How a Question About “the White Man’s Religion” Turned Antipas Harris into an Author

The Every Voice Now Podcast

If you had told Antipas Harris when he was a child that he would grow up to write a book, he would likely have doubted you. As a boy in the deep South who grew up in a poor family and struggled with learning disabilities, he could not have imagined the paths down which God would take him. Despite the personal and structural barriers he faced, he was ultimately faithful to the tasks put before him, resulting in his writing Is Christianity the White Man's Religion? The question came from a disenchanted millennial in his classroom, and the more Antipas engaged with students from this generation, the more he understood what was at the heart of the question, and the more he was motivated to tackle it in his book. A Billboard hit also makes a cameo in this episode, from Antipas's former life as part of a hit musical group.

About the Guest:

Antipas L. Harris is the president and dean of Jakes Divinity School and serves on the pastoral staff at The Potter's House in Dallas, Texas. He is an ordained minister, a theological educator, and a musician with degrees from LaGrange College, Candler School of Theology (Emory University), Yale Divinity School, Boston University, and St. Thomas University. Before being appointed to his current role by Bishop T. D. Jakes, Harris founded the Urban Renewal Center in Norfolk, Virginia, where he led initiatives that addressed the intersections of faith, justice, and community development. His objective is to help people overcome distress, reinforce faith, impart comfort through the arts, and provide stability through education.

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About the Hosts:

Maila Kim is a marketing manager at IVP; she holds a B.A. in English Language & Literature and a B.A. in Communication Studies from the University of Michigan, and an M.A. in Christian Formation & Ministry with a concentration in Bible & Theology from Wheaton College Graduate School. She enjoys photography, growing and caring for her plants, and listening to podcasts such as This American Life, Invisibilia, and Unlocking Us. Follow Maila on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

Formerly an editor at IVP, Ed Gilbreath is currently an executive leader at Christianity Today; he earned his bachelor’s in communication arts from Judson University and a master’s in philosophy of history from Olivet Nazarene University. He is also the author of two IVP books: Reconciliation Blues and Birmingham Revolution. Ed loves listening to an eclectic mix of music, reading narrative nonfiction books on American history and pop culture, and taking long walks while listening to podcasts such as NPR’s How I Built This, The Daily, Pass the Mic, and CT’s Quick to Listen. Follow Ed on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

Credits:

Producer: Helen Lee

Sound Engineer: Revision Sound in Dallas

Music:

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