JUNE 24, 2020

In His Image: Decoding Race and Injustice from a Christian Perspective

What kinds of privilege exist within the U.S.?

racial/white privilege

gender/male privilege

class privilege

citizenship privilege (i.e., being legally recognized as a citizen vs. being undocumented)

non-disabled privilege (i.e., living without a recognized disability)

 

Favor vs. Privilege

God favors His children because of who He is, not because we deserve it. Humans and man-made institutions arbitrarily privilege certain groups of people based on man-made hierarchies.

References: Luke 2:52, John 1:16

 

What is intersectionality?

Intersectionality (a term coined by Kimberlé Crenshaw) describes how multiple parts of our identity simultaneously work together to determine our access to power in various contexts and to shape how people interact with us.

 

Intersectionality in the Bible

  • Several forms of discrimination can operate at the same time
  1. Woman at the well (John 4:4-26)
  • One can be privileged and oppressed at the same time
  1. Tamar: class privilege, gender discrimination (2 Samuel 13)
  2. Zipporah: class privilege, racial discrimination (Numbers 12)
  3. Jerusalem’s poor: social status, class oppression (Ezekiel 29)

 

Key Points

  • There are multiple kinds of privilege (not just white/racial).
  • Intersectionality describes how we occupy multiple, intersecting identities.
  • Intersectionality—and multiple forms of privilege and oppression—can be found in the Bible.
  • Favor comes from God; but privilege is an invention of man.
  • Anyone who has privilege can choose what to do with it.

 

The 2 Facebook Messages or Articles by Christian Pastors – Listen Wisely and Critically Please:

  1. Pastor Rod Parsley Accused of ‘Sterilizing and Minimizing Racists’ in Defense of Founding Fathers – Google Ohio Pastor on Racism and Facebook
  2. Atlanta megachurch pastor Louie Giglio sets off firestorm by calling slavery a ‘blessing’ to whites – Google Georgia Pastor on Racism and Facebook