Resetting Expectations: An Appreciation of Darkness

Racism has distorted our imaginations to reinforce the absolute dichotomy between the light and the dark, where the former is always pure and good and the letter always polluted and evil. This distinction has roots in our spiritual and religious traditions and has been radicalized by racist ideology. Choosing to see the beauty and warmth in darkness, instead of focusing only on suffering and despair, and tapping into the same spiritual and religious traditions that imagine the dark as a place of creativity, birth, protection, and relationship, is an important step in the reimagination of the value of darkness. Scriptural sources in the books of Genesis, Exodus, Psalms, and Job complement readings of early Christian spiritual traditions centering on the revelation to be found in darkness. The result is a reconsideration of the absolute difference between light and dark and a renewed appreciation for the value of darkness, whether in the color of night or in the color of one’s skin.