What is Juneteenth?

Written by Bro. Chris Capasse | Worship and Media Pastor, Shoal Creek Church We’ve heard it said from the pulpit here at Shoal Creek, “the Bible covers warts and all.” Meaning, God’s word doesn’t hold back in discussing many things outside the glory of God including the terrible realities and consequences of our sin. Likewise, America too has its share of warts such as the practice of slavery to which Juneteenth is intimately linked. Juneteenth, June Nineteenth combined, celebrates the symbolic end to slavery in the United States since June 19th, 1865. To be clear, steps were taken months and years prior to this date towards a freer society that included the Emancipation Proclamation (1863) and more robustly, the 13th Amendment (passed January, 1865). However, the Emancipation was merely a sentiment towards freedom that failed to trot out the work of its intended word during war, and while the 13th Amendment stood as the Constitution’s initial outlaw of slavery at the end of war, the actual news, for one reason or another, was delayed in reaching actual slaves, particularly in Texas. Thus, Juneteenth marks the very day real slaves as far west as Galveston personally learned of their actual freedom in America. Beginning in Texas, celebrations took place every year since 1866 to commemorate the arrival of news of real freedom for real people. And more recently, Texas officially recognized Juneteenth as a state holiday beginning in 1980. Over time the significance of this date would materialize around the country, and in 2021 Juneteenth was designated a federal holiday to commemorate the termination of slavery in the United States of America.

Why it Matters

For one, a nation that prides itself in securing and preserving freedom, its citizens then have the responsibility to honor the freedom that was finally secured for one of its own cultural groups who found it unfortunately delayed alongside an already self-decreed, freed society. Second, Juneteenth spotlights the glaring indictment of a multi-century-long practice of injustice of one people towards another that should bother the Christian’s conscience; a conscience that through the power of God possesses the capacity to examine and repent from any sin including racism and be free from it. In addition, a holiday that celebrates a people's liberation from an oppression of slavery who bears the image of God is profitable to cherish by all sinners saved by grace from their enslavement of sin. And finally, Juneteenth is important particularly to the fabric of our faith culture at Shoal Creek because of the essential practice of evangelism in sharing the good news of Jesus Christ. This holiday emphasizes the need for bringing imperative news to those that need it most. In terms of sin's eternal consequence for you and I, in the spirit of this holiday, we should thank God for the one who introduced us to Jesus Christ.
Even as far west as Decatur, Alabama.

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