Throughout American history, when Black people have been able to advance toward equal opportunity, the mainstream power structure has tended to change its own rules in an effort to reinforce its control. In the decade immediately following the abolition of…
What’s wrong with saying you ‘don’t see color’?
In an effort to prove that they are not part of the American pandemic of racism, I’ve had quite a number of well-meaning people tell me they “don’t see color.” As much as I appreciate what they are trying to…
America’s racial sins are sins against God
Too many American Christians act as if our nation has somehow earned God’s approval through our inherent virtue. Instead, I believe the largest way America has reflected Christianity is in how we have been completely dependent upon the grace (unmerited…
Watching the SBC, I know my father would be grieved
As I reflect on what the Southern Baptist Convention has become, I can’t help but believe that my father would be grieved. Once the music ended, it became difficult to discern who the message was supposed to be about. When…
In Atlanta, more denial of persistent racism
It has become increasingly evident that too many conservative evangelical Christians are actively engaged in a calamitous campaign of denial about the persistent nature of racism in our society. The recent mass murder of Asian women in the Atlanta area…
Some hard questions for reflection on this MLK Day
As we remember the life and legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. during this season, I have a few questions for reflection for the American church. For you to properly interpret my intent, please understand that I ask these questions…
Do you see Jesus as a power broker or a liberator?
A couple of decades ago I had the privilege of serving at a well-known Black church in Brooklyn. One day, some visiting German theologians, who were examining the Black church in America, asked our pastor if the God of the…