Dear White Christians

Tayo Adesagba
Nov 3 · 3 min read

Confession.

Since 2016, I walk into churches with majority White people and think, “What do you believe? What is behind that smile?” This was new for me because while I am not colorblind, I believe Christianity is a unifying faith. I’ve found it hard to reconcile the principles of my faith (e.g. repentance, compassion, accountability, peace, charity, kindness, love etc.) with the vehement, unyielding support of the current president* for what seems to me obvious reasons.

This isn’t about conservative versus liberal views. Partisanship doesn’t concern or bother me. In fact, I’d argue that neither party adequately frame a Kingdom-centered worldview. What does grieve me is the blindness of Christians who are on the privileged side of the tracks in society to social injustice, especially those plaguing minoritized people.

John writes if you can’t love your brother who you see, how in the Earth (my translation) can you love the Father who you do NOT see?

What angers me is the allegiance to a party or country above a kingdom that is not of this world.

The writer of Hebrew describes the heroes of faith as strangers on Earth*. Peter called believers aliens*. Esteemed writer and philosopher C.S Lewis called this place shadowlands.

So it is beyond me why so many are adamant about parties and apathetic toward people. Honestly, I am scared for you.

Kirk Franklin’s recent boycott of the Gospel Music Association and the Trinity Broadcasting Network draws attention to the racial tensions which have been pervasive in the Christian community for centuries. (To learn more, you can check out my book with my co-author Dr. Kesha Morant Williams). As the Body matures, one would think we would face ourselves in the mirror about the racialization of the Christian faith, the privileging of whiteness in our faith, and the erasure of racial minority and non-Western experiences. How can we ever behold the fullness of the One we know in part, by remaining fragmented and blind to our brothers and sisters who simply do not look like us, and thus have a different lived experience on Earth.

Dear White Christians,

I fear for you. That the same blindness which enabled a biblically-supported white supremacist logic is operating in you today.

I fear that you have bought into the lie that America — a landmass filled with humans who committed horrid actions to other humans is a shining city on a hill and can abscond judgment.

I fear that you think you have fully seen Jesus, when you have chosen to be blind to your brother’s plight.

I fear that you assume to know God, while you have ignored God’s creation.

And I fear even more for those in Christian industries who use their power to champion selective causes, not Kingdom causes.

But as your sister, I suppose I ought to not just tell you the truth, but pray for you. So I’ll work on me. You work on you. May the Holy Spirit help us all.

*Please note, I emphasize vehement because a decision to support leadership also falls in line within some interpretation of Christian principles. However, I question the unyielding passion and blindness to the current presidents’ behaviors.

*Hebrews 11:13, Psalm 39:12, Psalm 119: 19, 1 Peter 2:11

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