I think most of us identify ourselves as non-racist. Most non-racists are so because racism doesn’t affect them personally. But just because something isn’t in your yard, doesn’t mean it isn’t all over our land. All over the yards of the brothers and sisters in Christ we are called to be in community with.
I’d like to challenge you to move from being a non-racist to becoming an anti-racist, for there is a huge difference.
Non-racists sit in the bleachers. Anti-racists charge against the opponent.
Non-racists wash their hands of racism. Anti-racists forcibly dismantle racism, blow after bloody blow.
Non-racists think racism will go away. Anti-racists know racism won’t go anywhere without a fight.
Non-racists don’t think about racism. Anti-racists study it, analyze it, and figure out how to conquer it.
Jesus was anti-racist, and told us to be also.
The Apostle Paul was anti-racist, and told us to be also.
The New Testament Church was anti-racist in both function and design.
The American Church and modern Christians are meant to be anti-racist.
You may not be racist, but are you anti-racist?
Your church or institution may not be racist, but is it anti-racist?
Racism has reared its ugly head long enough. Rather than continuing to let it stain our land (even if it’s not staining your yard), join the fight against this evil enemy. A fight fought in Jesus’ name as reclaim a primary function of the New Testament Church and as we pray Matthew 6:10 together!
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To help me wrestle with your question I would love to hear you describe what it would look like to “charge the opponent” and to “dismantle racism blow after bloody blow”. etc. I appreciate all of your writing on this topic and I find it very challenging.
Hi Lee, thanks for asking these questions and for being willing to be stretched. I highly recommend that you check out the book Divided by Faith. I read it in 2008 and have never looked at race in the church or in society the same again.
I used the term “bloody blow” to show that this is a difficult path that will take sacrifice and cost us something. It’s also definitely active rather than passive. “Dismantling racism” refers to identifying it then taking it apart piece by piece so that it no longer functions. There are a lot of layers to this, but it starts with being a listener and a learner. To listen to the stories and histories of people of color and to realize that just because I’ve been sheltered from racist oppression in my life, doesn’t mean they have, and that my best teachers in this journey are going to be people of color.
My hope is that my blog posts about white privilege, racial inequity, mass incarceration, racial profiling, police brutality, etc are also ways to help people dismantle these systemically racist realities. So it’s listening, learning, then attempting to be a change agent in both your personal and public life.