Jesus and Martin: Dismantling Supremacy at the Table of Grace

by Coming Together Virginia co-founder & Executive Director, Danita Rountree Green
with Dr. Bonnie Dowdy, Director of Facilitator Training 

Imagine this: Jesus comes to dinner. Not just in spirit but literally walks through the door and sits down at your table. Who's already there? What stories are being shared? Who’s missing? And what would Jesus say about the systems we’ve built, especially those cloaked in religion? 

Now imagine Martin Luther King, Jr. joining the dinner table, too. What would he say? 

I've been wrestling with these questions for months as Coming Together Virginia (CTVA) explores the intersection of race and Christianity. I’ll admit, I’m not a faithful churchgoer. But it strikes me that many sacred spaces now reflect the brokenness of the world, rather than the radical hospitality and the urgent call to action that the Gospel demands. Too often, those gathered around the table are comfortable, familiar. There’s nothing wrong with comfort until it separates us from our calling as people of faith. And when that comfort comes at a cost to others, we must ask: Are we living the way Jesus taught? Would Martin recognize our commitment to justice or question it?

Jesus and Martin: Party of One When Jesus came to dinner in Scripture, it was never business as usual. He disrupted norms. He challenged power. He dined with those the religious elite rejected. Martin operated similarly. I believe that same spirit calls to us today: to recognize how we've distorted the Gospel, to repair our broken witness, and to rebuild tables where healing and renewed relationships are not optional but essential. (Newsflash: many of my friends on other spiritual paths already understand this and they’re waiting for Christ-followers to catch up.)

This journey of truth-telling requires us to boldly name the ways American Christianity has upheld racial hierarchies from the founding of this country through the Civil Rights Movement and into today. In his Letter from a Birmingham Jail*, Martin challenged Christians to see themselves clearly. That challenge still stands. We must examine how we have perpetuated cultures of supremacy and how we can instead cultivate communities where everyone, especially people of color, feels seen, valued, and safe. 

Hard to Digest For me, and for many Christians of color, this work isn’t theoretical. It’s deeply personal. The last election cycle exposed wounds long hidden. The silence, or worse, the complicity of many white churches left us wondering, “Does my pain matter here at all?” Has anything changed since Martin called out the Christians of Birmingham?* When white congregations choose to show up, listen deeply, and then act, they begin to repair what is broken. They begin to make room at the table. Let’s be clear: This isn’t about fixing "those people over there." It’s about repairing what's broken in us and living out a faith that transforms everyone it touches.

Check, please! So what happens when Jesus and Martin come to dinner? My guess? They put everyone in check no matter who we are or how we worship. They call us to love radically, speak truth boldly, act courageously and make room joyfully. They remind us that justice isn't a political agenda; it’s a kingdom mandate. It’s time to set the table with humility. To pull up more chairs. To welcome all of us, each of us, and all of each of us. And to make sure no one leaves hungry, for dignity, for truth, for love. And then to pass that feast on to others, through bold, faithful action. 

Join us for our 3rd Tuesday Dinner Gathering on May 20th as we try to set the kind of table Jesus and Martin would want to join - wide open, justice-centered, action-oriented and full of grace. Bring your family. Bring your friends. People of all faith traditions and those with none are welcome for this important conversation. We’ll make room for everyone. 

​Come hungry. Leave full. Here is an appetizer: https://www.csuchico.edu/iege/_assets/documents/susi-letter-from-birmingham-jail.pdf

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