"Racial reconciliation" refers to the process of building understanding, trust, and harmony between different racial or ethnic groups. It involves acknowledging and addressing the historical injustices, discrimination, and disparities that have occurred, while actively working towards equality, justice, and mutual respect among all races.
Full definition
Earlier this summer, I decided to dedicate some time and space on this blog to the concept
of racial reconciliation within the church.
When incidents of racial hate took place in the neighborhood, this pastor's church hosted a joint service
for racial reconciliation.
Because of demographics alone we need an expanded table, one that is broader than the historic black and white discussion, when
discussing racial reconciliation.
Even as the situation in Ferguson seems to be improving, the events this week prompted me and many of the writers contributing to this blog series
about racial reconciliation in the church to reflect upon the role Christians could play in these types of events in the future.
I recently spoke with him about
how racial reconciliation is a «foretaste of heaven» — and what it might mean for white Christians given our country's history.
He is also a board member of the Christian Community Development Association (CCDA) and director of
racial reconciliation pilgrimages for the Pacific Southwest Conference of the Evangelical Covenant Church.
Meanwhile, more than half of African American pastors (53 %) strongly agree that their church is personally involved
with racial reconciliation at the local level, while only one - third of white pastors (32 %) say the same.
One of my favorite tools to explain
what racial reconciliation looks like on an institutional level is a tool developed by Dr. David Anderson, pastor of Bridgeway Community Church and CEO of BridgeLeader Network, called the Multicultural Matrix.
I highly recommend this tool as a starting place for understanding what
racial reconciliation looks like beyond the flowery words, where we sometimes get stuck as churches.
Former President Jimmy Carter, who has long put religion and
racial reconciliation at the center of his life, is on a mission to heal a racial divide among Baptists and help the country soothe rifts that he believes are getting worse.
For years, many have critiqued
racial reconciliation as a concept that does not go far enough in addressing systemic injustice.
CT has previously examined how black and white Christians increasingly think differently about race, the ERLC's 2015
racial reconciliation summit, what pro-life activists and the BLM movement have to learn from one another, and why presidential candidates — and Christians — can't ignore it.
The prospect of white evangelical Christians committing to
address racial reconciliation may require intentional identification with those who are the oppressed and disenfranchised because of the color of their skin.
African American pastors are less likely than white pastors to believe that the gospel
mandates racial reconciliation, but more likely to be actively involved in reconciliation efforts, according to a new LifeWay Research survey of 1,000 Protestant senior pastors.
Dr. Tony Evans writes an op - ed for RELEVANT about Black History Month and
why racial reconciliation and unity in the church matter.
«I could have never known that we would be sitting here together, reading the same Bible and hearing God say the same thing,» Perkins told Russell Moore, president of the Southern Baptist Convention's Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC) during yesterday's summit
on racial reconciliation in Nashville.
It really inspires me to think that maybe my generation will be the one to sever the marriage between evangelicalism and politics, end the culture wars, and redirect our efforts toward feeding the hungry, helping the homeless, advocating for the helpless,
pursuing racial reconciliation, supporting single moms, rejecting the seductive pull of power and violence, and earning a repuation as peacemakers.
I don't know much
about racial reconciliation — I'm still listening, learning, and making mistakes — but I know that followers of Jesus don't have the luxury of glossing over inequity or idealizing American history, not when our Teacher was himself executed by an unjust system.
«[An] honest picture of both the history and the present state of
racial reconciliation in evangelical churches... Charting progress as well as setbacks, his words offer encouragement for black evangelicals feeling alone, clarity for white evangelicals who want to understand more deeply, and fresh vision for all who want to move forward toward Christ's prayer «that all of them may be one.»
Find out
how racial reconciliation is a «foretaste of heaven» — and what it might mean for white Christians given our country's history.
He is also a board member of the Christian Community Development Association (CCDA) and the director of
racial reconciliation pilgrimages for the Pacific Southwest Conference of the Evangelical Covenant Church.
President of Southern Baptist Convention's Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission accused of plagiarism, setting back
racial reconciliation efforts.
While it's important for all of us to be engaged in the difficult, redemptive work of
racial reconciliation, some people have made it their day job.
I don't feel badly asking whites to engage on issues of
racial reconciliation, because I'm asking you to be obedient.
Today I am pleased to welcome Grace Biskie to the blog for a guest post on the difficult topic of
racial reconciliation.
The congregation had been asked by an outside agency to undertake a project for
racial reconciliation, but racial reconciliation was not on the agenda of this white, highly threatened church.
«I wanted to come as a voice of
racial reconciliation and spiritual reconciliation,» said Thompson, who is African - American, explaining his decision to go to the church on Sunday.
Promise Keepers» emphasis on
racial reconciliation is perhaps the most public expression of this desire.