Mass. Bishop Forgives Racist Man for Burning Church Down
The pastor of Macedonia Church of God in Christ has said that he would forgive the man who was recently sentenced to 14 years in prison for burning down the predominately black church after Barack Obama became president in 2008.
Michael Jacques, 27, was sentenced to 14 years for burning down the Springfield, Mass. church, along with a $1.6 million restitution fee on Thursday. The convicted arsonist allegedly burned down the church after becoming angered with black prominence in the country.
When the church was burned, it was in the process of a renovation that was 75 percent complete. Still, Bryant Robinson Jr., bishop of the Macedonia Church of God in Christ said he forgave the man who destroyed his place of worship.
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“We weren’t vengeful. We placed our trust in the criminal justice system, and a decision has been rendered,” said Robinson in a Boston Herald report. “I had forgiven them personally, but I cannot be accepting of their behavior.”
The 74-year-old bishop described the initial disappointment that he felt when realizing that his church was burning.
“When I saw this fire after celebrating that I lived long enough to see a person of color become the U.S. president it made me pause and wonder,” Robinson said. “I went from a high to a bit of a low.”
Still, the community and nation came together to help Robinson seek justice against Jacques’ and co-defendants Benjamin Haskell and Thomasos Gleason, who also pleaded guilty to crimes involving the fire.
Robinson said he and the church focused on God during the time of rebuilding, and the place of worship was reconstructed and dedicated in September.
“We allowed the system to work and fulfilled our mission as a church, which is reconciliation between God and man, and man and man,” he said.
