Jim Coppoc.

About 2000 years ago, an itinerant rabbi named Yeshua Bin Yusef (Jesus, son of Joseph) founded through his teachings the breakaway Jewish sect we now know as the Christian church. In contrast to the dominant theology of his place and time, Jesus taught a path of love, grace, inclusion and justice, rooted in the Hebrew Scriptures, framed by empathy for and solidarity with the oppressed.

On Jesus’ death and after his resurrection, his disciples attempted to carry on the movement he began. We still do today. But we are far from perfect, and so much has been lost.

One of the many Jewish traditions I regret losing is the celebration of Yom Kippur, or the Day of Atonement. At the beginning of the calendar year, Jews everywhere undergo a period of reflection, repentance, atonement and forgiveness, in which they seek to make amends with God, with each other, and with themselves. Yom Kippur is also an opportunity to practice the virtue of forgiveness as others seek to make amends with you.

Although most Christians do still keep a theology and tradition of confession, and still see forgiveness as a virtue, we have lost a lot of the formal process of atonement Yom Kippur represents. In particular, we seem to have lost the focus on direct apology to those we have hurt and accountability to make the changes true repentance requires. In fact, for me, one of the main things missing in the progressive changes so many denominations are trying to make right now is an honest apology for the harm that came before.

So today, at the beginning of the Western calendar year, I would like to begin to bring that tradition back, and I would like to start with a direct apology to you.

If my church has rejected you because of your pronouns, your partner, your disability, your economic status, your immigration status, or the color of your skin – I am sorry. There is nothing I can do to make up for the pain we have caused, but going forward I will do everything in my power to move the church back toward the loving, inclusive vision Christ taught. We have become the Pharisees and Sadducees he preached against, and a change has to come.

If my church has caused you generational harm by seizing your ancestral land, or colonizing your ancestors themselves – I am sorry. There is no apology big enough to begin to address the harms perpetrated throughout history in the name of Christ. There is little I can do to restore what has been lost, but going forward I will work to move the church back to the empathy, solidarity and justice the Jesus of the Gospels sought.

If my church has abused you directly – I have no words for how sorry I am. Too much power has been given to men with little or no accountability in the Christian church, and the resulting corruption of mind and spirit has led to truly evil outcomes. I cannot undo the trauma of the past, but I can work toward real vetting, training and accountability for all who seek leadership roles now.

And if you, like me, learned hatred and prejudice from the church of your youth – I am sorry for that too. Our movement has failed us, and has taught us lessons that have nothing to do with the Gospel. I cannot change what we were taught as children, but I can do my best to remind the Christian world now of the love, grace and inclusion that is woven into every chapter of the Gospel story.

There is no good path forward without an honest accounting of the past. And this means we have to face the sins – past and present – of the institution we now claim. Every new year is another chance to do better. I am a Christian. I want to follow the path that Jesus taught. I can do better, and there is no time better than now to begin.

Although you are not obligated to engage with the church that hurt you, if you are willing to join in the work of healing and growing, I promise you there is a place for that now.

Jim Coppoc serves the Ripley United Church of Christ at 400 S. Main St. in Traer. He lives in Ames and Traer, and also holds a “day job” as Director of Integrated Health Services for Center Associates in Marshalltown and Toledo. Jim can be found online at www.facebook.com/jim.at.ripley.