For eight weeks, we’ve delved into the topic of Race Conciliation, and although we are moving into a new series, the conversation is not done! We originally created this FAQ page in early June after many people sent in thoughtful feedback and questions. We have now expanded the original answers and added new topics to continue to facilitate the conversation on how the church can seek justice, healing and conciliation.
This updated FAQ was a group effort that passed through several rounds of revisions! Greg Boyd, Paul Eddy and the Woodland Communications Team drafted a series of responses, using input and feedback from Shawna Boren and Osheta Moore, sermon material from Cedrick Baker and Sandra Unger, answers given by Q&A panelists and reflections from the MuseCast team. Our hope is that by digging into these questions and responses, you will be challenged, encouraged and come away with some new ideas and perspectives to consider. And we also hope you will commit to your own long-term journey of learning!
Why are we calling these “Race Conciliation” FAQ?
We use the first word, “Race,” in the singular sense because the idea of separate “races” within the human family came out of 18th & 19th century Western pseudo-scientific thought. As such, it is a social construct that fails to acknowledge the biblical view that we are all one human race.
We use the second word, “Conciliation,” in place of the term “racial reconciliation.” This is because (at least since the Tower of Babel) there has never been a time in history when all of the various human ethnicities have been harmoniously related to each other. So, we are not seeking “RE-conciliation” to a former “conciliated” state, but rather a first-time “conciliation.”
Click the question to read our response:
- What is “Systemic Racism”?
- Is America Still Racist Today?
- What Does Racism Have to Do With Me?
- Who Am I Supposed to Believe?
- Why Are We Only Focused on White People?
- Aren’t We Just Causing More Division by Talking About Racism?
- Don’t You Think if George Floyd Wasn’t Breaking the Law, He’d Still be Alive?
- For Anabaptists, Isn’t Talking About Unjust Laws Engaging in Politics?
- Why Don’t You Denounce the Violence of Rioting and Looting, Too?
- Why Are We Focused on Changing Laws Instead of Changing Hearts?
In addition reading the answers to these FAQs, we encourage you to check out this list of resources concerning Racism & Reconciliation.
