Let’s Talk About Greenleaf on OWN

So, I finally watched the first three episodes of OWN’s latest original drama, Greenleaf which follows a black family that leads a mega church in the South and I have some thoughts that I want to share.

I’m not recapping the episodes and I’m not talking about everything that happens in each episode because there’s just so, so much to unpack and I just do not have the energy to really dissect everything. But I do want to acknowledge a few of the things that are on my mind. Also, I might be all over the place here so it’s best that you’ve seen the first three episodes before reading the below. Okay, here we go!

The First Episode: “A Time to Heal”

So first, we meet Grace and her daughter who are going back home to pay respects at her sister’s funeral. Grace, a former pastor, seems to have been burned by the church. And while she still loves God, God and the church can be and in this instance are (whether you like it or not, unfortunately) two very different things. Aka not on one accord. Understandably so, Grace keeps her distance from the church. So now going back to her family, where her father is a pastor and her mother, the pastor’s wife, and the whole town is seemingly churchified…well, let’s just say it’s not surprising that there’s an ambush around the dinner table. Talk about intense.

The first thing that rubbed me the wrong way (in a good way because it’s great storytelling and is realistic, pulling back the curtain so to speak) was the very first thing that came out of Grace’s mother’s mouth as Lady Mae greeted Grace. It was negativity. Not a hello. Not love. Guardrails. And not in the form of killing with kindness. There’s nothing wrong with putting up guardrails but the way in which this transpired was so ugly. Especially when the reason the entire family is coming together is a funeral.

Lady Mae went straight for attacking her daughter’s character and assuming intentions and while we don’t know what has transpired between these two yet, whether a response like that is “deserved” or not, it’s the wrong time and place for that, not to mention, you named your child Grace yet you extend none to her. As someone who prides themselves in calling themselves a Christian, being ready to pounce on someone else isn’t the Christian thing to do. We all fall short but that was no mistake. The words that came out of her mouth were intended. That is a problem.

Next, there’s brief mention of a police brutality incident in town. It would be a disservice to have a show like this and not bring up this social issue. (Never mind the fact that the pastors in the spotlight in real life haven’t said much anything about it even though they preach about unconditional love and serving all of the time.)

Okay, so the dinner. What an ambush. That is never okay. Curiosity is one thing but the way that Grace is questioned is so incredibly gross. Even if you do agree that going to church only on the holidays is totally irresponsible and that cherry picking what you want to believe out of the bible is completely asinine, you don’t badger somebody, you don’t persecute somebody in an attempt to bring them to the light. Mocking and attacking someone who is trying to make it in this world just like the rest of us is only alienating them even further and does nothing for your cause. You might have armor on but it sure ain’t the armor of God.

I love how Lady Mae said that what Grace said about what she believes had nothing to do with Jesus. Funny, because it’s amazing how often you can go to church and not once hear the name Jesus in a sermon. Just saying.

There is so much judgement, persecution, policing, and alienation in the church. Not all churches but enough of them to say “the church.” Enough for this representation to be very authentic and not say that they dramatized it for TV. As for why this is the case? I think it’s easily summed up in this exchange:

“I told you I didn’t want trouble.” – Lady Mae
“Mama, the truth is trouble to you and it always has been.” – Grace

We’re on the search for truth, we find truth, we’re on the path to living in that truth, but we make that path much bumpier than it needs to be. Call it denial. Or whatever you need to call it but that tug of war with us and truth creates nothing but trouble. And that’s where the politics of church come into play and that’s where it all goes downhill.

In a holy place that is designed to help people grow in their relationship with Christ, many people may have found themselves manipulated into a more present relationship with the church and stunted in the growth that really matters. That is so harmful. So it’s no wonder why people may come to church for the message and leave as soon as it’s done, if they even go. Perhaps they’ve been there done that, involving themselves deep within the church and ministries within it and have been so hurt by people, thus finding it healthier to not get involved. The point being, we have no idea what people have been through in the church and how badly they may have been treated, what’s keeping them away. Their church attendance, while important, is none of our business. People still have to guard their hearts. Even in the church.

Sex. So of course the points of infidelity, waiting until marriage, and sexual assault are brought up. (We haven’t seen a huge focus on LGBT Christians yet but that’s coming if you haven’t picked up on it). As well as drug use. This is only the beginning. You haven’t seen anything yet. Especially since it is revealed that the person who died is Grace’s sister and she was raped by her uncle, a notable face in the church (who we learn is still assaulting young girls).

Also, tax fraud. Oh boy. Don’t even get me started on fraud in the church. Fraud in general. There’s so many paths that you can go down here. As the senator says talking to the pastor, “If everything is in order, there shouldn’t be a problem.” Show your cards and if you’re as honest as the life you claim you’re trying to live, nothing should come up sketchy.

The church scenes. Lady Mae, the first lady, saying “Never again, thank you Jesus” to no longer flying commercial. Umm. Do you even know the God that you serve? Jesus would be in commercial every single time. Every time. Talk about being bougy. Talk about going to church to show off, to wear your Louboutins in church and fly first class and not help the people who are hurting or worse, pick and choose who you want to help and how you want to help them based on your personal feelings rather than praying about it and using a church council to figure out the best strategy to help your people. Talk about giving a testimony but not knowing when to reel it in and giving too many details which don’t in fact help anybody but only make the people in the seats feel worse, especially if you could help others and choose not to. Okay, now I’m just ranting.

The Second Episode: “The Baptism”

The first thing that rubbed me the wrong way in this episode (and is probably realistic) is the special club for people who donate more than what is required of them to tithe, in the $10,000 range. One person’s $10k donation is the same as another person’s $10 donation in God’s eyes if the heart is right. To measure someone’s faith based on how much they financially give and provide favoritism is ludicrous and absolutely infuriating. A person’s bank account is not a representation of their heart but it sure does help a church on the business end. Anyway, a giving heart is a giving heart. More on generosity here.

Then, baptizing a child without parental consent? I don’t care who you are. That is not okay.

And then… it’s funny that Lady Mae told a nosy churchgoer that “Strength like yours, dear, is best expressed in stillness” when the same can be said for her. I couldn’t roll my eyes any harder.

As for Grace, go Grace for being the only one willing to fight for truth and justice.

The Third Episode “We Shall See Him as He Is”

Church lock ins. Oh. Memories.

Meanwhile…while Jacob’s wife was wrong for putting down one style of preaching to praise another, this does bring up a great point about preaching styles. If a preacher is teaching you the word of God, you’re getting the word of God regardless of style and that’s what matters. That said, the preacher is teaching which means you are learning and people have different learning styles. To completely disregard the way that someone best absorbs information just because you are getting facts regardless is ignorant, selfish, and once again, alienating.

As for Grace, she’s still on a mission to uncovering the truth about the most recent and true allegation against her uncle, the same allegation, the same secret that led to her sister’s death. Secrets ruin lives. And when someone in leadership is the one at the helm, guiding people to keep a lid on things, to not move forward in their lives in healthy ways, there is great destruction. Watching Grace try to prevent another family from facing that destruction, that is a heart made whole story to root for. And I can’t wait to see what comes next. Hope she’s careful… but that wouldn’t make good TV so highly anticipating what comes next.

The Future

I’m really looking forward to exploring the power dynamics within the church and seeing more drama, more truth come to light and more people wrestling with that truth coming to light. I’m really looking forward to more exploration of denial, greed, unforgiveness, abandonment, resentment, and influence, church cover ups, and power hungry leaders.

There is SO much to be explored here, so much to be exposed here and I’m hoping the show takes every opportunity to go for it. Show why people are so turned off by God because of the actions of the people who call themselves Christians and are supposed to be leading others toward God but are instead doing the exact opposite. Show a no holds barred story on how good God is, how good a relationship with him is and how problematic religion and its politics are. The church is hurting. Here’s so many of the reasons why. You could say it’s basically Why I Hate Religion, But Love Jesus in an hourlong drama format in the south following a black family that leads a mega church.

Okay, I think this post is getting long enough and I totally didn’t proofread this because I’m too lazy. So sorry about any typos. Anyway, in closing, I’ve never taken the time out to watch an original OWN show but this I just had to check out and boy, I am so glad that I did. I’m hooked. If you’ve seen the show, what do you think?

Watch Greenleaf Wednesdays at 10/9c only on OWN.