Color lines are difficult to draw. To talk about racial tension and reconciliation stirs up feelings of discomfort and nothing seems to fit in the tidy 64-color Crayola box.
With a cultural landscape that is blending and melting into various colors, how we as a Church culture responds will either provide beautiful pieces of colorful art, or muttled messes of unblended dissonance.
I was invited to speak at BIOLA University recently about the topic of race and our American landscape. Instead of approaching the conversation with divisive concepts or unresolved frustrations regarding race relations in the United States, I wanted to start the conversation with the simple question of why. Why is the economic, educational, and religious disparity so wide between certain ethnic groups over others? Why is Sunday the most segregated day of the week? Why have we resulted to believing the lies that we as Christians are colorblind?
Using the demographics of BIOLA—The Bible Institute of Los Angeles—and the relationship Jesus had with Samaritans, a framework of population disparity is discussed as well as a call to action to go and love the Samaritan of our community.
The statistics listed in the presentation are from Pew Research Publications:
- The typical income for an American white family is $113,000 per year
- The typical income for a Hispanic family is $6,325
- The typical income for a Black family is $5,677
BIOLA Student Body Demographics:
- 59% of students are White
- 18% of students are Asian
- 15% of students are Hispanic
- 2% of students are Black
Wow Bianca, you don’t even understand what this message means to me! Reading Matthew 18:15. ugghh Enough said. After I read this I understood why my walk has been hindered. I know for a fact God has BIG plans for me because like statistics would have it I should be dead by now. But we serve a powerful God…who works in mysterious ways. Now gotta go make things right, please pray for me to not let my Pomona side come out…jk Thank You!!!
Hahahahaha! Pomona side! You crazy, girl 🙂
I like this a lot. Can I share it on my blog?
I’m scatter-brained so bear with me: Us missionaries in Cambodia like to think we spend time with the native people. We do our “ministry” then go home to make our western dinners, hang out with our white friends because they “get us” and check emails from home or watch american movies.
Lately God’s had me spending even my free time with Cambodians and I’m learning so much. To Cambodians, white people are the high-up race, like royalty, so many of them are scared of us or think we’re all snobs and dislike us. That doesn’t make me mad at them, it makes me sad that there’s a valid reason for it.
As I’ve started to spend time investing in them outside of set ministry times, eating their food in the local market, speaking their language instead of expecting them to try speaking mine…I see that they have more respect for me because I don’t think I’m better than them.
I’m realizing that to love people we don’t just need to give up our time, money and effort-sometimes its even bigger-sometimes we need to give up our culture, or at least parts of it.
On a different note: sometimes I think you’re making up your own words then realize I just need to read dictionary more often, shoulder pads don’t make people look taller, annnnd I love that you’re now matching your jewelry with your ipad cover (yes I have to dig at your style cause I’m jealous of your intellect)
Love ya!
Of course you can share it! Always 🙂
Love ya too 🙂
You are pretty!
I remember when sal graduated from BIOLA years ago I sat wondering where my Hispanic homies were! When he entered the Talbot program I remember telling him I couldn’t wait to hear a Hispanic last name being represented in the masters program! It’s been a long 3 years and slowly he is making his way!
They days he wants to give up I remind him that he represents the minority there! That there could be that one Hispanic undergrad that will find hope in him finishing! I know easier said for me but I cannot wait for the day he walks across that stage with his masters! A celebration if tears for sure! So here’s to the 15 % peppers covered in feta! OPA! sorry I just can’t stop finding your intern story funny!
I know?! I just told Jesse {my intern} and he rolled. We both have a sick sense of humor.
love this! probably the strongest i’ve ever heard you preach. xo
I don’t think our mission as Christians is to bring Social Justice, Jesus said the poor will always be with us. The Great Commission is what we are to be about. As a matter of fact Jesus didn’t come to bring peace but a Sword that will didvide even family members much less people of different races.
Mark 16:15-16 “And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.”
Mark 10:34-36 “Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. For I have come to ‘set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law’; and ‘a man’s enemies will be those of his own household.”
I never said it was our mission. I said it was part and parcel of the gospel. Please hear me when I say this.
Micah 6:8
Hi Buddy,
I feel that it is valid to bring up race/social justice when it comes to Christianity because so many minorities- especially those in college- see Christianity as a racist religion. Something that they cannot/do not want belong to or be a part of because in college they are now learning more and more about all of the injustices against people of color in the name of God. They are learning that there were Chaplains on slave ships, the Spanish colonizing (and raping) in the name of God. Some people have such a hard time seeing beyond all the injustices that happened “in the name of God” that they can’t get to the gospel… and so as part of our mission to bring the gospel we need to find a way to reach people of color- therefore, it becomes step 1 of the mission.
For many white folks they don’t want to touch on the subject because they feel they had nothing to do with it and that it’s not their fault white privilege even exists but it’s there, it’s real and it’s affecting our churches and much of our ATHEIST/AGNOSTIC youth today. And we have a problem at hand and we do not ignore the people of color who feel that God does not love them and they can name too many historical reasons to back up their feelings. WE NEED TO ADDRESS THAT BECAUSE GOD CREATED US ALL IN HIS IMAGE… then comes the Gospel.
I am speaking as a Chican@ Studies major from UCLA who came very close to blaming God for all the things I was being taught at school. In one class I was even told that Justice is only real for those who can afford it… the White Elite. BUT my Lord, my God, my Savior says otherwise and this is where I met a Pastor who is passionate about the connections between Jesus & social justice. After understanding everything I was no longer angry at God, I no longer blamed him for everything that went wrong, I accepted the Gospel as something that was for me too and I began to understand the true heart of the Lord is a heart of compassion.
I hope this makes sense because it it very real and we need to take this barrier down.
Wow. Well said, E.
Yes!! Powerful!!! I need to get you back here at APU-we are missing out!
Love you, boo! Thanks for being my ride-or-die friend!
I love this! In the past year I have been really blessed to have my ignorant color blindness brought to my attention as a middle class white person from a suburban farm town. Messages like this are so important to those of us who grew up without race because it is our job as followers of Christ to make sure that we are doing what Jesus would do and Jesus would look beyond race and s.e.s. and look at the hearts of his people which we can’t do until we figure this out. Amazing message, I always find you have great timing in my life with these posts.
<3 Stephanie
Thanks for the insight, Steph! My desire isn’t to polarize or ostracize, but to unify. I hope that was the crux of the message you heard. Love your comment!
Absolutely! This past year I was a small group Bible study leader for Intervarsity Christian Fellowship on my college campus and that group really brought a lot of knowledge and healing to our campus especially being that we were in The SF bay which is beautifully diverse. You might pass along the book “Being White In A Multiethnic World” to your white friends, it really impacted my boyfriend and I. Another one from them that really impacted me in a cultural and also female standpoint was called ” Wanting To Be Her. ” sorry to spam you but I just love this message! Your posts are so eloquent but relateable.
Erika,
There can’t be true unity without Jesus Christ no matter what color you are. I see your poiunt about being a Chicana as I am a Chicano male who was once part of a Chicano gropu back in the early 90’s. Racism fed a lot of that group and it wan’t until the Holy Spirit had it’s work in me that I repented and came to the Lord. Human reasoning fell on deaf ears. As far as the Colleges go they are antichrist and anti christianity. Thye promote Atheism and Science. What boggles my mind is how Chirstians who go into College allow themselves to be manipulated by these proffessors. Reemember God uses the foolish things of this world to confound the wise. As far as White privilege goes, I would ask you one question; Have you ever been to the South? Many whites there are in poverty and on welfare. Look at the appalachain Mountains, mostly white with extreme poverty. Being poor has nothing to do with color. One thing that bothers me about my Chicano brethren is the need to have the American Dream when in fact the Bible says that we are to be content with food and clothing.
1 Timothy 6:8-“And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content.”
What I tell people when they bring up the fact that many have killed in the nmame of God such as the Europeans when they first came to this country and then so called Americans killing the Natives is that it wasn’t true Christians that did this but actually it was false Insitutional Organized Christianity that did this. That’s why I don’t believe in organized Religion but I believe in the One True God and his son Jesus Christ. I tell them that the Chruch is not a building or a Denomination but that it is “Ekklesia” which means called out ones. I tell them that we as the people are the Church not an organization.
Hi Buddy,
Overall, white privilege still exists, it’s real, it’s out there and statistics can prove it to you… despite the small group that you have described. I love all my peeps and I happen to live in a very multicultural neighborhood – it’s pretty awesome- but no matter how much I love my white folks, white privilege is theirs.
Regarding the not real Christians that have killed in the name of God- I agree. They did not understand the true essence of the love of the Lord. Those murders and atrocities were pretty major and have gone down in history. That being said, Christianity has become viewed by many people of color as a racist institution and it’s hard to preach the gospel without validating people’s pain/hurt – you can’t just say to them those rapes/murders are irrelevant, you have to teach before you can preach and then they will be more open minded/open hearted you know what I mean) to even hearing what you have to say about the Gospel. So, I hear what you’re saying.
A Jesus cares about Social Justice ministry, especially for the college aged student, would be pretty awesome.
Oh, by the way, the Pastor who enlightened me about Jesus’ love and compassion was actually one of my Chican@ Studies professors from UCLA. I love how God put him in my path at a very critical time for me. He became a Pastor after I graduated… he was the Pastor at my wedding. He’s half Mexican, half Chinese married to a White woman.
that. was. POWERFUL! You go Bianca! PREACH for JESUS! 🙂
I loved the points you made on just about every issue we deal with in the area of racial conciliation and I loved how you backed up your opinions with facts, BIBLE-BASED FACTS and tied it all in with pop culture/personal stories/your viewpoint!
May God continue to bless you and equip to you to do all the work He’s called you to in this life and the next! 🙂
Oh, man. This was awesome. You gave me goose-bumps girl!!!
Wish we lived closer so we could get together and swap stories and bounce around ideas. I`d need a novel to tell you everything that came to mind.
One of my favourite statements was your quote about Sunday being the most segregated day of the week. Amen!!
Although I come from an older generation then the students you were speaking to, my generation has to do their part too. We have to ask for forgiveness, re-train our minds to that of Jesus and help and encourage those younger then us.
Read “I” in all that not just “we”….
I too have faced and still face prejudice, even though I’m “white”. Don’t know how many times I’ve been told my brain size must equal my lack of physical size!!
I wish I could say I’ve thought of a great idea and am rushing out to do it. But I can’t……not yet anyway. Me even thinking about rushing out and doing something is a good thing!!!!
Thank you, Bianca
C
Buddy,
As a Latina and Sociology major from CSULB, I often found it difficult to reconcile my Faith with my educational pursuits. What I found was not compromise to worldly pedagogy and watered down religion, but a calling to live out the gospel God delineated within the pages of Scripture. Solving racial tensions and creating a utopia is not the goal of Social Justice, and I agree that without Christ we cannot dream of creating resolutions, but without Christians putting aside superficial differences and reaching across racial, economic, and social borders, we fail to love. And Christ has commanded me to love, in His name.
With that said, I would ask you to think about how you’re approaching this entire conversation. Why focus on doing less for society, our brethren, and God’s children? Why not think about ways more people can see His love, mercy, forgiveness, and salvation. How can WE reach His people? If entire demographics of people are being neglected, why not address them? If our heart is in the right place for the right reasons, why argue?
God has placed a calling in my life to teach in inner-city schools where I will be faced with issues around racial and class struggles. I know from experience how those social forces can play a role in our understanding of God and religion. I need conversations like these to help me face the realities outside the walls of my church. Please try to see how this has less to do with “human reasoning” and more to do with Divine callings, because someone feeding the homeless, visiting orphanages, and clothing the poor speaks louder than words ever will. And many of those in need are also social and racial minorities.
“In these days of difficulty, we Americans everywhere must and shall choose the path of social justice…, the path of faith, the path of hope, and the path of love toward our fellow man.”
-Franklin D. Roosevelt
Oh snap! You get an A+ 😉
Great post Bianca.
That is why I love your Christianity,when you touch matters like this as in the above.You don’t compromise,you are honest and down to earth!
People like you bring me closer to God:))
And challenging as it is,I’ve put you on my bucket list(Christian lovely babe I’d like to meet before I die)
Keep up the good work :))
Hugs
Herta
The first one is per year. It does not look like the other ones are per year. Please check your numbers or give some context as to what the other numbers are. Is that per month week…..
Sorry Just looked at your link. That is NOT INCOME that is net worth. BIG difference. The one is how much you have in the bank the other is how much you make each year. Please correct.
Vagabond, thanks for clicking the link and noticing the correct info. I will always cite things to ensure validity and a non-slanted view point.
In regards to income versus net worth, I don’t see the difference that is worth noting. Whether that’s what one makes, what one has in the bank, or what one has in their pocket, the disparity is what I’m highlighting. I’m not trying to implement policy or start a riot. I’m simply showing the differences.
As a person of faith and an African American, I welcome your perspectives on racial reconciliation. Just to clear up one of your stated facts . According to the US census for 2010 the average annual income of an African American Household is $32,068 $35,525 for Hispanic Households and $51,861 for White Caucasian Households. I want to make sure this is clear because often well meaning persons of faith may not realize how the economic gap by race is not as vast at it may be presented.
http://www.census.gov/newsroom/releases/archives/facts_for_features_special_editions/cb12-ff01.html
Keep up the faith and lets continue to learn and grow together as in Proverbs 27:17 “Iron sharpeneth iron”.
God Bless and Love!
Niambi
Bianca,
I think God reads your blog because yesterday morning I posted this within my post:
A Jesus cares about Social Justice ministry, especially for the college aged student, would be pretty awesome.
And last night Juny announced a new ministry on its way… Awakening and it will be dealing with social justice (for 18-29 y.o.). I couldn’t believe my ears!! I am so excited! I want to give my time to that ministry. Anyway, just wanted to share… I am very excited and I actually had a chance to introduce myself to Juny last night in hopes that I can serve.
Bianca,
You are such an inspiration to me and to others!! I am so glad I can call you my friend. This was amazing! You even brought me to tears. Love you.
Jaime
And if there still is White Privelege that really shouldn’t be our coincern but rather the Gospel that Jesus commanded we spread
Buddy,
I hear you, I really do and I think that our callings and experiences and roads to the gospel are very different. I relate to those who have felt less than in the world and those who can’t stand the idea of white privilege and those who have blamed God for every injustice that exists on earth… and I know how to validate what they feel because I felt it too. So, even if wp is not of YOUR concern, it is of my concern. It’s a barrier that I need to knock down for some people and explain to them that WP does not exist in the eyes of the Lord… that he will give and take away as he chooses for the person but not based on their color. In the beatitudes the Lord has said that the poor and the meek will inherit the kingdom of God- there is no WP in that… it just shows that God loves even those who may feel unloved.
All of us are called to different ministries and to reach people using different bridges. Some of us have been through so much that we are layered like onions and simply hearing the gospel is like another language that we can’t understand. In addition, if we don’t address the different layers how are we to forgive those who we feel have hurt us… without forgiving others we cannot truly love others. Sometimes these political/social issues get in the way of being able to grow our biblical worldview… we need to address them for some, you know de-briefing… undoing what has been done.
Once you become a Christian the road is straight and narrow to finish the race… but there are many roads to Christ & the gospel because we are not all alike.
Hi Bianca,
I just read this and wanted to share with you.
Driven Out: A Black Family’s Battle with Housing Discrimination in the O.C.
http://jesusforrevolutionaries.blogspot.com/2012/11/driven-out-black-familys-battle-with.html