Taking Responsibility for Past Racism

From Christian Century via Infotrac:

Alabama United Methodists have made a symbolic gesture to demonstrate their repentance for past support of segregation in their state. William Willimon, bishop of the North Alabama Conference of the United Methodist Church, led a walk in Birmingham to the steps of one of the denomination's former landmark churches June 6 for a service to repent of racial injustice and to pledge to be more inclusive. Willimon stood on the front steps of the former McCoy United Methodist Church, which closed in 1993. In recent decades, dozens of largely white United Methodist churches have closed as neighborhoods around them became predominantly black. Outside the former church, the Methodists recited a prayer that included harsh self-analysis: "We hereby repent of our sins as a church. Forgive our self-centered, defensive, cowardly ways."