Starting the Conversation on Why Black Lives Matter: A Guide for White Christians
A dad and son fish are in the ocean, out for a leisurely swim. Dad fish looks at son fish and says, “Wow, the water is great today!” The son fish looks at dad fish, confused, and responds with a question, “What is water?”
This simple story conveys a profound truth pertaining to the way, we as white people, perceive and interact with the racialized world around us. Son fish swims around in the water all day, everyday breathing in and out. He cannot conceive of a world without the water, but he also doesn’t understand that his world is completely consumed by water. Our world is similarly influenced by an unseen system that completely shapes the way that we interact with the world around us.
Step one is seeing.
Engaging in this cultural moment is hard, emotionally exhausting, but mandatory work and for those of you who are starting to ask questions about the impact of racism in America for the first time, I’m glad you are listening. Some of us are coming to the table with varying amounts of guilt, frustration, anger, pain, and fear. These catalytic emotions are good because they are encouraging us to consider the things that are out of alignment and are in need of reconciliation. As someone who has had to grapple with this for a long time, I understand the importance of allowing for safe spaces to explore, ask hard questions, and take the necessary time to really wrestle with the realities that we are awakening to for the first time. Online forums are not ideal for these types of conversations and yet, here we are, quarantined during a time that desperately demands us to do our part of the work.
Part of that work as white people is recognizing that, like son fish above, our whiteness has been upheld as the status quo and has culturally, though perhaps unbeknownst to us, demanded that everything else fall in line. So, it’s important that we put in the effort to understand that structure and understand the consequences the system has on people of color.
Part of that work as Christians is recognizing that the entire story of the Bible is rooted in reconciliation. Reconciliation is such an integral part of who God is that God the Father sent Jesus Christ to be an agent of reconciliation in order to provide a way for all of creation to once again be in right relationship with its Creator.
The purpose of this post is to help you get started in this work.
There are so many important resources to consider, but, at least for me, social media posts filled with endless lists of websites to check out and towering stacks of books to read can be super overwhelming. So, in an effort, to give some clear and concise steps to get you started, I have listed four resources that you should be able to get through in less than an hour. Each resource is more of an introduction than a conclusion, but the work must start somewhere. It is my hope that one of these resources will draw you in and the Holy Spirit will guide you on your journey.
Step 1: Seeing
Read
Chapters 1 & 2 from White Awake by Daniel Hill | 20 pages | Link
In White Awake, Daniel Hill—a white pastor in Illinois—vulnerably and honestly shares his journey of awakening to the realities of racism in America and realizing that, as white people, we all have personal and communal work to do. Daniel not only shares his story but helps the reader ask hard questions and take action.
Listen
Turning the Lens from Seeing White by John Biewen and Chenjerai Kumanyika | ~16 minutes | Link
Seeing White is a 14 part podcast exploring the impact of racism in America and the influence and power associated with the color of one’s skin. While this is a superb resource, do keep in mind that it is secular—meaning that when God or the Church are mentioned it’s from a historical and sociological perspective—and at times Donald Trump is mentioned as a symbol of whiteness. If you keep this context in mind, I suggest we don’t allow these comments to distract us from the non-partisan point of the podcast.
Watch
Systemic Racism Explained by Act.tv | ~4 minutes | Link
This is a quick, concise, and general explanation of systemic racism. Things may look a little bit different in your area, however, it is important to remember that part of seeing is realizing that these issues are systemic. This means that while individuals can shift the narrative, the problem lies in the “water” all around us. It is important that we aren’t distracted from the truth by the defensive feelings that many of us naturally experience.
Follow
Follow The Conscious Kid Instagram channel and check out “A Guide to White Privilege” | ~2 minutes | Link
The Conscious Kid is a great resource to begin to think through ways to apply the work that we are doing through the lens of parenting. If you have young kids, I suggest picking up one of their kid books and sharing it with your kids.
Continuing the Conversation
Below is a frequently asked questions section. If you have a question that you would like to see answered in the section below, please do not hesitate in sending your question to us. Chances are someone else has the same question and it would be beneficial for all of us. To submit a question, please contact us through this form.
FAQ
Q: The Bible says that we are all created in the image of God (Genesis 1:27), so doesn’t that mean that all lives matter?
A: 100%! By stating that Black lives matter, we aren’t devaluing the worth of other lives. Instead, we are recognizing that in this current moment we need to use our voice to champion change so that the sanctity of Black lives is upheld. Because all people are created in the image of God, every person’s life is sacred, regardless of their background or ethnicity. In witnessing the video of George Floyd’s murder, we witnessed the desecration of life. If we only see the one racist white officer killing George Floyd, we might be lulled into the idea that the problem is racist individuals. What the above resources begin to help us see is that problem is much bigger than the individual. In fact, racism is deeply entwined with the very foundation of our country. To learn more, I want to direct your attention back up to the resources above. But, it is essential that we realize that Black people are statistically far more likely than any other people group, to be the target of police brutality and discrimination which all too often ends in death. For this reason and because as Christians we uphold the idea that every life was created in the image of God, we are called to stand in solidarity and declare that Black Lives Matter. Currently, our culture and social structures do not treat black people as if they are equal in God’s eyes–black lives are not treated as if they matter–and the simple proclamation of Black Lives Matter is a cry for the basic recognition that their lives are as important as white lives.
Q: What is white privilege?
A: As is noted in the infographic from The Conscious Kid linked above, White privilege is the umbrella term that denotes the benefits, privileges, and advantages that are associated and automatically afforded to people who are white. An important caveat here is to say that this doesn't mean that white people don’t also experience hardship. White people can and do face hardships, be it poverty, abuse, etc. It just means that these hardships aren’t intricately tied to the color of their skin in our society, which is the reality for people of color. As is also noted, these advantages, when traced all the way to their historical origin, came at the cost of oppressing people of color. If this makes you feel guilty, frustrated, or defensive, that is okay. The important part is to stay engaged. Remember that these issues are systemic, meaning that while individuals can shift the narrative, the problem lies in the “water” all around us. Most white people enjoy these privileges without even realizing it and that doesn’t make them bad people. However, as we come to terms with our reality, it becomes our responsibility to speak out about injustice and aid in the healing process by leveraging our own privilege to amplify the work and voices of those most greatly impacted by oppression, prejudice, and racism.
Q: What does it mean to be colorblind?
A: Well-intentioned people sometimes attempt to fight racism by claiming that everyone is equal and therefore, they do not see the color of people’s skin, but rather only the individual in front of them. Others think that simply acknowledging someone’s race is considered a racist act, so they avoid it. Colorblindness was the ideology that I was taught as a kid and it took me a long time to fully realize the issues of this approach.
First, in saying that we don’t see the color of another person’s skin we aren’t fighting against racism, we are opting out of it. In other words, by ignoring skin color we become passive in the conversation. This is what people mean when they challenge white people to be anti-racist—actively speaking out against racism— instead of non-racist—unengaged with the conversation even if they are individually not racist. Unfortunately, because of how ingrained racism is in our society, not actively engaging condones that status quo and when the status quo is racist, non-racist isn’t really a solution.
Second, when we say that we don’t see color and imply that we are all the same, we unintentionally devalue the richness and beauty of the other’s culture, background, and ethnicity. Theologically, we take another hit because if all people are created in the image of God, we can only begin to see a fuller picture of who God is when we consider the vast mosaic of diversity that is seen through people who are different than us. Instead of claiming to not see the differences between people, it is essential that we celebrate those differences, choose to be students of other cultures and traditions, and learn to champion diversity.