We Can Do Better: Healing the Racial Divide (Part 1)


Book Description

“That they may be one even as we are one” - Jesus the Messiah In a response to today’s racially charged climate, Dr. Tony Evans speaks from a spiritual perspective and discusses the need for racial healing in our nation and in our churches. He proposes that at the core of racial disunity lies the failure to understand and execute righteousness and justice from God’s perspective. In this timely digital ebook, which concludes with a personal challenge to all believers, Dr. Evans calls readers to be intentional about embracing God’s desire for oneness.




How to Heal Our Racial Divide


Book Description

"The good news is that the Bible has a lot to say about how to heal our persistent racial divides. In this book, popular Bible teacher Derwin Gray walks us through Scripture, showing us the heart of God--how God from the beginning envisioned a reconciled multiethnic family in loving community, reflecting his beauty and healing presence in the world. This message is central to the gospel itself. After reading this book, you won't read the Bible the same way again--and you'll want to walk through this eye-opening scriptural journey with your friends or small group. As founding pastor of Transformation Church, a multiethnic church located in the Charlotte metro area, Derwin knows firsthand the hurdles and challenges to the reconciliation that Scripture commands. That is why he carefully outlines in this book how to establish color-blessed discipleship in your own church" --




One: Healing the Racial Divide - Study Guide


Book Description

In his timely and compelling new book, pastor and author Dennis Rouse uncovers evidence of the racial inequalities that have plagued the United States and confronts the ways the white-majority church has--often unknowingly--ignored and even supported systems that have brought suffering to their brothers and sisters of color. Rouse challenges readers to examine these issues in the light of Scripture, calling the church to build a "kingdom culture" that transcends biases, preferences and even political loyalties and instead fosters unity and healing in the body of Christ. Having lived in the South and led a multi-ethnic church in the Atlanta area for three decades, Rouse reflects on his own cultural baggage and transparently shares his journey of listening, learning and even repenting for historic wrongs whose repercussions affected the lives of those he loved. Well-researched and written with both grace and conviction, One is not simply a critique of racism and injustice, but a call to action to build bridges of reconciliation on both personal and community levels that reflect the beauty of the gospel in a broken world.




One


Book Description

In his timely and compelling new book, pastor and author Dennis Rouse uncovers evidence of the racial inequalities that have plagued the United States and confronts the ways the white-majority church has - often unknowingly - ignored and even supported systems that have brought suffering to their brothers and sisters of color. Rouse challenges readers to examine these issues in the light of Scripture, calling the church to build a "kingdom culture" that transcends biases, preferences, and even political loyalties, and instead fosters unity and healing in the body of Christ. Having lived in the South and led a multi-ethnic church in the Atlanta area for three decades, Rouse reflects on his own cultural baggage and transparently shares his journey of listening, learning, and even repenting for historic wrongs whose repercussions affected the lives of those he loved. Well-researched and written with both grace and conviction, One is not simply a critique of racism and injustice, but a call to action to build bridges of reconciliation on both personal and community levels that reflect the beauty of the gospel in a broken world.




We Can Do Better: Strategies for Racial Unity through Community Restoration (Part 2)


Book Description

“His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known…” Ephesians 3:10 Churches have been uniquely called to impact our society for good. In this timely digital eBook, Dr. Tony Evans offers "the plan" we have all been looking for to not only bring about racial unity in our country but to also restore our communities. He unveils a local model for the church that will impact your community and effect change in the lives of many. This step-by-step plan is sure to transform communities, and our nation.




Race in America


Book Description

Racism is an issue that is older than the United States itself. Before the 13 colonies became united, there was a wide chasm between the races. From the very beginning, Whites primarily have been treated better than Blacks, strictly because of the color of their skin. Most, if not all, of our founding fathers owned slaves, and it was an accepted practice. Even after the end of the Civil War, which ended slavery strictly from a legal standpoint, Blacks had a difficult time finding opportunity to improve their status. Although Blacks no longer could be owned, for the most part they had no education or marketable skills. The only thing they knew was how to pick cotton and work menial jobs. Whites had little interest in relinquishing their superior status, and Blacks had no recourse. Within a couple of decades after the Civil War, legislation was passed that made the common attitude of White superiority legally accepted. Treating Blacks as less than human was accepted and expected. The problem was worse in the former slave states in the South, but pigmentation often was the most determining factor regarding opportunity for a vast majority of Americans. The Civil Rights Movement of the mid-1900s helped make great progress, including fully giving Blacks the right to vote in 1965, but the problems were not solved. If anything, the attitudes that created the divide became even more entrenched. This is not just a history lesson. Racism still exists today. You can't turn on the news without seeing stories of racial turmoil, most often in our inner-cities. It might be better than it was 350 years ago. It might be better than it was 150 years ago. It might even be better than it was 50 years ago. But it's still very real. It's not a skin-color issue. It's not an economic issue. It's not a geographic issue. A lot of those things may enter into the equation, but they're not the root of the problem. The urban versus suburban divide may be caused by racism, but it doesn't cause r




How to Heal Our Divides


Book Description

Recent times have put a spotlight on the inequities, systems of oppression, and deep divisions in our society. Much has been written that acknowledges and describes racial, political, religious, and other divides, but there is little practical information on what can be done about them. How to Heal Our Divides highlights organizations that are taking real action to address these issues and heal divides in effective and practical ways. Take a look to see how you can help make the world a better place.Reviews"Jesus' final prayer with his disciples (John 17) asked for one thing: that we his followers demonstrate a profound unity that will both convict and attract the watching world. In this time of deep division, this book shows how to do exactly that."- Philip Yancey, author of "What's So Amazing About Grace""Creed and community remind me that changing habits is hard, and practicing solidarity involves wrestling with my own failures. But, with the help of others, each one of us can mend the fault lines in our own lives and lend our hands to repair the world. Read these essays and discover you are not alone. You have friends, co-workers, mentors, and guides for the way." - Diana Butler Bass, author of "Freeing Jesus" "Grateful" and "Grounded""A brilliant and loving collection of real stories, "How to Heal Our Divides" shows what brave, humble people are doing all over the world to heal hurt and build bridges to restoration and peace. With inspiration on every page--written by some of the world's most renowned authors--here's a source of hope and healing that arrives just when we need it most." - Patricia Raybon, award-winning author of "My First White Friend: Reflections on Race, Love and Forgiveness" and "Undivided: A Muslim Daughter, Her Christian Mother, Their Path to Peace""This volume brings together a diverse team of creative practitioners of un-division. All of these practitioners are translating peace-making theory into practice on the street, in the neighborhood, and in the human heart. Not only that, but they are developing and revising theory through their practice. That's what makes each contribution so powerful."- Brian McLaren, author of "Faith After Doubt: Why Your Beliefs Stopped Working and What to Do About It""For twenty-five years, the Center for Courage & Renewal has helped people reclaim the wholeness that is everyone's birthright gift, so they can bring their identity and integrity more fully into their personal, vocational, and public lives. I am happy to participate in 'How to Heal Our Divides' to come alongside other organizations working with similar goals."- Parker J. Palmer, Founder and Senior Partner Emeritus of the Center for Courage & Renewal"A vast book of diverse and accessible ideas the world needs right now!"- Mark Schaefer, author of "Cumulative Advantage""Filled with strong and hopeful voices, How to Heal Our Divides is a book that recognizes it will take more than a Kumbaya moment to bring wholeness to our society. It does the hard work of bringing civil discourse to the page in a way that shows us it is possible to talk even when we don't agree. The healing will begin from there." - Sophfronia Scott, author of "The Seeker and the Monk: Everyday Conversations with Thomas Merton""Projects like the ones in this book are healing the world. My own work as an activist has been shaped by stories like the ones in this book. This is holy work we are doing. It begins with humility."- Shane Claiborne, leader of Red Letter Christians




Mindful of Race


Book Description

How to grow our inner capacity to face racial ignorance and suffering with a wise and caring heart “Racism is a heart disease,” writes Ruth King, “and it's curable.” Exploring a crucial topic seldom addressed in meditation instruction, this revered teacher takes to her pen to shine a compassionate, provocative, and practical light into a deeply neglected and world-changing domain profoundly relevant to all of us. With Mindful of Race, Ruth King offers: Tend first to our suffering, listen to what it is trying to teach us, and direct its energies most effectively for change. Here, she invites us to explore: Ourselves as racial beings, the dynamics of oppression, and our role in racismThe power of paying homage to our most turbulent emotions, and perceiving the wisdom they holdKey mindfulness tools to understand and engage with racial tensionIdentifying our “soft spots” of fear and vulnerability—how we defend them and how to heal themEmbracing discomfort, which is a core competency for transformationHow our thoughts and emotions “rigidify” our sense of self—and how to return to the natural flow of who we areBody, breath, and relaxation practices to befriend and direct our inner resourcesIdentifying our most sensitive “activation points” and tending to them with caring awareness“It’s not just your pain”—the generational constellations of racial rage and ignorance and how to work with themAnd many other compelling topics Drawing on her expertise as a meditation teacher and diversity consultant, King helps readers of all backgrounds examine with fresh eyes the complexity of racial identity and the dynamics of oppression. She offers guided instructions on how to work with our own role in the story of race and shows us how to cultivate a culture of care to come to a place of greater clarity and compassion.




Reparations


Book Description

"Kwon and Thompson's eloquent reasoning will help Christians broaden their understanding of the contemporary conversation over reparations."--Publishers Weekly "A thoughtful approach to a vital topic."--Library Journal Christians are awakening to the legacy of racism in America like never before. While public conversations regarding the realities of racial division and inequalities have surged in recent years, so has the public outcry to work toward the long-awaited healing of these wounds. But American Christianity, with its tendency to view the ministry of reconciliation as its sole response to racial injustice, and its isolation from those who labor most diligently to address these things, is underequipped to offer solutions. Because of this, the church needs a new perspective on its responsibility for the deep racial brokenness at the heart of American culture and on what it can do to repair that brokenness. This book makes a compelling historical and theological case for the church's obligation to provide reparations for the oppression of African Americans. Duke Kwon and Gregory Thompson articulate the church's responsibility for its promotion and preservation of white supremacy throughout history, investigate the Bible's call to repair our racial brokenness, and offer a vision for the work of reparation at the local level. They lead readers toward a moral imagination that views reparations as a long-overdue and necessary step in our collective journey toward healing and wholeness.




Divided by Faith


Book Description

Through a nationwide survey, the authors of this study conclude that US Evangelicals may actually be preserving the racial chasm, not through active racism, but because their theology hinders their ability to recognise systematic injustice.