June 12 was Loving Day, the 56th anniversary of the landmark Supreme Court decision in the case of Loving v. Virginia. Mildred and Richard Loving were an interracial couple whose 1959 marriage in Washington, DC was considered illegal in Virginia where they lived. They were arrested in the middle of the night by local authorities and found guilty by a judge who defended Virginia’s prohibition of interracial marriage by appealing to God’s order of creation:
“Almighty God created the races white, black, yellow, malay and red, and he placed them on separate continents. And but for the interference with his arrangement there would be no cause for such marriages. The fact that he separated the races shows that he did not intend for the races to mix.”
The judge gave the Lovings a choice between a year in jail or 25 years of exile from their home in Virginia. The Lovings relocated to Washington, DC where they appealed their conviction. The case eventually went all the way to the Supreme Court where the justices overturned Virginia’s longstanding law thereby eliminating prohibitions against interracial marriage throughout the nation. The Lovings returned to Virginia after that landmark 1967 ruling.
June is also Pride Month that celebrates the LGBTQ+ community and the ongoing struggle for full inclusion in our society. That struggle is highlighted by recent efforts in various states to legislate against full inclusion often with the support of conservative Christians. A new documentary called “Mama Bears” focuses on a group of mothers who identify as Christians but who are committed to full inclusion because of love for their children who are in the LGBTQ+ community. The documentary is a powerful example of unconditional love as the foundation for their families and their faith. It challenges the false assumption that Christianity and full inclusion are incompatible. The video posted below is the trailer for the documentary. You can access the full documentary until July 20 by clicking here.
Whether it is 1967 or 2023, it is important for people of faith to challenge using God to support societal prejudice and to stand up for the value of unconditional love as the foundation of our faith. In the words of Mildred Loving reflecting on the 40th anniversary of the Loving v. Virginia Supreme Court decision:
I am still not a political person, but I am proud that Richard’s and my name is on a court case that can help reinforce the love, the commitment, the fairness, and the family that so many people, black or white, young or old, gay or straight seek in life. I support the freedom to marry for all. That’s what Loving, and loving, are all about.
Listen to the Mothers!