What The Christian Community Get's Wrong In the Fight For Racial Justice

I never expected any of this from the Christian community. I’ll be honest. I grew up in a Black church and never associated with a multi-ethnic church culture until after I graduated from college and became more immersed with other global ministries and the online Christian community. (For context, most of my interaction with the Christian community at large is online and that’s where I have drawn these conclusions from).

Here’s what I’m used to: silence. Black people have been living in a racist society that was built against them since forever. We’ve been screaming and marching for generations. Our non-Black and non-BIPOC counterparts have been largely silent until last year. Last year is the most amount of speaking out I’ve ever experienced from non-BIPOC and non-Black people ever. Like, ever.

When I started seeing some leaders in the Christian space begin to speak out last summer, I was ELATED. Finally! No more silence!

Then...I read the comments.
The backlash in the comments.
The gaslighting in the comments.
The racism in the comments.

My heart sank. I was appalled. I didn’t expect it from this community. I expected it from people who dont claim to walk around with the love of Jesus for all people. I didn’t expect it from people who were supposed to be my brothers and sisters in Christ.

Yet, comment after comment. Insults about the Black community, speaking about our community as fatherless, criminals, “them,” “those,” the Blacks, etc.

On the flip side, I received DMs of support from some of non-BIPOC Christian sisters but then saw nothing but silence, “life as usual,” or the typical “prayers” post publicly.

There’s nothing wrong with prayers. It’s always the first step. But, just like many Christians march and fight for other issues they feel strongly about, this should be no exception.

Yet again, the Black community is mourning another death that is the result of the systemic racism this country was built upon.

If you are not Black or a BIPOC and you consider yourself a Christian, are you fighting with your Black brothers and sisters? Or, are you using your privilege to stay silent yet again?

Here’s what the (white) Christian community often gets wrong in the fight for racial justice:

1.) Staying Silent

Silence is complicit. Silence shows your BIPOC brothers and sisters that they are not safe with you. It shows them that you have no regard for their grief, their injustice, and their lived experience.

2.) Letting your prayers alone serve as action

Yes, prayer is number one as a Christian. We always go to God in prayer FIRST as the Bible commands us to. But, first does not mean ‘only.’ Your prayers alone are not action. This does not count as doing the work to dismantle your own internal racism and fight against racial injustice in this country, which requires a complete dismantling of the system this country was built on.

3.) Responding with racist remarks and a self-righteous attitude

Unfortunately, this is the largest reaction of all. Blaming the community that is being oppressed, responding with ALL LIVES MATTER, putting their wrongdoings on trial as if wrongdoings are a reason for targeted racism and a system of oppression, using remarks like “them” and “those people",” refusing to acknowledge race as an issue, speaking about the marginalized community as if you know more about their community than they do, etc.

4.) Silencing and gaslighting BIPOC voices

Phrases such as, “that’s not important right now,” or “let’s just focus on Jesus,” or any phrases that question whether racism is at play when a BIPOC is saying it is. If you are not someone who experiences racism (meaning you are not a BIPOC), you cannot speak over a BIPOC’s lived experience. Responses like this further trigger BIPOC and make us feel unsafe (especially within the church).

5.) Not calling racism for what it is - the most dangerous symptom of white supremacy

Yes, this is uncomfortable. But, we have to call it for what it is. BIPOC want to know that this is acknowledged and believed, even within the church. Racism isn’t just a few bad apples. It is not just a heart issue on an individual level. It is a systemic-wide issue that must be dismantled. An unwillingness to see this is typically why every other response I just mentioned is a default response.