#67: How are evangelical churches talking about race?

The Search for Living Prophets

It has been many years since “Black Lives Matter” and “#Metoo” have been part of everyday conversation. Yet many churches struggle in confronting race issues from the pulpit head-on. Few are laying bare the dark legacy that organized religion has had in forming a society that sees humanity through the lens of race.

“From the 1600s until present day the American church has been complicit in specific and pivotal ways that allow racism to survive and embed itself in our society,” says evangelical white preacher Dave Lomas. He goes on to explain that “race is a social construct” and calls on every person of the dominant (white) culture to acknowledge their privilege, lament, and do “Gospel work” to remove this from their souls.

It is brave sermon, braver than I’ve heard from many “Liberal” churches where members feel no sense of complicity or recognition because they are not consciously trying to “be racist.” But as I said in previous episodes, it is possible for an entire system to treat groups of people unfairly without any person in the system having the desire to do so.

Not convinced? Then listen to Dave Lomas and John Crestwell in [this episode 26:13]

Being anti-racist starts within ourselves, and these are two voices that can help us on that journey.