“Dear White Christian”: An interview with author Aaron Layton on what every white Christian needs to know about how black Christians see, think, and experience racism in America.
You can find Aaron Layton’s book Dear White Christian: What Every White Christian Needs to Know About How Black Christians See, Think, & Experience Racism in America here.
Excellent. Thanks for touching on this subject.
This podcast is what I consider the worst for relations between Christians. Starting off with when you say “I am not racist” is the first sign you are a racist is so bad. Biblically speaking when the Bible speaks of not showing partiality it speaks primarily of soci-ecomnomic standing. Not race. Talk about causing more divide among the people. So the wrong spirit. Grace and empathy needs to be shown by all. So many Christians look to play the blame game. No one knows what it is like to be any other person. Your life is your life and no one will ever know all that goes into that. How about we start there. These types of race book selling tactics from Christians are a completely not the right spirit and very hard to find in the Bible. I pray that God removes the racial lens from us so we can see each other as Christians first and foremost. We are all new creations in Christ and the past has faded away. That’s what the Bible points to.
Thank you for your honest comment, we truly appreciate any and all feedback.
Amen
This troubles me as a black Christian. Everyone is distressed in some capacity; no one is without struggle. Every ethnic group has its sector of people that are on the outs, albeit blacks get the bulk of this negative attention; perhaps, because in this country the discrepancy is greater than it is anywhere else in the world. London is a close second, if not first. Irrespective, in the body of Christ, this shouldn’t even be a focal point. The more we point at the divide the more we create one. I’m inclined to think the more we create a divide, the more we unnaturally attempt to solve it with transitory solutions. People with heart are attracted to people with heart. Good natured people are attracted to good natured people. Same for faithful, responsible, skillful and honest people – they will have their place in any group. That will always be true. Maybe the title should be: Dear Christian Parents about cultivating good qualities that are fitting virtually anywhere.
Additionally, with Pastor Rusty asking what can white people do to bridge the gap indirectly places all of the responsibility on white people. We’re all the body of Christ and blacks have a lot of work to do as well – bridging whatever gaps there are is dual effort. I’m not sure if addressing just white people is fair or helpful to the entire Christian body.
Thank you for your comment, we so appreciate your honest feedback.
An excellent conversation for Martin L. King day, his words asking us what are we doing for others amplify Jesus’s commandment to love one another. Today, that means getting to know one another ~ as we practice loving one another. Thank you!
Such a great word, thank you so much!
I love that you are attempting to discuss the deep challenges of racism. I happen to be an African American, Christian woman married (for thirty five years) to a loving mainstream, Christian male. My husband and I have found great hope and healing in open, truthful, hard conversations such as these. Alternatively, we have found denying cultural wounds would force us to live in shadows of the truth. We feel like God invites us to examine our fallenness and our wounds so that we experience the wholeness and freedom. Race is merely one aspect of human brokenness. This is perhaps a beginning point for conversation and we thank you.
Thanks for providing this enlightening, thoughtful discussion. I found several take aways that I’ll try to build on. As a white, Christian guy, I recognize that I do need to ask the the Lord to open my eyes to what I’m not seeing in Black Culture. And I know I need to commit to intentional learning about the Black experience and learn why they feel the way they do. I need to make new Black friends, and I need to deepen my relationship with the Black friends I already have. Shared faith is a great common bond for friendship. I think attracting more Blacks to RLC would help our mostly White congregation make important connections with Black Christians, and that should lead us in a positive direction. One thing we could do to make things more attractive would be to provide gospel music from time to time. Music is certainly a magnet for lots of us. Jesus commands us to love one another, and I think a lot of us are hungry to do that better.