Racism and Religion: Are they at odds?

While it’s not always talked about at work, I know there are a number of people who have a very strong faith. I include myself in that. Oftentimes, it seems as if religion is sometimes at odds with “inclusion” and tolerance, but I don’t think it has to be that way. I love Jesus. Jesus loved people. I think He calls me to love others too. My church, Central City Church agrees and has made a radical commitment to be Anti-Racist. Because of that, they are offered a special training with a local organization called Answer Poverty to any church members who are interested – so of course I joined. The larger question this class will answer, is how race and religion (specifically Christianity) are supposed to work together to accomplish shared goals.

We meet monthly and this month our homework was the review the following resources and take notes about what we think and feel about each resource. The resources and my notes are below, but I would LOVE to hear what you think about all of this because I want there to be more of a discussion around what it means to be White and maybe even what it means to be a White Christian.

1. Robin DiAngelo, Author White Fragility:  3 Ways to Challenge Whiteness (9 Mins)

This video offers three ways to challenge whiteness: 1) think about what it means to be white, 2.) change what it means to be racist, 3.) humility coupled with accountability. It resonated with me when she said that if people don’t understand what it means for them to be white, how could they understand what it means to be Black or any other diverse group. I also loved her reframe of what it means to be racist. We have this erroneous notion that to be racist you have to be intentionally cruel or harmful to someone based on skin color. The truth is that if we do not upend systems of racism (redlining, biased hiring practices, school to jail pathways, poverty) we are in fact still racist. Saying that our country is racist or that "I am racist" shouldn't be damning. In fact, if our own moral defensiveness got out of the way, maybe admitting we are all a little racist would be the first step to helping us get better. Doing nothing is a problem. Not believing that racism exists in this country is a problem too. What really hit me was when she talked about staying humble. I will be vulnerable and say that I considered myself “woke” and Robin says that as soon as we think that about ourselves, we close ourselves off to learning and become arrogant and defensive. So I will gracefully un-raise my “woke” hand in the air and instead say: I’m on a journey to keep learning more - I'm not done yet.

1. John Biewen, Radio Documentary Producer: Seeing White (17 Mins)

I felt that the main point in this video was to say that racism wasn’t just an accident. It wasn't an sad miscommunication or mistake. It was purposeful and it was ill-intended. The entire idea of race was one that was propagated and maintained by people in power to maintain and even gain additional power. It was the worlds most damaging marketing campaign. While I watched it, I was reminded of the idea of “Manifest Destiny” or the divine charge given by God that settlers should expand across North America and help tame the wile people and lands there. I wonder how many times in history we have used God and an ordained or divine charge to hurt an entire population. Many Christians were slave owners and I have a really hard time wrapping my mind around that. How can you profess to love Jesus and embrace how he has “freed” you, and go on to use slave labor? This video helped me see even more clearly how closely connected racism is to socio-economic status.

1. Alberta Civil Liberties Research Center: Definition of Whiteness

This resource made the strongest point to me. It is interesting the difference they make between being “white” and “whiteness” with being white a thing you can’t control (racial identity) and Whiteness as a LEARNED SOCIAL CONSTRUCT. While I don’t identify as “Caucasian,” I think maybe I have learned thought patterns around “whiteness.” I myself have many of the privileges often associated with “whiteness.” I have felt this way without the words to describe it for a long time. I like that they describe this as an unconscious state, because I never decided to think like this. But it does make me stop and question my assumptions about so much of life. I have never intentionally thought lesser of another human based on race, but I will admit that I make some automatic assumptions that are not accurate. This makes me feel on edge – and if not guilty… perhaps a little shameful. I see the need for me to do better – to be better – to strive to up-end the social construct of “whiteness” that has come to be my filter for how I compare the world.

I would love the chance to start a discussion on this topic. Feel free to interact with the resources and let me know what you think, or just respond below in the comments.