For me, as someone who has pledged myself to God alone, it went one step farther, connecting me to the Missio Dei: Gods mission of redeeming the world. So here are 10 realities from the film that still exist today, and what we can do to join God’s response. - Racialization and otherizing still exist today. Shifting mental models from racism to racialization allows us to see our insidious need to treat people as “the other” and its systemic application. And not just as “other,” but also as less than. Commit to understanding how race works and to intercultural transformation. - Objectification of and violence toward women of color still exits today. At the intersections of race and gender we find perhaps the most vulnerable in our midst. Women such as Patsy struggle along both racial and sexual lines to defend themselves from men. Learn about the objectification of women and be trained in intersectional anti-oppression processes and become an ally. - Unjust capitalism still exists today. Demand for cheap unjust labor leads to massive creation of wealth for the few, and the impoverishment of the many. From cotton to chocolate, coffee, clothing, palm oil, etc, today, capitalism depends on unfair labor practices. Commit to Fair and Direct Trade where possible and take responsibility for the unintended consequences of our globalized behavior.- Human trafficking and slavery still exists today. There are more people enslaved today than at any other time in history. Connect to today’s Abolitionist Movement and become a defender of the defenseless.- The ripping apart of families still exists today. When Solomon is first auctioned we meet Eliza whose family is separated. Current immigration and deportation policies sever families one from another. Become an advocate for Immigrant Rights and Reform.- White dominant-culture religion still exists today. How could it not? If de-segregation was forced on the unwilling with no subsequent repentance. Repent of white Christianity and rid your theology of all vestiges of otherization and privilege. - The myth of effective violence still exists today. We still believe the ends (peace) justify the means (violence). Violence then and now is used as a deterant and tool of pacification by those in power. And violence is advocated as a tool of liberation for those without. Peace at any cost must be unmasked along with religiously-sponsored violence as morally bankrupt. - The poison of charity still exists today. Charity that functions as philanthropic giving to those deemed worthy of help allows unjust systems to remain firmly in place. Change your response from charity to justice. (See also, “Peeta’s Bread is not enough”). - The need for liberation for the oppressed and oppressor still exists today. The poison of privilege twists our humanity and all need to be freed from its chains. Choose a lifestyle of anti-oppression, repentance and healing.- The vibrant faith and wisdom of minority and oppressed communities still exist today. I saved perhaps the best for last. And no, its NOT an injustice. It’s a rich and saving grace! Historically oppressed communities have much to teach us about life and religion that we ignore at our peril. Indeed, our very salvation may prove to depend on it. Engage in multi-cultural worship. In the staggering face of injustices such as these many of us feel the same futility we witnessed with bloodthirsty banality in the film. The scene where Solomon hangs by his neck for hours while people enslaved with him are forced to go about their business in the background was absolutely exhausting to watch. And Lupita Nyong’o’s portrayal of the devastation of administrative violence and the futility it engendered was a revelation. Several white men in the movie also felt caught in a system of futility they could not question (Cumberbatch, Pitt). We simply don’t know what to do. And so more than anything, I invite you to worship. Worship (that is: ascribe worth and value to) the liberating God of the Exodus, Prophets and Jesus who is creating a beautiful new world filled with justice, love and peace in our midst, and has invited you (even you!) to be a part of the transformation. God is working to redeem these great injustices in our world. Isn’t it beautiful?