Perhaps I seem delayed in my response to these matters, but I wanted to ensure that I took an appropriate amount of time to think, reflect, and further educate myself before I spoke. I wanted to ensure that I was not posting from a place of social pressure, but a place of understanding, or at least on the journey of understanding the racial injustices which are taking place, and have been taking place for centuries in western society. I wanted to learn how I might have been unknowingly implicit in the systematic oppression of BIPOC Peoples (Black, Indigenous and People of Colour), and what I can personally do to help end that cycle.
I hope to use this opportunity to speak into my spheres of influence and contribute positively to this ongoing conversation, but I am also still learning. I may not get everything right, so if I have spoken out of place or spoken incorrectly, please let me know where I might be wrong and how I can change it.
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So to begin, I want to acknowledge that I have grown up as a benefactor of White privilege. I have never had to worry about my actions being misinterpreted based on the colour of my skin. No one questions my citizenship or publicly harasses me based on the colour of my skin, and I live in a society where even small decisions such as the colour of bandaids are often designed to benefit me as a White person.
Furthermore, as someone who works in the field of Biblical Studies, I want to acknowledge that I have been a part of a religious system that has benefitted from racial inequality and oppression for centuries. I feel it is important that Christians, especially White Christians, understand how the Church has been complicit in the systemic oppression of BIPOC Peoples, and the responsibility we bear in seeking justice and reconciliation to be brought in our time.
A Christian might say things like, “that was a previous generation” or “my denomination was not a part of that”, but in doing so they act less like Jesus and more like Pontius Pilate, attempting to wash their hands of a present injustice rather than use the power and influence they do have to try and stop it. Jesus didn’t simply address the oppressive systems around him which were a result of generations of legalistic and nationalistic mindsets, but he actively stepped out to meet the marginalized where they were at and lift them up. Likewise, Christians have the responsibility to recognize and address the unjust mindsets and actions of previous generations, and do what we can to address our own shortcomings and bring justice to the marginalized and oppressed.
So Christians, let’s start by looking at ourselves.
From the very beginning…
First off, racism and discrimination are nothing new to the Church, they have been there since the very beginning. It began with the Hebrew believers neglecting the widows of the Hellenist believers (Acts 6:1-6), and very soon the divide was between Jewish Christians and Gentile Christians (Acts 11:1-8). Only 9 chapters after the establishment of the Church in Acts 2, and there’s already 2 major discrimination cases. So the Church was off to a pretty rocky start when it came to racism, and though some reparations were attempted at the Jerusalem Council of Acts 15, it didn’t entirely work. The racial tension can be seen throughout the rest of the New Testament as writers urge believers to be in unity with one another and even make clarifying statements such as "For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; the same Lord is Lord of all and is generous to all who call on him.” (Romans 10:12)
The early leaders of the Church continued to preach unity, honour and dignity to all, and though some progress may have been made, racism and discrimination continued to creep its way in, dawning various faces over the centuries. It would take several books to unpack all of those masks, but for today, let’s fast forward and look at how Christians have been involved in the two most prominent injustices of North American history, the oppression of Black and Indigenous Peoples.
The Quest to “Civilize”
The beginning of this injustice perhaps lies in the very attitudes and mindsets that many settlers arrived to North America with. Though economic gain may have been the predominant motivation of their travels, the idea of “civilizing” the Indigenous peoples of the land was very closely intertwined. Even more dangerous, the endeavour to convert the Indigenous peoples to Catholicism or Anglicanism went hand-in-hand with their ideas of “civilizing”. This dangerous mindset is perhaps best described in this quote by Englishman William Crashaw in 1610 concerning the assimilation of Indigenous people;
“1. civility for their bodies, 2. Christianity for their souls; the first to make them men, the second happy men; the first to cover their bodies from the shame of the world; the second, to cover their souls from the wrath of God.”
One of the earliest examples of this mindset is found in the Spanish Requirement of 1510 which invoked the authority of the Pope and the Spanish Monarchy to justify their claim to any land they saw fit. This Requirement was read in Latin, regardless of whether those Indigenous to the land understood or not. Within it lied the ultimatum that if they did not acknowledge the Church as the ruler of the world and convert to Christianity, the following would happen.
“… I certify to you that, with the help of God, we shall powerfully enter into your country, and shall make war against you in all ways and manners that we can, and shall subject you to the yoke and obedience of the Church and of their Highnesses; we shall take you and your wives and your children, and shall make slaves of them, and as such shall sell and dispose of them as their Highnesses may command; and we shall take away your goods, and shall do you all the mischief and damage that we can, as to vassals who do not obey, and refuse to receive their lord, and resist and contradict him; and we protest that the deaths and losses which shall accrue from this are your fault, and not that of their Highnesses, or ours, nor of these cavaliers who come with us.”
-Requerimento 1510
Another prime example of Christian influence can be seen in the colonization of Virginia. In the First Virginia Charter of 1606, King James I of England instructed the Colony leaders to grow the Christian Religion by “civilizing” the Indigenous people of the land. Or as King James said it “…[the] propagating of Christian Religion to such People, as yet live in Darkness and miserable Ignorance of the true Knowledge and Worship of God, and may in time bring the Infidels and Savages, living in those parts, to human Civility, and to a settled and quiet Government…” This commission was a precursor to Thomas Gates ordering the annihilation of those perceived to be the religious leaders amongst the Powhatan people. When Gates perceived they practiced a rival religion, he had their religious leaders killed in order to make converting the Powhatan people easier. Of no shock to the modern reader, this does not appear to have been of much help in their conversion of the Indigenous people. None the less, violence against the Powhatan, and the manipulation of the Bible would continue as some supposedly justified their atrocities with misinterpretations of the Israelite conquest of Canaan.
Enslaving with Scripture
It is around this time that the first sizeable group of African Slaves would arrive in North America at the Virginia Colony in 1619. This would begin the tragic trend that would see millions of Black People enslaved within North America over approximately 250 years. Though some Christians would eventually be at the forefront of the abolition movement years later, that did not stop many other Christians from manipulating the Bible and using it to encourage the enslavement of Black People .
Ignorant of the historical background and how Roman household codes functioned, Christian slave owners would utilize New Testament passages such as Ephesians 6:5-8 to justify owning slaves, and demand obedience from them. In this particular instance, they were not only ignorant of the differences between their slavery and that of the Greco-Romans, but wilfully ignored the surrounding passages. This same passage (Ephesians 6:5-8) which demanded obedience and positive attitudes from slaves was followed by instructions which commanded masters to likewise be graceful and compassionate to their slaves (Ephesians 6:9).
Slaveowners also turned to the Old Testament to reinforce their agenda, by pointing out that the ancient Israelites also owned slaves, while again completely neglecting passages such as Exodus 21 instructing fair treatment of slaves. Then, perhaps the biggest stretch, was a common teaching about the curse of Canaan in Genesis 9:18-27. In this, they taught that when Canaan had been cursed to be a slave to his brothers, God had made him Black, and his descendants lived in Africa. Now the Africans, descendants of Canaan, were supposedly meant to be slaves to the White descendants of Canaan’s brothers. Not only does this teaching carry little logic, but there is nothing in the text to suggest such a gross misinterpretation.
Not only was there more misinterpretation of scripture, but the White Christians took it a step further to physically manipulate the text of the Bible as well. Created in 1807 for slaves in the Caribbean, the “Slave Bible” was a print of the Bible which purposely had all passages that could inspire slave rebellion removed. This redaction included the removal of the Exodus story, and any passage pertaining to unity and equality amongst believers. By the time all such passages were removed, there was very little of the Bible actually remaining.
Though there would eventually be White Christians who publicly advocated against slavery such as Charles Spurgeon and Harriet Beecher Stowe, we must also remember that it was so-called Christians who were some of its biggest proponents. The same Bible that called for their liberation, had also been twisted into the very chains which bound them.
“Civilizing” Continues
In the mid 1800s, while legalized slavery was coming to the end in the United States, the quest to “civilize” the Indigenous people of North American continued in Canada. This “civilizing” was facilitated and organized by a joint partnership between the Canadian Government and the Church through Residential Schools. After forcibly removing them from their families and homes, Indigenous children were placed in schools which were run by churches and funded by the government. These schools focused on assimilating the children into White culture, by discouraging and purging Indigenous practices and language through the “4Rs”; reading writing, arithmetic, and religion.
The operation of these schools went on for approximately 120 years, and the church was at the centre of it the whole time. In these schools; education proved to be sub-par, underfunded, and the children were often malnourished. School staff would resort to strict and often abusive methods of discipline, and there are numerous accounts of sexual abuse which took place in the schools. These are simply a few of the reasons which led to roughly 6,000 children dying in these schools throughout their operation.
Still here.
These examples are simply scratching the surface of the many injustices that have been wrought against Black and Indigenous Peoples in North America. Yet, these specific examples show that professing Christians and the institution of the Church have helped lay the very foundation of the systematic oppression that exists today.
Though these examples of oppression by the Church may not be in practice today, they are the source of much intergenerational trauma for these peoples who now live in a society that White Christians helped designed to favour White people. We as Christians need to recognize the part the Church played in the creation of this system, and do our part in the reconciliation with and restitution of these peoples.
And there is much work to be done.
Though the racism and oppression of Black and Indigenous people may not be as overt and obvious, its presence is still felt within many of our churches. It exists when we subconsciously choose to only interact with people of the same colour at church. It can exist in the makeup of our Churches. It exists in our paintings and depictions of a white Jesus. It exists in the leaders we promote. It exists in our ignorance of history. It exists in our silence concerning missing and murdered Indigenous women. It exists when we are upset about looting and fires before we are upset about the unjust killings of Black People. It exists when we assume that we are not a part of the problem. It exists because we are wilfully ignorant and silent.
Racism in the church exists.
If we can not own up to this fact, then we are failing in our mandate as Christians. If we can’t fix racism within the church, why should we expect anyone else to? We of all people should be able to understand this when we claim to follow a man who spoke out against the oppressive and unjust systems of his time, and suffered an unjust death, so that ALL peoples could be reconciled to him and live in unity with one another as his church.
So now what?
My hope is that this post will not only get you thinking, but will move you to action as well. Sometimes though it can be hard to make actual application points and changes for such a large issue. So I have compiled some resources and suggestions which I hope can help point you in the right direction. I also want to thank my good friend Abby Myles who provided me with some amazing resources and helped me process and refine a lot of these points.
1. Self Reflection
Racism runs much deeper than what is said or done. Racism is a problem that begins in the heart and mind. I myself have been doing a great deal of reflection and examining my own heart and experiences during this time, praying about where there are changes that need to take place in my heart and my area of work and influence. It is something that I am still reflecting on and something I must be willing to continue to revaluate throughout my life. We all have our conscious and subconscious biases and prejudices that we must be willing to change.
So I suggest we first take the time to reflect on our own hearts and actions. White Christians; we need to be willing to acknowledged our racial history, and our own privilege. In that we also need to acknowledge the experiences and oppression of BIPOC peoples in North America. As my friend Abby told me; “We need to move beyond ignorance and into a posture of response/progress”
2. Education
We can not continue to live in ignorance of what is going on. We need to take the time to educate ourselves on the issues at hand and the history behind them. Particularly we need to be intentional to listen directly to the experiences of BIPOC Peoples themselves, especially those around us.
The following are some resources that I have found helpful in my research and reflection. It may seem like a lot, but I encourage you to take the time to explore these resources, because this is an issue that is worth your time to learn about.
Articles & Online Reads
Sojourners - SOJO.net has published a number of very insightful articles on racism over the past few weeks which have been very insightful. A few of my favourite so far:
Truth & Reconciliation Commission - In 2009 the NTCR began the researching and collecting the history and testimonies of the Residential School system in Canada. You can read their reports here. I am still working my way through their report “What we have learned” but so far have been very impressed with how well they have presented the information in an easy to understand manner. I strongly suggest taking the time to read.
The National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls - Although I did not cover this with much depth in this post, this is still a very serious and growing issue which North America faces today. I am also still making my way through this report, but again, I strongly suggest you take the time to read it as well. You can find the report here.
Justice Too Long Delayed - This is a really good article by my old boss Tim Dalrymple which highlights how Christians have perpetuated racism within America, and calls the Church to make restitution for racial sin.
Books
The Bible of Course - This might seem like the most cliché, cheesy thing I could say, but we just spent a significant amount of time acknowledging the ways that the Bible has been twisted to oppress Black and Indigenous people. And how can we ensure that doesn’t happen today? By knowing and understanding the Bible so that we can stand against those who would seek to manipulate it. Furthermore, where better to learn about the heart and mindset we should have as Christians towards racism and injustice than with books like Micah, Amos, James, Romans and the Gospels?
And here are a couple books that my friend Abby has suggested which focus on racism and reconciliation in the church. They are definitely on my read list now.
Videos
Racial Reconciliation with Micheal Todd
This is a fairly lengthy sermon, but Micheal Todd does an amazing job laying out the Biblical basis for Racial Reconciliation in the Church.
The Church has left the building with Dr. Dharius Daniels
In this Video Dr. Daniels provides a powerful sermon on how God equips believers to address the injustices of their times.
Race in America with Phil Vischer
Although I am a Canadian, I think Phil Vischer does a very good job in this video at answering why people are upset, reviewing racist practices in America over the past century, and calling the church to care.
3. Action
It is not enough to simply blanket-preach justice from the pulpit or our instagram accounts. We need to address the issues at hand, call out injustice where we see it and take steps to see justice brought in those areas. To do so, we need to encourage other Christians to take the above steps seriously in education and self reflection. With that we also need to encourage respectful and honouring dialogue around privilege, systems of oppression, racism and violence against marginalized groups in our areas.
We need to be willing to have some hard and honest conversations as we evaluate our churches and ministries. We need to look at the racial make-up of our churches, and ask why it is the way it is. If our churches are predominantly white; is that due to your geographic location, or are there reasons why BIPOC peoples may not feel welcome? What can we be doing to reach out to all peoples and ensure they feel welcome within our our churches?
Let us also be wary not to let this simply end with our dialogue. We must also be prepared to actually implement change where we can, and call out for change and justice in areas where we can’t implement it ourselves. If you have a platform or are in a position of influence, use it. Create new practices and ministries in our churches which appropriately reach out to those oppressed and make them feel welcomed in our congregations. Consider financially contributing to, or partnering with ministries which already work in these areas. I even encourage you to pray and consider what it might look like for you to participate in protest. If this last one sounds more uncomfortable, I invite you to listen to Preston Sprinkle’s latest interview with Justin Giboney where they do talk a bit on the matter of Christian protest.
"Speak out for those who cannot speak, for the rights of all the destitute. Speak out, judge righteously, defend the rights of the poor and needy." Proverbs 31:8-9
We have a responsibility to evaluate our churches, workplaces, and spheres of influence, and do what we can to address racism and seek reconciliation in these areas. In the name of Jesus people twisted scripture and the focus of the church to establish these systems, and now in the name of Jesus we have the obligation to correct those harmful misconceptions and bring justice where Christians have previously perpetuated injustice.
This will not be an easy journey for the Church, but it is one we as Christians have a responsibility to embark on. We must acknowledge our faults and who we have harmed and do everything we can to seek reconciliation with them. This is not the responsibility of one denomination, but the responsibility of all Christians as ambassadors of Christ and his Church.
He has told you, O man, what is good;
and what does the Lord require of you
but to do justice, and to love kindness,
and to walk humbly with your God?
Micah 6:8
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