leadership of your Church to accomplish something more meaningful and helpful to your community than removing the picture of George Washington from the Church. What the heck, give your impecunious brethren and sistren the green pictures of Presidential slaveholders instead of giving them to me. I will just waste them on fast cars and women.

  15. It is actions such as this by a comparative handful of church leaders that are part of the reason why mainline protestant churches are declining in the United States; the introduction of secular politics into the doctrine of churches’ creeds.

    It is a form of iconoclastic policy gone too far. Here the existence of historic public figures who are within the past few years have fallen out of favor with a few church elites and a minority of church parishioners generally results in images or words representing these people being cast out of the church. Who is next, Martin Luther because he was born in Eisleben within the Holy Roman Empire and the city was later part of Nazi Germany about 450 years later?

    I wonder what the status will be of the Confederate soldiers who are buried there. The iconoclasm will reach a new low when that monument is cast away in a similar insult.

    1. Darren Smith – I am fairly well read but I only recognized two names on the list of possible people they wanted to honor at their historic church, which was gifted $10,000 by Mrs. Washington, which they are duty bound to give back at today’s rates. It is people like these that give religion a bad name.

      1. Paul, I had the same idea regarding the money. It needs must be given from the church to the descendants of the Lees to further remove the shame felt by the extant parishioners. The inane, virtue signaling nature of the letter is obvious in its tone and length. The Rev. and church elders clearly cast off their leadership roles in favor of decision by majority feelz. There are numerous other churches in the area one could attend as a replacement.

  16. Surely the courts are bombarded with application for name change? No? Surely there is no greater stain than to bear the surname of Washington or Jefferson or any number of other less known slave owners

    1. Kyle Mark,…
      -Start with smaller projects.
      For example, Yale recently changed the name of their Calhoun college.
      I’m sure that they will follow up by dropping the name “Yale”, since Elihu Yale was a slave trader.😉
      THEN we can start to purge city names.
      We have a whole state that also needs a new name…..Seattle may end up in the newly named state of Tubmanville.

      1. Chief Seattle owned slaves so we’ll see how inconvenient that is to liberals there.

        1. Seattle and Washington are out! Our new city name is Dot.com and the state is naturally Amazon. It’s a whole new ball game in this good old U$A and I’m proud to live where 3/4 million gets you a very affordable hovel on Capitol Hill in Dot.com, Amazon, U$A; just like the one chief Sealth and his slaves once lived in!!!! Oh crap… Amerigo Vespucci took slaves back from Honduras so now we need something for that forbidden “A” which also has to go. Best be safe and heave-ho it all; how about Has-been-ia, it has a nice ring to it.

          Now I’m going back to sulking in case somebody hurt my feelings today, or yesterday, or last week or…

  18. They need to return the $10,000 to the Mary Washington foundation, based on today’s money. That is only fair.

    1. Angus Maddison before his death produced estimates of historical real income levels to which can one conjoin reconstructed price indices. You can derive from this data a nominal interest rate of 2.65% in the absence of any risk premium. If you had a risk premium, you might posit a nominal interest rate of 3.6%. This loan’s been outstanding for 240-odd years, so the lady clergy now owe $5.9 million.

  19. The next step is the removal of the church, itself. After all, through the centuries, Christianity has made plenty of moves which could be considered, unwelcoming, to all sorts of people, all over the world. A slippery slope. Just a matter of time. The entire structure is going to need to be leveled. The church represents Christianity–a religion and a movement which has done its share of wrongdoings over the centuries. I suspect that the uproar, which we hear regarding these plaques, will be the same as when the bulldozers come.

  20. Winston Smith would be so proud.

    At what point does Washington and Lee University become ampersand U?

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