Christian Ethics - The Blood That Speaks
9 Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?” “I don’t know,” he replied. “Am I my brother’s keeper?” 10 The Lord said, “What have you done? Listen! Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground, (Gen. 4:9-10, NIV).
Winston Churchill is widely attributed with the statement, "History is written by victors." While we can question what it means to be a victor, at first blush, we might understand those who appear to have "conquered" other people, by might or other means, now dictate the narrative of how events transpired. But what if the counter-narrative starts to emerge from those on the underside of history?
In the Genesis text above, the story says Cain murders his own brother, Abel. Is he the "victor" because he was able to overpower his brother? The text clearly indicates that, while he created a narrative of moral apathy, "Am I my brother's keeper?" this was insufficient. Indeed, the blood of his brother cried out from the ground, creating a counter-narrative.
Who does the Lord listen to when blood is shed? Can we simply walk away from violence and inequity, shrugging our shoulders? What is the value of church worship or theological query, if we ignore the cries of our sisters and brothers? The blood that is shed continues to cry out.
We are sharing the story below to amplify the counter narrative offered by the ancestors of African descended people in the US. While there are many attempts to silence this counter-narrative, it appears that the Biblical text sees value in the blood which speaks - not moral apathy. We hope you will take time to read and consider.
The Misogynoir to Mishpat (M2M) Research Network (c) 2023