Byron Martin and Thais Carter
Recorded
May 3, 2019
35:43 minutes
0:00 / 0:00
Id:
chd001098
Description
Thais Carter (35) interviews her friend and colleague, Byron Martin (35), about his experiences in the black church community.Subject Log / Time Code
Byron paints a picture of growing up in Texas in a town named after a tree. His parents were the first black people to move into their subdivision in 1986. He says his parents -- one from the country and one from the city -- created the perfect suburbanite children. And they were Church babies, attending the Church of Christ.
Bryon remembers the first religious conversation he and his father had, concerning his great-grandmother, who was not in the Church of Christ. Byron remembers realizing that his religion believed his great-grandmother would go to hell.
Thias remembers her friends who recognized as culturally religious, but not actually religious. She asks Byron what his cultural experience was of growing up in a black church community. Byron replies, "I'm more tied to a historical narrative of faith than anything else, and that's the part where I've struggled the most in my faith. My people have been so hurt. My great-grandmother was born in 1900, and I grew up knowing what she'd been through."
Byron says, "Being black in America forces you to know God and believe in the concept of a fallen world. Any God who believes in love, who then did this -- there has to be salvation and grace."
Thais brings up Coates', and how he refers to religion as a hustle. Byron says he believes some faith actions and communities don't reflect God.
Byron gives examples of how he came to see the difference between faith communities that did and did not address social issues. He recalls going to a silent monastic retreat, and creating in a home church.
Byron talks about the importance of sitting down with people who disagree with you. "I could be wrong about this whole faith thing, and I could admit that."
Participants
- Byron Martin
- Thais Carter