What do you think?
Rate this book
The Myth of Equality: Uncovering the Roots of Injustice and Privilege
2017 Foreword INDIES Book Award Honorable Mention
Publishers Weekly's Five Best Religion Titles of 2017Is privilege real or imagined? It's clear that issues of race and equality have come to the forefront in our nation's consciousness. Every week yet another incident involving racial tension splashes across headlines and dominates our news feeds. But it's not easy to unpack the origins of these tensions, and perhaps we wonder whether any of these issues really has anything to do with us. Ken Wytsma, founder of the Justice Conference, understands these questions. He has gone through his own journey of understanding the underpinnings of inequality and privilege. In this timely, insightful book Wytsma unpacks what we need to know to be grounded in conversations about today's race-related issues. And he helps us come to a deeper understanding of both the origins of these issues and the reconciling role we are called to play as witnesses of the gospel. Inequality and privilege are real. The Myth of Equality opens our eyes to realities we may have never realized were present in our society and world. And we will be changed for the better as a result.
Publishers Weekly's Five Best Religion Titles of 2017Is privilege real or imagined? It's clear that issues of race and equality have come to the forefront in our nation's consciousness. Every week yet another incident involving racial tension splashes across headlines and dominates our news feeds. But it's not easy to unpack the origins of these tensions, and perhaps we wonder whether any of these issues really has anything to do with us. Ken Wytsma, founder of the Justice Conference, understands these questions. He has gone through his own journey of understanding the underpinnings of inequality and privilege. In this timely, insightful book Wytsma unpacks what we need to know to be grounded in conversations about today's race-related issues. And he helps us come to a deeper understanding of both the origins of these issues and the reconciling role we are called to play as witnesses of the gospel. Inequality and privilege are real. The Myth of Equality opens our eyes to realities we may have never realized were present in our society and world. And we will be changed for the better as a result.
208 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2017
148 people are currently reading
2320 people want to read
About the author
Ken Wytsma
14 books43 followersKen Wytsma is a leader, innovator, and social entrepreneur respected for his insight and collaborative spirit. He is the president of Kilns College, where he teaches courses on philosophy and justice. He is the founder of The Justice Conference—an annual international conference that introduces men and women to a wide range of organizations and conversations relating to biblical justice and God’s call to give our lives away.
Ken is a consultant and creative advisor to nonprofits and a sought after speaker on justice, church and culture. A church planter and lead pastor at Antioch Church, Ken lives in Bend, Oregon, with his wife, Tamara, and their four daughters.
Ken’s first book, Pursuing Justice: The Call to Live and Die for Bigger Things, was released in 2012 and his second book, The Grand Paradox: The Messiness of Life, the Mystery of God and the Necessity of Faith, was released in January 2015.
Ken is a consultant and creative advisor to nonprofits and a sought after speaker on justice, church and culture. A church planter and lead pastor at Antioch Church, Ken lives in Bend, Oregon, with his wife, Tamara, and their four daughters.
Ken’s first book, Pursuing Justice: The Call to Live and Die for Bigger Things, was released in 2012 and his second book, The Grand Paradox: The Messiness of Life, the Mystery of God and the Necessity of Faith, was released in January 2015.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 150 reviews
April 11, 2017
I was born in the heart of the South (Birmingham, Alabama), only twenty-three days after the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. in a hospital just blocks from the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church where four African-American girls were killed in a bombing. Race has permeated my memory. Yet for years, I have puzzled over how anyone who calls themselves a follower of Christ can view anyone as inferior or as an other when we are all made in the image of God and are told that for God so loved the world. Too often the Church has been silent on issues of racism and has neglected standing up against injustice towards African-Americans, Native Americans and other minority groups. But why? What is the reason for our neglect towards these issues? Is it because, as James Baldwin has so acutely written, "I imagine one of the reasons people cling to their hate so stubbornly is because they sense, once hate is gone, they will be forced to deal with pain"? Are we afraid to face our own sense of entitlement, racism and complicity?
I believe that if we want change in the world, we must first want change in ourselves.With racism being so prevalent in our culture, I have spent a great deal of time trying to learn more about this issue so that I can not only think more deeply and wisely on such matters, but that I can look within myself to deal honestly with my own sense of white privilege and the racism that still has roots inside of me. I have read powerful works like James Baldwin's The Fire Next Time, Ta-Nehisi Coates' Between The World And Me, Michael Eric Dyson's Tears We Cannot Stop: A Sermon To White America, Michelle Alexander's The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration In The Age Of Colorblindness and Jim Wallis' America's Original Sin.
Along with all of those important works, I would add Ken Wytsma's The Myth of Equality: Uncovering The Roots Of Injustice And Privilege. Wytsma, the lead pastor of Antioch Church in Bend, Oregon and the founder of the Justice Conference, writes a powerful and brutally honest examination of two themes: privilege and responsibility. Using history, theology and current affairs, he traces the roots racism and the Church's inability to confront it and white privilege not only in the culture but within its walls. '
"Racism," he writes, "is the diminishment of worth in men and women in and through bias, systems and power structures that disadvantage them in tangible ways based on skin color. Reverse racism is a phrase thrown around when white people are singled out or described in terms of their whiteness. It is often, however, a gross misapplication of the idea of racism."
This "reverse racism" is something I have heard many times over the years by whites in complaining about there being black colleges and universities, black beauty pageants, BET, and affirmative action. Wytsma confronts this head on, "Losing preferential treatment or letting go of privilege . . . is not the same as experiencing oppression when institutionalized systems and structures harm someone on the basis of the color of their skin."
One of the areas most egregious is the prison system in the United States. As he notes, we have only 4.4% of the world's population and yet we have 22.2% of the world's incarcerated men and women and the majority of them are minorities. (This is a subject addressed in Alexander's The New Jim Crow and Ava DuVernay's amazing documentary 13th).
Yet if one were to ask a majority of white Americans, especially within the Church, about white privilege, most will get defensive and unwilling to even confront the reality of the issue. "Our desire for comfort," says Wytsma, "leads us to defensiveness when we are confronted with the questions of race. But when did our comfort become the standard?" Don't agree with him? Then bring up "Black Lives Matter" and see how many people counter that with, "All lives matter."
"The truth is," he continues, "is, we all love justice, until there's a cost."
Ken Wytsma does a brilliant job of tracing the recent reality of racism, of colonialism (with its injustices of enslavement, rape robbery, extermination), of the subjugation and confinement to reservations of Native Americans and how so much of these atrocities were done in the name of Christ and the Church. He confronts how many have often used the Bible to justify their racism and the institution of slavery and the fallacy of their arguments. Certainly one must ask, as the author does, "How have Christianity and racism been able to coexist so often and in so many places?"
Certainly, at least within evangelical churches, there has been a "false dichotomy" that "sees the gospel as being distinct from societal concerns." What they have often done is disconnect from the concept of social justice. Too many evangelicals view social justice as a political concept when, in fact, it is a biblical one. Justice is a kingdom principle that runs throughout both Old and New Testaments to address social injustices and inequalities. Too many have focused on what they view is the gospel message of missions and salvation but have neglected the day-to-day command to work for both redemption and restoration, of taking care of those who are oppressed, taken advantage of, discriminated against, persecuted and neglected. When Christ reminds us that we will always have the poor with us, he is also reminding us, "Take care of them." When we work for justice we are building the very kingdom of God, on earth as it is in heaven. Ken Wytsma does an excellent job of connecting justice and righteousness. He quotes Gustavo Gutierrez, "To preach the universal love of the Father is to inevitably go against all injustice, privilege, oppression, or narrow nationalism."
Wytsma challenges the reader in a compassionate and compelling way that offers real solutions toward racial reconciliation and social integration. This is a brilliant, important book for the Church to not only read but use for open discussions on the subject of race, white privilege, and how they can promote truly equal social justice.
I believe that if we want change in the world, we must first want change in ourselves.With racism being so prevalent in our culture, I have spent a great deal of time trying to learn more about this issue so that I can not only think more deeply and wisely on such matters, but that I can look within myself to deal honestly with my own sense of white privilege and the racism that still has roots inside of me. I have read powerful works like James Baldwin's The Fire Next Time, Ta-Nehisi Coates' Between The World And Me, Michael Eric Dyson's Tears We Cannot Stop: A Sermon To White America, Michelle Alexander's The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration In The Age Of Colorblindness and Jim Wallis' America's Original Sin.
Along with all of those important works, I would add Ken Wytsma's The Myth of Equality: Uncovering The Roots Of Injustice And Privilege. Wytsma, the lead pastor of Antioch Church in Bend, Oregon and the founder of the Justice Conference, writes a powerful and brutally honest examination of two themes: privilege and responsibility. Using history, theology and current affairs, he traces the roots racism and the Church's inability to confront it and white privilege not only in the culture but within its walls. '
"Racism," he writes, "is the diminishment of worth in men and women in and through bias, systems and power structures that disadvantage them in tangible ways based on skin color. Reverse racism is a phrase thrown around when white people are singled out or described in terms of their whiteness. It is often, however, a gross misapplication of the idea of racism."
This "reverse racism" is something I have heard many times over the years by whites in complaining about there being black colleges and universities, black beauty pageants, BET, and affirmative action. Wytsma confronts this head on, "Losing preferential treatment or letting go of privilege . . . is not the same as experiencing oppression when institutionalized systems and structures harm someone on the basis of the color of their skin."
One of the areas most egregious is the prison system in the United States. As he notes, we have only 4.4% of the world's population and yet we have 22.2% of the world's incarcerated men and women and the majority of them are minorities. (This is a subject addressed in Alexander's The New Jim Crow and Ava DuVernay's amazing documentary 13th).
Yet if one were to ask a majority of white Americans, especially within the Church, about white privilege, most will get defensive and unwilling to even confront the reality of the issue. "Our desire for comfort," says Wytsma, "leads us to defensiveness when we are confronted with the questions of race. But when did our comfort become the standard?" Don't agree with him? Then bring up "Black Lives Matter" and see how many people counter that with, "All lives matter."
"The truth is," he continues, "is, we all love justice, until there's a cost."
Ken Wytsma does a brilliant job of tracing the recent reality of racism, of colonialism (with its injustices of enslavement, rape robbery, extermination), of the subjugation and confinement to reservations of Native Americans and how so much of these atrocities were done in the name of Christ and the Church. He confronts how many have often used the Bible to justify their racism and the institution of slavery and the fallacy of their arguments. Certainly one must ask, as the author does, "How have Christianity and racism been able to coexist so often and in so many places?"
Certainly, at least within evangelical churches, there has been a "false dichotomy" that "sees the gospel as being distinct from societal concerns." What they have often done is disconnect from the concept of social justice. Too many evangelicals view social justice as a political concept when, in fact, it is a biblical one. Justice is a kingdom principle that runs throughout both Old and New Testaments to address social injustices and inequalities. Too many have focused on what they view is the gospel message of missions and salvation but have neglected the day-to-day command to work for both redemption and restoration, of taking care of those who are oppressed, taken advantage of, discriminated against, persecuted and neglected. When Christ reminds us that we will always have the poor with us, he is also reminding us, "Take care of them." When we work for justice we are building the very kingdom of God, on earth as it is in heaven. Ken Wytsma does an excellent job of connecting justice and righteousness. He quotes Gustavo Gutierrez, "To preach the universal love of the Father is to inevitably go against all injustice, privilege, oppression, or narrow nationalism."
Wytsma challenges the reader in a compassionate and compelling way that offers real solutions toward racial reconciliation and social integration. This is a brilliant, important book for the Church to not only read but use for open discussions on the subject of race, white privilege, and how they can promote truly equal social justice.
June 7, 2017
Recently a friend and mentor, who is a person of color, posted on social media of a recent invitation he had to explain white privilege. To white people. My friend is a justice advocate, an activist, and well-known Christian leader. He declined the invitation to write about something he doesn't have. He decided instead to spend his creative energy supporting leaders of color instead of educating us white folk.
But Ken Wytsma, on the other hand, is uniquely gifted and qualified to describe white privilege. He is a pastor in Bend, Oregon, president of Kilns College (where he lectures in philosophy), an author of several quality Christian books, a father of four, and founder of the Justice Conference. He is also pretty darn pasty white. He was asked by Helen Lee at IVP to write a book on White Privilege that would help bridge the gap between those on the forefront of race relations and us white evangelicals who are only beginning to awaken to our racist history (3). In response to both her request and a couple of recent examples of racial bias (in the media, and against folks he knew personally), he wrote The Myth of Equality: Uncovering the Roots of Injustice and Privilege. Wytsma probes the reality of privilege and race, theology and justice and the responsibility of the privileged.
In Part 1, Wytsma reviews the history of race and racial attitudes in America. He describes immigration policies which favored white Europeans, the history of racism in European thought, slavery and Jim Crow, law enforcement practices (e.g. how the War on Drugs disproportionately attacked communities of color), and how urban development has reinforced modern segregation. He offers a pretty solid analysis of America's racial story—how we got here and how people of color still are affected by ongoing systemic injustice.
Part 2 brings this American story into conversation with our theology and the values of the Kingdom of God. Wytsma challenges the church's silence about race and the status quo and calls us to more prophetic engagement (94). He describes how justice is integral to the gospel of Jesus and his cross, and he challenges our transactional and individualized view on faith and spirituality (and the ways privilege plays into it).
In Part 3, Wytsma discusses how white Christians can become more aware of their implicit racial biases, make space for diversity in sharing power and laying down our privilege. This involves intentionally listening and making space for the other, lamenting our troubled history, confessing, and beginning the hard work of dismantling privilege.
This is the fourth book I've read from Wytsma and thus far, I think this is, without a doubt, his best book. He discusses the issues of race without making himself the 'expert' and without offering pat answers to tough questions. Wytsma gives space for the complexity of race and privilege:
Growing up, I wasn't aware of how I benefited from privilege and all the ways that communities of color were affected by institutionalized racial bias and ongoing systemic injustice. I'm still learning, mostly because I have friendships with people of color that have opened my eyes to some things I may not have otherwise seen. But I have other friends and family which are unaware of the dynamics of privilege and race (either through willful ignorance or because their social circles are almost entirely white). Privilege is at play in American race relations. Opportunities that have been afforded us white guys have not historically, and are not, even now, extended to people of color. We can't dismantle privilege if we aren't able to name how it has penetrated our culture and the church. Wytsma does a wonderful job confronting our troubled history and faulty theological assumptions.
This is a short book (only about two hundred pages) so therefore unable to say everything that needs to be said about race and privilege. Wytsma addresses dynamics between whites and blacks most directly, and touches on the Native American/ colonial experience (with a nod toward the late Richard Twiss). He deals with how white privilege affects other minorities more tangentially (i.e. the experiences Latinos and Asians are not in sharp focus here). This isn't a criticism so much as naming the limits of what Wytsma is able to accomplish through this book. I'd also note that this book is more conceptual than practical, aimed at enlarging our understanding of racial dynamics more than providing a road map of what to do about it.
Everybody I know values diversity and multi-culturalism until it costs something. We love when minorities come to our (mostly white) church, but often we demand minorities change and conform to our way before they really belong. Dismantling Privilege involves real partnership, listening and sharing of power. It means listening to and sharing in the burdens of those who have suffered discrimination and shame. It means to change. I recommend Wytsma's book for anyone interested in moving beyond how the dynamics of racism affects us, to effecting real change. All royalties from this book go to The Voices Project , an organization working to empower voices of color. I give this book Five stars ★★★★★
Notice of material connection: I received a copy of this book from the author and publisher in exchange for my honest review.
But Ken Wytsma, on the other hand, is uniquely gifted and qualified to describe white privilege. He is a pastor in Bend, Oregon, president of Kilns College (where he lectures in philosophy), an author of several quality Christian books, a father of four, and founder of the Justice Conference. He is also pretty darn pasty white. He was asked by Helen Lee at IVP to write a book on White Privilege that would help bridge the gap between those on the forefront of race relations and us white evangelicals who are only beginning to awaken to our racist history (3). In response to both her request and a couple of recent examples of racial bias (in the media, and against folks he knew personally), he wrote The Myth of Equality: Uncovering the Roots of Injustice and Privilege. Wytsma probes the reality of privilege and race, theology and justice and the responsibility of the privileged.
In Part 1, Wytsma reviews the history of race and racial attitudes in America. He describes immigration policies which favored white Europeans, the history of racism in European thought, slavery and Jim Crow, law enforcement practices (e.g. how the War on Drugs disproportionately attacked communities of color), and how urban development has reinforced modern segregation. He offers a pretty solid analysis of America's racial story—how we got here and how people of color still are affected by ongoing systemic injustice.
Part 2 brings this American story into conversation with our theology and the values of the Kingdom of God. Wytsma challenges the church's silence about race and the status quo and calls us to more prophetic engagement (94). He describes how justice is integral to the gospel of Jesus and his cross, and he challenges our transactional and individualized view on faith and spirituality (and the ways privilege plays into it).
In Part 3, Wytsma discusses how white Christians can become more aware of their implicit racial biases, make space for diversity in sharing power and laying down our privilege. This involves intentionally listening and making space for the other, lamenting our troubled history, confessing, and beginning the hard work of dismantling privilege.
This is the fourth book I've read from Wytsma and thus far, I think this is, without a doubt, his best book. He discusses the issues of race without making himself the 'expert' and without offering pat answers to tough questions. Wytsma gives space for the complexity of race and privilege:
Everyone wants to think they have a good understanding of race. We often treat it like a yes-or-no category. Are you a racist? No. Therefore, are you good with race? Yes. The problem is, it's not a yes-or-no category but something with a hundred layers of nuance. . . . As a white man writing a book on privilege, I've had to admit from the beginning that my understanding and knowledge of racism end when conversation turns to the firsthand experiences of people of color. (132-33).
Growing up, I wasn't aware of how I benefited from privilege and all the ways that communities of color were affected by institutionalized racial bias and ongoing systemic injustice. I'm still learning, mostly because I have friendships with people of color that have opened my eyes to some things I may not have otherwise seen. But I have other friends and family which are unaware of the dynamics of privilege and race (either through willful ignorance or because their social circles are almost entirely white). Privilege is at play in American race relations. Opportunities that have been afforded us white guys have not historically, and are not, even now, extended to people of color. We can't dismantle privilege if we aren't able to name how it has penetrated our culture and the church. Wytsma does a wonderful job confronting our troubled history and faulty theological assumptions.
This is a short book (only about two hundred pages) so therefore unable to say everything that needs to be said about race and privilege. Wytsma addresses dynamics between whites and blacks most directly, and touches on the Native American/ colonial experience (with a nod toward the late Richard Twiss). He deals with how white privilege affects other minorities more tangentially (i.e. the experiences Latinos and Asians are not in sharp focus here). This isn't a criticism so much as naming the limits of what Wytsma is able to accomplish through this book. I'd also note that this book is more conceptual than practical, aimed at enlarging our understanding of racial dynamics more than providing a road map of what to do about it.
Everybody I know values diversity and multi-culturalism until it costs something. We love when minorities come to our (mostly white) church, but often we demand minorities change and conform to our way before they really belong. Dismantling Privilege involves real partnership, listening and sharing of power. It means listening to and sharing in the burdens of those who have suffered discrimination and shame. It means to change. I recommend Wytsma's book for anyone interested in moving beyond how the dynamics of racism affects us, to effecting real change. All royalties from this book go to The Voices Project , an organization working to empower voices of color. I give this book Five stars ★★★★★
Notice of material connection: I received a copy of this book from the author and publisher in exchange for my honest review.
February 19, 2018
Summary: A white pastor explores the reality of white privilege from the perspectives of both American history and the gospel of the kingdom and how white Christians might pursue justice.
We all like to believe the best about ourselves.Most of us want to believe we are a society where everyone is equal. Most of us would like to believe racism and racial injustices are a thing of the past. And most of us, if we are white, squirm a bit when we hear the phrase "white privilege." I can imagine some who are reading this composing arguments as you read for what you want to say in the comments section.
Ken Wytsma is a white pastor who believes Christians need to have honest conversations about these matters if we are to contribute to healing the racial divides within our churches and society. He speaks of a conversation with a young, white landscaper who has worked hard to build his business and didn't think he'd enjoyed privilege. Wytsma recounts their dialogue:
"I asked him in what part of town he did most of his work.
'In the suburbs,' he said,
I then asked where, specifically, he did his work.
'Mostly in people's backyards,' he answered.
I asked him when he did most of his work.
'Well, during the day, of course,' he quickly retorted.
I asked if I could pose one more question, and he said yes. So I asked him how he got most of his business.
He responded, 'I put flyers in people's doors and sometimes knock at houses where I think there's a particular opportunity I can offer them.'
Having gathered all this information about his business and how his work functions, I asked, 'If you were a young man of color in those mostly white suburbs, is it possible you would be received differently by some of the potential clients?'
. . .
He nodded, and I could see from the look on his face that he finally understood white privilege. White privilege doesn't mean your life isn't hard. It means that if you are a person of color, simply by virtue of that, your life might be harder." (pp. 25-26)
Wytsma's book is broken into three parts. The first, titled "The Story of Race" explores the history of race in America through several historical lenses. He considers the history of immigration and the emergence of white supremacy. He steps back into European history and explores the roots of racism in Shakespeare, philosophy, colonization, and post-conquest treatment of Native Americans. He explores the history of slavery in the U.S., and the failed post-Civil War effort of Reconstruction succeeded by the rise of Jim Crow, disenfranchisement, political strategies of the Republican party to win the White south, and the war on drugs. The concluding chapter in this section is on the Great Migration to northern and western cities, and how redlining practices shaped these cities long after they were outlawed. He mentions the FHA/HOLC maps from the 1930's that "graded" neighborhoods for the purpose of granting loans, with "D" areas in red, and deemed uncreditworthy. (Here is the map of my hometown of Youngstown; I grew up in a "C" or yellow area, but it was still part of the "white west side" and indeed, most Blacks lived in the "red" areas of town).
Part two focuses on theology as Wytsma considers "Equality and the Kingdom of God." He speaks tellingly of all the "off limit" subjects in our "authentic" churches and how they reveal our conflicted loyalties between "empire" and "the kingdom of God." He explores our truncated gospel, and how we leave out justice, not realizing that "justice," "righteousness" and "justify" derive from the same words. To be in right relationship or justified with God and to be in right or just relation with neighbor are part of one gospel of the kingdom. He discusses what he calls our "salvation-industrial" complex that reduces salvation to how many have prayed a "sinner's prayer," a metric that can translate into enhanced donations for a ministry. This becomes a very individualized experience that fails to reckon with what it means to be incorporated into a new humanity that transcends all human-made divisions and national boundaries.
In Part Three, Wytsma outlines how we begin to address white privilege. He describes how implicit racial bias can shape our thinking, whether in an interview or a police stop.and how this may be overcome. He challenges our Christian conference complex that is often pervaded by white speakers from the platform, and other ways we simply don't recognize people of other ethnicities and give them a place at the table, or even yield the table (or podium) to them. Finally he speaks of the steps we may take to open ourselves to the other, and even find ourselves in the other--listening and learning, lamenting, confessing, and laying down our privilege to raise up others.
What I appreciate throughout the book is that the point is not shaming or laying guilt but helping us understand and wake up to something to which we may have been oblivious. Wytsma helps us follow his own journey of understanding. Along the way, he helped me see that to attempt to deny or defend privilege is to carry a heavy burden, and one that isolates me from the manifold riches of a diverse community of believers. Recognizing privilege, honestly facing and lamenting the way it has hurt others, and laying it down as a gift to others, to bless others and share that privilege with them is liberating.
We are also facing a major demographic challenge as a nation, in which people of color will be in the numerical majority by 2050. It is one that faces white Christians with a challenge and an opportunity. Will we try to hang onto something of which others are desperately seeking a share, or will we both enrich, and allow ourselves to be enriched by brothers and sisters whose skin color is darker than ours? Instead of fearing what we might lose, might we consider both what we may give and gain?
We all like to believe the best about ourselves.Most of us want to believe we are a society where everyone is equal. Most of us would like to believe racism and racial injustices are a thing of the past. And most of us, if we are white, squirm a bit when we hear the phrase "white privilege." I can imagine some who are reading this composing arguments as you read for what you want to say in the comments section.
Ken Wytsma is a white pastor who believes Christians need to have honest conversations about these matters if we are to contribute to healing the racial divides within our churches and society. He speaks of a conversation with a young, white landscaper who has worked hard to build his business and didn't think he'd enjoyed privilege. Wytsma recounts their dialogue:
"I asked him in what part of town he did most of his work.
'In the suburbs,' he said,
I then asked where, specifically, he did his work.
'Mostly in people's backyards,' he answered.
I asked him when he did most of his work.
'Well, during the day, of course,' he quickly retorted.
I asked if I could pose one more question, and he said yes. So I asked him how he got most of his business.
He responded, 'I put flyers in people's doors and sometimes knock at houses where I think there's a particular opportunity I can offer them.'
Having gathered all this information about his business and how his work functions, I asked, 'If you were a young man of color in those mostly white suburbs, is it possible you would be received differently by some of the potential clients?'
. . .
He nodded, and I could see from the look on his face that he finally understood white privilege. White privilege doesn't mean your life isn't hard. It means that if you are a person of color, simply by virtue of that, your life might be harder." (pp. 25-26)
Wytsma's book is broken into three parts. The first, titled "The Story of Race" explores the history of race in America through several historical lenses. He considers the history of immigration and the emergence of white supremacy. He steps back into European history and explores the roots of racism in Shakespeare, philosophy, colonization, and post-conquest treatment of Native Americans. He explores the history of slavery in the U.S., and the failed post-Civil War effort of Reconstruction succeeded by the rise of Jim Crow, disenfranchisement, political strategies of the Republican party to win the White south, and the war on drugs. The concluding chapter in this section is on the Great Migration to northern and western cities, and how redlining practices shaped these cities long after they were outlawed. He mentions the FHA/HOLC maps from the 1930's that "graded" neighborhoods for the purpose of granting loans, with "D" areas in red, and deemed uncreditworthy. (Here is the map of my hometown of Youngstown; I grew up in a "C" or yellow area, but it was still part of the "white west side" and indeed, most Blacks lived in the "red" areas of town).
Part two focuses on theology as Wytsma considers "Equality and the Kingdom of God." He speaks tellingly of all the "off limit" subjects in our "authentic" churches and how they reveal our conflicted loyalties between "empire" and "the kingdom of God." He explores our truncated gospel, and how we leave out justice, not realizing that "justice," "righteousness" and "justify" derive from the same words. To be in right relationship or justified with God and to be in right or just relation with neighbor are part of one gospel of the kingdom. He discusses what he calls our "salvation-industrial" complex that reduces salvation to how many have prayed a "sinner's prayer," a metric that can translate into enhanced donations for a ministry. This becomes a very individualized experience that fails to reckon with what it means to be incorporated into a new humanity that transcends all human-made divisions and national boundaries.
In Part Three, Wytsma outlines how we begin to address white privilege. He describes how implicit racial bias can shape our thinking, whether in an interview or a police stop.and how this may be overcome. He challenges our Christian conference complex that is often pervaded by white speakers from the platform, and other ways we simply don't recognize people of other ethnicities and give them a place at the table, or even yield the table (or podium) to them. Finally he speaks of the steps we may take to open ourselves to the other, and even find ourselves in the other--listening and learning, lamenting, confessing, and laying down our privilege to raise up others.
What I appreciate throughout the book is that the point is not shaming or laying guilt but helping us understand and wake up to something to which we may have been oblivious. Wytsma helps us follow his own journey of understanding. Along the way, he helped me see that to attempt to deny or defend privilege is to carry a heavy burden, and one that isolates me from the manifold riches of a diverse community of believers. Recognizing privilege, honestly facing and lamenting the way it has hurt others, and laying it down as a gift to others, to bless others and share that privilege with them is liberating.
We are also facing a major demographic challenge as a nation, in which people of color will be in the numerical majority by 2050. It is one that faces white Christians with a challenge and an opportunity. Will we try to hang onto something of which others are desperately seeking a share, or will we both enrich, and allow ourselves to be enriched by brothers and sisters whose skin color is darker than ours? Instead of fearing what we might lose, might we consider both what we may give and gain?
October 6, 2020
As a follower of Christ, I was looking for a Christian perspective that addresses injustice in America, and this book turned out to be a great choice.
One of the surprising facts that I found in this book was that the white-washing of Christianity could be traced back to the time of Michelangelo, who portrayed God as a white European in the fresco painting of the Sistine chapel. I had seen the image when I was a college student, but at that time, I never even questioned the ethnicity of the people in the picture. No wonder I didn’t think it odd since all the portraits of Jesus and his disciples I have seen in my lifetime up until then always depicted Him as white, and I have come to accept that as a fact, not something that has room for discussion. Ken Wytsma warns us that exposure to a biased ideology ( e.g., Hollywood movies ) ingrains deeply into us an implicit racial bias that will blind us until the day we open our eyes and learn that injustice has been around all along.
We all need to learn about racism - how it came to be, how we can address it, and what we can do to eradicate it. Ken says privilege and justice don’t go well together. I agree. The privileged should be ready to lay down their rights and make way for voices that never had a chance to be heard. It is difficult to give up seats we think we deserve since we believe we worked hard to earn them. But in reality, we who have an advantage in society made our status not because we worked hard, but because we have shaped our system into a structure where only a small amount of people ( namely white ) can benefit from it.
If you are looking for a compelling book that explains systemic racism in America but don’t know where to begin, this could be a great place to start.
One of the surprising facts that I found in this book was that the white-washing of Christianity could be traced back to the time of Michelangelo, who portrayed God as a white European in the fresco painting of the Sistine chapel. I had seen the image when I was a college student, but at that time, I never even questioned the ethnicity of the people in the picture. No wonder I didn’t think it odd since all the portraits of Jesus and his disciples I have seen in my lifetime up until then always depicted Him as white, and I have come to accept that as a fact, not something that has room for discussion. Ken Wytsma warns us that exposure to a biased ideology ( e.g., Hollywood movies ) ingrains deeply into us an implicit racial bias that will blind us until the day we open our eyes and learn that injustice has been around all along.
We all need to learn about racism - how it came to be, how we can address it, and what we can do to eradicate it. Ken says privilege and justice don’t go well together. I agree. The privileged should be ready to lay down their rights and make way for voices that never had a chance to be heard. It is difficult to give up seats we think we deserve since we believe we worked hard to earn them. But in reality, we who have an advantage in society made our status not because we worked hard, but because we have shaped our system into a structure where only a small amount of people ( namely white ) can benefit from it.
If you are looking for a compelling book that explains systemic racism in America but don’t know where to begin, this could be a great place to start.
April 16, 2019
I’ll split my review into two parts. First, an outline, without too many details or personal thoughts. Second, a bullet point list of ideas from the book and some of my own personal thoughts. But as a disclaimer, these are not my permanent opinions per se (I have much to think about and learn).
—
Outline:
The book is split into three parts. The first is historical, giving a detailed history of race in America. This was enlightening, and there was much I simply didn’t know (things such as “convict leasing”). Moreover, I can’t think of much I disagreed with here. I enjoyed this.
The second part was about how justice relates to Christianity. HIs main thrust here was not race, but the idea of justice. This was nothing too new to me, but he did it in a more respectable and agreeable way than many I’ve heard before. He basically argues that we are saved without works, but it results in works, specifically of justice. Amen. And in this section was by far my favorite chapter in the book about “The Salvation Industrial Complex” where he traced the beginnings of the Sinner’s Prayer, “asking Jesus into my heart,” and individualism, showing how these have affected the church’s call to justice. As for this section, although I definitely wouldn’t word things sometimes the way he did (like saying our gospel is too cross-centered—I get what he was saying after he defined it, but way too provocative), I basically agreed with everything here as well.
These two sections took up 135 pages of a 190 page book. So, this was the majority of the book: section 1, history; section 2, basic calling for our faith to include justice. So far, so good.
Section three was then challenging with ideas such as implicit memories, implicit racial bias, soft segregation, and the need to listen. Without going into too much detail, I found myself agreeing with much of what he was saying, but wanting him to explain more. I though when he got specific, it was good. But when he got vague (which was on the more important parts, such as explaining exactly how we have implicit racial bias), I found myself sort of disagreeing because I felt like he was pushing vague ideas—ideas I was hoping he’d define much more! More on some of these below.
—
Bullet Point Ideas and Thoughts:
- He defines “soft” white supremacy as “a white normative standard that emerged throughout the history of our immigration system, as well as other policies, systems, and social structures” (20). I have no problem with that. Being white is and has been standard, and history does show that it is a ‘privilege’ therefore. He distinguishes between hard white supremacy—which does not exist anymore and would never allow a black president—and soft white supremacy here, stating, “Soft white supremacy is our current reality of racial profiling, mass incarceration of minors, and a highly segregating society resulting from federal housing policies of precious generations—all while we had a black president” (21).
- As for white privilege, he defines: “White privilege doesn’t mean your life isn’t hard. It means that if you are a person of color, simply by virtue of that, your life might be harder…White privilege has meant, historically, that you’ve been born into the middle of the river, where things flow more easily. WHite privilege means that even if you’re the unluckiest white person born in the United States, you were still born into a fortunate race” (25-26). I have no problem in the least with any of that and agree. (That, however, is quite different from other definitions or implications I have heard on the topic.)
- I loved his argument for how, technically speaking, there is no race besides the human race. And he doesn’t just say this, he shows it with science, showing how, quoting a anthropologist, “human physical characteristics, including coloration, if graphed on a map of the world, show smith transitions on both the north-south and east-west axes” (31). He then adds, “Indeed, the most remarkable thing about the genetics of humanity is how *little* diversity it contains in comparison to other populations of creatures, including other primates” (31).
- His historical information about the “doctrine of discovery,” “convict leasing,” and “redlining” and “white flight” were all very insightful.
- His idea of Americans craving aristocracy was so true—a great way to put it too.
- I think his way of framing Christians as being “too cross centered” (102) was very unhelpful. And ironically, for someone who so wants to spark conversations, it’s statement like that which unfortunately really hurt the conversation! I got where he was going, as he explained it throughout the chapter. But that’s not helpful.
- As stated above, his chapter on the Sinner’s Prayer, cheap revivalism, Finney, and “asking Jesus into my heart” was the best exegesis and theology of the book. Right on target.
- As for “implicit memories” and “implicit racial bias,” I don’t necessarily fully disagree with him, but, as stated a bit above, I was thoroughly disappointed at how vague he was being. He kept saying things about how we have it and must be honest about it, but any examples he did give were strange and extreme (such as him noticing a woman becoming very uncomfortable when a 30 year old black man sat next to her on a plane), and therefore made me think I didn’t suffer from it the way he was saying I do. I wish he got more specific.(…But maybe that’s the bigger issue?)
- His ideas about compassion not equaling justice was good, especially as he applied it to short-term missions.
- His point about “creation stories” for each race in America differing was helpful. For example, as white people we’re always taught we were born into the best country in the world, with potential, etc. That’s the average white person’s creation story they’re told. But for the Asian American or African American it is quite different, especially with slavery. I sympathize here. And so, when he quoted a person about the “Black Lives Matter” movement saying, “I wish someone would have told me as a little kid, ‘Your little black life matters’” I had more sympathy than I’d ever had before on the issue. I still think a lot of it is misguided and unhelpful. But still, he’s right: the creation narrative is totally different.
- For the first time in my life, with his argument based on Daniel 9 and Daniel confessing for the sins of his people—many of which Daniel himself would’ve been too young to commit himself—I started to see that maybe we as the church should confess sins we have done in the past. Should we *repent* of them? Probably not (Wytsma doesn’t use the word ‘repent’). But we probably should own up to how we’ve messed up badly in history, and not just let our American individualism (saying it wasn’t us individually) take away from the wrong and need to confess.
- His final four exhortations were great: 1) Listen and learn; 2) Lament; 3) Confession; and 4) Lay down privilege. The last one may seem very debatable, but not really once you read what he means. Essentially, he just is saying to use opportunities you might have that others don’t have and use them to foster diversity. Fair and good.
Overall, it had a lot of good insight. But it wasn’t as bold or specific as I hoped. Out of everything, it gave me a much greater appreciation for history. I now see more how messed up things were for other races in America, and how twisted old systems and policies were—it was much more complicated than just racism, segregation, or Jim Crow. As for how those still are leaving residue today, although Wytsma kept saying they were, he never got specific. So, I leave the book appreciating the history, appreciating the call to sympathy, but not seeing much more of a step forward except for the four final exhortations (listed in the final bullet point above). But maybe that’s all Wytsma was aiming for: getting people to listen more, lament injustice they see, confess, and be willing to go out of the way to help the less privileged racially.
In short, if he was aiming at convincing me that there’s a systemic race problem, I wasn’t convinced because he didn’t get specific. If he was aiming at explaining history, fostering sympathy, and creating a desire to listen more, he did a great job.
—
Outline:
The book is split into three parts. The first is historical, giving a detailed history of race in America. This was enlightening, and there was much I simply didn’t know (things such as “convict leasing”). Moreover, I can’t think of much I disagreed with here. I enjoyed this.
The second part was about how justice relates to Christianity. HIs main thrust here was not race, but the idea of justice. This was nothing too new to me, but he did it in a more respectable and agreeable way than many I’ve heard before. He basically argues that we are saved without works, but it results in works, specifically of justice. Amen. And in this section was by far my favorite chapter in the book about “The Salvation Industrial Complex” where he traced the beginnings of the Sinner’s Prayer, “asking Jesus into my heart,” and individualism, showing how these have affected the church’s call to justice. As for this section, although I definitely wouldn’t word things sometimes the way he did (like saying our gospel is too cross-centered—I get what he was saying after he defined it, but way too provocative), I basically agreed with everything here as well.
These two sections took up 135 pages of a 190 page book. So, this was the majority of the book: section 1, history; section 2, basic calling for our faith to include justice. So far, so good.
Section three was then challenging with ideas such as implicit memories, implicit racial bias, soft segregation, and the need to listen. Without going into too much detail, I found myself agreeing with much of what he was saying, but wanting him to explain more. I though when he got specific, it was good. But when he got vague (which was on the more important parts, such as explaining exactly how we have implicit racial bias), I found myself sort of disagreeing because I felt like he was pushing vague ideas—ideas I was hoping he’d define much more! More on some of these below.
—
Bullet Point Ideas and Thoughts:
- He defines “soft” white supremacy as “a white normative standard that emerged throughout the history of our immigration system, as well as other policies, systems, and social structures” (20). I have no problem with that. Being white is and has been standard, and history does show that it is a ‘privilege’ therefore. He distinguishes between hard white supremacy—which does not exist anymore and would never allow a black president—and soft white supremacy here, stating, “Soft white supremacy is our current reality of racial profiling, mass incarceration of minors, and a highly segregating society resulting from federal housing policies of precious generations—all while we had a black president” (21).
- As for white privilege, he defines: “White privilege doesn’t mean your life isn’t hard. It means that if you are a person of color, simply by virtue of that, your life might be harder…White privilege has meant, historically, that you’ve been born into the middle of the river, where things flow more easily. WHite privilege means that even if you’re the unluckiest white person born in the United States, you were still born into a fortunate race” (25-26). I have no problem in the least with any of that and agree. (That, however, is quite different from other definitions or implications I have heard on the topic.)
- I loved his argument for how, technically speaking, there is no race besides the human race. And he doesn’t just say this, he shows it with science, showing how, quoting a anthropologist, “human physical characteristics, including coloration, if graphed on a map of the world, show smith transitions on both the north-south and east-west axes” (31). He then adds, “Indeed, the most remarkable thing about the genetics of humanity is how *little* diversity it contains in comparison to other populations of creatures, including other primates” (31).
- His historical information about the “doctrine of discovery,” “convict leasing,” and “redlining” and “white flight” were all very insightful.
- His idea of Americans craving aristocracy was so true—a great way to put it too.
- I think his way of framing Christians as being “too cross centered” (102) was very unhelpful. And ironically, for someone who so wants to spark conversations, it’s statement like that which unfortunately really hurt the conversation! I got where he was going, as he explained it throughout the chapter. But that’s not helpful.
- As stated above, his chapter on the Sinner’s Prayer, cheap revivalism, Finney, and “asking Jesus into my heart” was the best exegesis and theology of the book. Right on target.
- As for “implicit memories” and “implicit racial bias,” I don’t necessarily fully disagree with him, but, as stated a bit above, I was thoroughly disappointed at how vague he was being. He kept saying things about how we have it and must be honest about it, but any examples he did give were strange and extreme (such as him noticing a woman becoming very uncomfortable when a 30 year old black man sat next to her on a plane), and therefore made me think I didn’t suffer from it the way he was saying I do. I wish he got more specific.(…But maybe that’s the bigger issue?)
- His ideas about compassion not equaling justice was good, especially as he applied it to short-term missions.
- His point about “creation stories” for each race in America differing was helpful. For example, as white people we’re always taught we were born into the best country in the world, with potential, etc. That’s the average white person’s creation story they’re told. But for the Asian American or African American it is quite different, especially with slavery. I sympathize here. And so, when he quoted a person about the “Black Lives Matter” movement saying, “I wish someone would have told me as a little kid, ‘Your little black life matters’” I had more sympathy than I’d ever had before on the issue. I still think a lot of it is misguided and unhelpful. But still, he’s right: the creation narrative is totally different.
- For the first time in my life, with his argument based on Daniel 9 and Daniel confessing for the sins of his people—many of which Daniel himself would’ve been too young to commit himself—I started to see that maybe we as the church should confess sins we have done in the past. Should we *repent* of them? Probably not (Wytsma doesn’t use the word ‘repent’). But we probably should own up to how we’ve messed up badly in history, and not just let our American individualism (saying it wasn’t us individually) take away from the wrong and need to confess.
- His final four exhortations were great: 1) Listen and learn; 2) Lament; 3) Confession; and 4) Lay down privilege. The last one may seem very debatable, but not really once you read what he means. Essentially, he just is saying to use opportunities you might have that others don’t have and use them to foster diversity. Fair and good.
Overall, it had a lot of good insight. But it wasn’t as bold or specific as I hoped. Out of everything, it gave me a much greater appreciation for history. I now see more how messed up things were for other races in America, and how twisted old systems and policies were—it was much more complicated than just racism, segregation, or Jim Crow. As for how those still are leaving residue today, although Wytsma kept saying they were, he never got specific. So, I leave the book appreciating the history, appreciating the call to sympathy, but not seeing much more of a step forward except for the four final exhortations (listed in the final bullet point above). But maybe that’s all Wytsma was aiming for: getting people to listen more, lament injustice they see, confess, and be willing to go out of the way to help the less privileged racially.
In short, if he was aiming at convincing me that there’s a systemic race problem, I wasn’t convinced because he didn’t get specific. If he was aiming at explaining history, fostering sympathy, and creating a desire to listen more, he did a great job.
May 1, 2018
Like most from the left, his tolerance is only for those who agree with liberal talking points. This book contained more politics than bible. Jesus is portrayed as a leftist freedom fighter, who calls for social progressivism instead of individual forgiveness and salvation.
When giving the history of Slavery and Jim Crow, he leaves out the fact that these were created and maintained solely by Democrats. Even today leftist politicians like Hillary Clinton hold in high esteem those whose hatred of minorities were a major part of their fame (i.e. Robert Bird[KKK], Margret Sanger[Planned Parenthood], etc.)
The Republican party, the party of Lincoln, was created for the sole purpose of stopping slavery. But you will never hear that in this book. He lumps Republicans from Nixon to Reagan into the racist category, while leaving Atheist, racists, and bigots on the left unscathed. He believes the war on drugs was waged just to arrest minorities, when in reality, many of these laws were created by minority-ran-offices in large cities to save their neighborhoods from gang violence. Instead of real solutions to fix racism, you will read how Taylor Swifts newest song is racially insensitive because the video did not contain minorities.
I attend a multi-racial church. We are almost 50/50 black and white. I lead worship and our worship team is reflective of our congregation. I am white and my campus pastor is African-American. I like to think of our church as a taste of what Heaven will be. People from different races, backgrounds, and political affiliations - all loving each other despite our differences. I do not see this in the book I am now reviewing. I see blame placed on the shoulders of one side. We are ALL born in sin. We ALL need a savior. We ALL have racist tendencies.
This book should have tried to bring us together, but leaves us fragmented and disjointed.
Just my two cents.
When giving the history of Slavery and Jim Crow, he leaves out the fact that these were created and maintained solely by Democrats. Even today leftist politicians like Hillary Clinton hold in high esteem those whose hatred of minorities were a major part of their fame (i.e. Robert Bird[KKK], Margret Sanger[Planned Parenthood], etc.)
The Republican party, the party of Lincoln, was created for the sole purpose of stopping slavery. But you will never hear that in this book. He lumps Republicans from Nixon to Reagan into the racist category, while leaving Atheist, racists, and bigots on the left unscathed. He believes the war on drugs was waged just to arrest minorities, when in reality, many of these laws were created by minority-ran-offices in large cities to save their neighborhoods from gang violence. Instead of real solutions to fix racism, you will read how Taylor Swifts newest song is racially insensitive because the video did not contain minorities.
I attend a multi-racial church. We are almost 50/50 black and white. I lead worship and our worship team is reflective of our congregation. I am white and my campus pastor is African-American. I like to think of our church as a taste of what Heaven will be. People from different races, backgrounds, and political affiliations - all loving each other despite our differences. I do not see this in the book I am now reviewing. I see blame placed on the shoulders of one side. We are ALL born in sin. We ALL need a savior. We ALL have racist tendencies.
This book should have tried to bring us together, but leaves us fragmented and disjointed.
Just my two cents.
June 5, 2017
Starting a conversation about race is difficult, especially when you are in the context of the white evangelical church. This book gives us the tools needed to begin that conversation by diving into the history of race in America and bringing to light not only WHAT is going on, but WHY we should care. I would call this a must-read for anyone who identifies as a Christian in America.
(All royalties go to helping publish leaders of color through the new Voices Publishing initiative with The Voices Project.)
(All royalties go to helping publish leaders of color through the new Voices Publishing initiative with The Voices Project.)
June 23, 2017
So. Is privilege in the United States real, or is it something that people imagine, for any number of reasons? Author Ken Wytsma takes a look at this issue in The Myth of Equality: Uncovering the Roots of Injustice and Privilege.
In my book reviews, I normally don’t make a big point of the author’s race or gender. Nevertheless, I’ll note that this book, which is directed toward a Christian audience, was written by a white man. And, yes, a lot of people—especially white people—should read it. It’s important to bear in mind that the fight for racial equality in the U.S. isn’t something any one race should be fighting for alone.
I’ll also note that this book isn’t out to just broadcast grievances, to shame the country, and to make people feel guilty. No, this is about seeing the historical roots of a very real problem, as you can’t truly remedy anything without getting to the bottom of it. The author also includes action points, so readers won’t be left with this problem without any idea what to do next.
The book has so many compelling points, like the need not to merely do acts of justice, but to become just. Or the idea that people might think they’re following the golden rule (“Do unto others as you would have them do unto you”) when really they’re following the silver rule (“Don’t do to others what you wouldn’t have them do to you.”) The silver rule is passive. The golden rule requires action.
I highly recommend this book for the Christian community. If you think racial issues are “just politics” or not something that Christians should be too concerned about, I’d encourage you all the more to read this.
_______________________
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley for an honest review.
In my book reviews, I normally don’t make a big point of the author’s race or gender. Nevertheless, I’ll note that this book, which is directed toward a Christian audience, was written by a white man. And, yes, a lot of people—especially white people—should read it. It’s important to bear in mind that the fight for racial equality in the U.S. isn’t something any one race should be fighting for alone.
I’ll also note that this book isn’t out to just broadcast grievances, to shame the country, and to make people feel guilty. No, this is about seeing the historical roots of a very real problem, as you can’t truly remedy anything without getting to the bottom of it. The author also includes action points, so readers won’t be left with this problem without any idea what to do next.
The book has so many compelling points, like the need not to merely do acts of justice, but to become just. Or the idea that people might think they’re following the golden rule (“Do unto others as you would have them do unto you”) when really they’re following the silver rule (“Don’t do to others what you wouldn’t have them do to you.”) The silver rule is passive. The golden rule requires action.
I highly recommend this book for the Christian community. If you think racial issues are “just politics” or not something that Christians should be too concerned about, I’d encourage you all the more to read this.
_______________________
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley for an honest review.
December 13, 2017
Short Review: This is is a book well worth reading. It opens with an excellent summary of history and review of the issues that have perpetuated and encouraged racism and inequality in the US. Then it moves to theology and diagnoses the problem as an overly individualistic understanding of our faith and a rejection of justice in this world as an important feature to our faith. He ends with a discussion of privilege and practical steps of how we can help resolve relationship, minimize our own racist actions and empower those around us that are too often ignored.
But, and I think it is a pretty big but, I am not sure that the book will be understood by many. Wytsma I think is theologically right here. But many that currently reject issues of race and inequality as important will reject his theology as outside of their bounds of Christianity and therefore reject his history, sociology and prescriptions because they reject his theology.
I do not know what we do with that. It is overly simplified to be a 'liberal' issue. Wytsma's quoting of James Cone and his discussion of justice as essential to the gospel, while good and theologically right in my mind, means that he will be dismissed as 'focused on identity politics' or 'marxist analysis'.
That being said, 'liberals' are not necessarily better at race issues. So even if this is a book that only impacts the left side of the evangelical world, it will still be important.
My full review is on my blog at http://bookwi.se/myth-of-equality/
But, and I think it is a pretty big but, I am not sure that the book will be understood by many. Wytsma I think is theologically right here. But many that currently reject issues of race and inequality as important will reject his theology as outside of their bounds of Christianity and therefore reject his history, sociology and prescriptions because they reject his theology.
I do not know what we do with that. It is overly simplified to be a 'liberal' issue. Wytsma's quoting of James Cone and his discussion of justice as essential to the gospel, while good and theologically right in my mind, means that he will be dismissed as 'focused on identity politics' or 'marxist analysis'.
That being said, 'liberals' are not necessarily better at race issues. So even if this is a book that only impacts the left side of the evangelical world, it will still be important.
My full review is on my blog at http://bookwi.se/myth-of-equality/
June 23, 2020
The first third of the book, focusing on the history of race in America, was informative in some ways. However, the book as a whole (including that first section) comes off as a very shallow treatment of a very complex subject. The second and third sections were particularly frustrating, as the gospel is largely absent or obscured in these portions in spite of the frequent references to (and misquotations of) Scripture. It also doesn't help that the author gives what appears to be a full endorsement of liberation theology as well. I came to the book hoping to grow in my understanding of current issues surrounding race and injustice, but I ended up feeling disappointed by what was offered here.
July 10, 2020
This is an excellent look at the history of race in America, especially the inequality that has been engrained in our culture in different ways throughout our history. The [white] church's role in this has often been lacking, whether by perpetuating injustice or standing by silently. The church and its members have a responsibility as followers of Christ to do justice.
I learned about a lot of specific ways in which there has been and is inequality in our country. I also will take away a greater sense of responsibility for being an agent of change. I recommend this to anyone trying to educate themselves about race and justice from a Christian perspective.
I learned about a lot of specific ways in which there has been and is inequality in our country. I also will take away a greater sense of responsibility for being an agent of change. I recommend this to anyone trying to educate themselves about race and justice from a Christian perspective.
April 4, 2019
Hard. Good. Necessary.
June 30, 2020
A great entry point for thinking about race issues as a Christ follower. Challenging, thoughtful, well written.
September 11, 2018
Ken Wytsma was talking with a young man running his own landscaping firm who was proud of how he'd started from zero and succeeded by virtue of hard work, with no benefit from privilege. So Ken asked where he got most of his business (the suburbs) and where they worked on jobs (in backyards) and when (during the day) and how he got business (putting flyers on doors and knocking at houses).
Then Ken asked, "If you were a young black man proposing to work in the backyards of those suburbanites during the day when they're not home, is it possible some of your client might show a degree of suspicion or bias? If you were Hispanic, talked with an accent, or looked like you were from a culture unfamiliar to the suburban communities where people can afford backyard ponds and fountains, do you think it might--even if ever so slightly--affect how successful you are when you knock on doors?" The white friend understood.
While equality is an American ideal, Ken Wytsma tells us, it is also an American myth. State-sponsored racist policies did not end with the abolishment of slavery. They have continued in various forms ever since.
As Wytsma recounts in The Myth of Equality, voting restrictions in the post-Reconstruction era reduced Alabama's black voter turnout from 180,000 to 3,000. It fell to zero in Virginia and North Carolina. Today efforts continue to hinder voter registration.
Astonishingly, forced labor was widely reinstituted around the turn of the twentieth century with thousands of blacks arrested on minor charges and then leased back by the state to business owners. In fact, in Mississippi, "25 percent of convicts leased out for forced labor were children."
Regarding housing, redlining in the North during most of the twentieth century reduced the value of minority real estate holdings, with contractual options to take their property away from them for missing one payment--something white buyers did not have to endure. The effects of this systematic impoverishment are with us still.
In the last fifty years, the war on drugs has targeted minority populations creating an incarceration-industrial complex. Things are beginning to change, but Wytsma finds it ironic that in Oregon, where marijuana is now legal, "white corporate businessmen now stand to make millions of dollars by selling a product that millions of men, predominantly of color, are currently incarcerated for possessing in miniscule amounts."
Does all this have anything to do with the gospel? Wytsma quotes Timothy Keller: "Any neglect shown to the needs of the members of the vulnerable is not called merely a lack of mercy or charity, but a violation of justice." Biblical justice is not just punishing evildoers but restoring what was bent or broken. The cross doesn't just allow sins to be forgiven but restores relationships. It reconciles us to God and us to each other.
Compassion for individuals is good and right, but it is only a component of justice which also looks to remedy underlying causes for such needs. Compassion, contends Wytsma, can also feed our hero complex. We encourage a more holistic justice when we use our influence and authority to give our responsibilities, opportunities, and power to those who have not had it equally.
Through a clear retelling of American history, a well-rounded discussion of biblical justice, and concrete ways we can move ahead individually and corporately, Wytsma provides an important book on an important topic.
---------
Disclosure: I received a complimentary review copy of this book from the publisher. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
Then Ken asked, "If you were a young black man proposing to work in the backyards of those suburbanites during the day when they're not home, is it possible some of your client might show a degree of suspicion or bias? If you were Hispanic, talked with an accent, or looked like you were from a culture unfamiliar to the suburban communities where people can afford backyard ponds and fountains, do you think it might--even if ever so slightly--affect how successful you are when you knock on doors?" The white friend understood.
While equality is an American ideal, Ken Wytsma tells us, it is also an American myth. State-sponsored racist policies did not end with the abolishment of slavery. They have continued in various forms ever since.
As Wytsma recounts in The Myth of Equality, voting restrictions in the post-Reconstruction era reduced Alabama's black voter turnout from 180,000 to 3,000. It fell to zero in Virginia and North Carolina. Today efforts continue to hinder voter registration.
Astonishingly, forced labor was widely reinstituted around the turn of the twentieth century with thousands of blacks arrested on minor charges and then leased back by the state to business owners. In fact, in Mississippi, "25 percent of convicts leased out for forced labor were children."
Regarding housing, redlining in the North during most of the twentieth century reduced the value of minority real estate holdings, with contractual options to take their property away from them for missing one payment--something white buyers did not have to endure. The effects of this systematic impoverishment are with us still.
In the last fifty years, the war on drugs has targeted minority populations creating an incarceration-industrial complex. Things are beginning to change, but Wytsma finds it ironic that in Oregon, where marijuana is now legal, "white corporate businessmen now stand to make millions of dollars by selling a product that millions of men, predominantly of color, are currently incarcerated for possessing in miniscule amounts."
Does all this have anything to do with the gospel? Wytsma quotes Timothy Keller: "Any neglect shown to the needs of the members of the vulnerable is not called merely a lack of mercy or charity, but a violation of justice." Biblical justice is not just punishing evildoers but restoring what was bent or broken. The cross doesn't just allow sins to be forgiven but restores relationships. It reconciles us to God and us to each other.
Compassion for individuals is good and right, but it is only a component of justice which also looks to remedy underlying causes for such needs. Compassion, contends Wytsma, can also feed our hero complex. We encourage a more holistic justice when we use our influence and authority to give our responsibilities, opportunities, and power to those who have not had it equally.
Through a clear retelling of American history, a well-rounded discussion of biblical justice, and concrete ways we can move ahead individually and corporately, Wytsma provides an important book on an important topic.
---------
Disclosure: I received a complimentary review copy of this book from the publisher. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
May 1, 2017
A well-researched, thoughtful, passionate, and compassionate explanation of the more insidious aspects of racism and inequality in our cultural climate. And all this from a relatively conservative, White, evangelical perspective, no less.
Particularly for those who are not familiar with the work of people like Michelle Alexander, Bryan Stevenson, Ta-Nehisi Coates, Michael Eric Dyson, et al., this is going to be one of the better books you could put in their hands. Wystma steps carefully through the history of race relations in America, and does so in a way that conservative White folks should be able to "hear." In particular, the first several chapters on this are extremely good, even if they are essentially a summary and re-telling of the work of the people I listed above.
The majority of the book is then spent on developing a particularly-Christian argument for sensitivity to racial issues in our country. I think that Wystma accomplished what he set out to do: to plea for White Evangelical brothers and sisters to adopt a softer stance on race. In sum, if you are someone who is already really engaged in the literature and the issues surrounding this, you may not gain much new from this book, but it is probably your best option to give to that Uncle/Friend/Roommate who just doesn't get what the problem is with saying "all lives matter."
Particularly for those who are not familiar with the work of people like Michelle Alexander, Bryan Stevenson, Ta-Nehisi Coates, Michael Eric Dyson, et al., this is going to be one of the better books you could put in their hands. Wystma steps carefully through the history of race relations in America, and does so in a way that conservative White folks should be able to "hear." In particular, the first several chapters on this are extremely good, even if they are essentially a summary and re-telling of the work of the people I listed above.
The majority of the book is then spent on developing a particularly-Christian argument for sensitivity to racial issues in our country. I think that Wystma accomplished what he set out to do: to plea for White Evangelical brothers and sisters to adopt a softer stance on race. In sum, if you are someone who is already really engaged in the literature and the issues surrounding this, you may not gain much new from this book, but it is probably your best option to give to that Uncle/Friend/Roommate who just doesn't get what the problem is with saying "all lives matter."
June 5, 2017
Reading through this book the past few weeks, I’ve found myself thinking of it often throughout the day after I’ve put it down, and I want to talk more with others in my community and my church about the ideas the author discusses. Conversations about race within the church can be so fraught with tension, and at the same time within the white evangelical community (which I belong to) they’re often oversimplified. Race, equality, and privilege is such a complicated topic, and I want to be a part of a movement within the white evangelical world toward facing those complexities head on — yet it’s hard to know how at times. The Myth of Equality has given me a framework for deeper understanding of topics that I’ve only read about at a surface level in the past. I’m especially grateful for the list in Ch 11 of ways to “begin moving down the road of laying down privilege and seeking responsible engagement in the lives of brothers and sisters of color.” I’m praying for ways to make this list real in my life. I’m planning to reread this book with my husband and also want to find others in my circle of friends/church that I can share the book with and continue to pray about and talk about the topic of equality and privilege. Thank you for writing this book! (I received a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.)
July 4, 2018
I am still mulling over this book.
I picked up this book for free at BEA in NYC in summer of 2017. I never got to it and had to give it away when I moved again. But then I spotted the audiobook in a library database and decided to finally give it its chance.
I wanted to give Wytsma time to explain himself, but he never seemed to get there. It was too much talking around the issue, instead of solutions to the issue.
I agree with some of Wytsma’s statements and disagree with other statements. It’s a difficult book to review.
He has much to criticize about the Revivalist movement in Evangelical America, with its effects like the “sinner’s prayer” and “inviting Jesus into your heart.” I think he makes some valid points in these sections on justice and the gospel. Though it’s interspersed with pieces I don’t agree with.
Anther problem — it’s one thing to argue that racial bias is still a problem in America. But it’s another thing entirely to claim that the effects of implicit racial bias are just as bad now, as the state of things in the pre-Civil Rights era. Some of Wytsma’s statements like this are blatantly untrue. You can’t honestly claim that blacks are just as underprivileged in 2018 as they were in 1958.
While I appreciate the goals here, and I think we need more books on race written from a Christian perspective, I came away from this book frustrated and dissatisfied.
I picked up this book for free at BEA in NYC in summer of 2017. I never got to it and had to give it away when I moved again. But then I spotted the audiobook in a library database and decided to finally give it its chance.
I wanted to give Wytsma time to explain himself, but he never seemed to get there. It was too much talking around the issue, instead of solutions to the issue.
I agree with some of Wytsma’s statements and disagree with other statements. It’s a difficult book to review.
He has much to criticize about the Revivalist movement in Evangelical America, with its effects like the “sinner’s prayer” and “inviting Jesus into your heart.” I think he makes some valid points in these sections on justice and the gospel. Though it’s interspersed with pieces I don’t agree with.
Anther problem — it’s one thing to argue that racial bias is still a problem in America. But it’s another thing entirely to claim that the effects of implicit racial bias are just as bad now, as the state of things in the pre-Civil Rights era. Some of Wytsma’s statements like this are blatantly untrue. You can’t honestly claim that blacks are just as underprivileged in 2018 as they were in 1958.
While I appreciate the goals here, and I think we need more books on race written from a Christian perspective, I came away from this book frustrated and dissatisfied.
July 21, 2017
Moving it to the top of my list of must-reads.
"My desire in looking at our racial past isn't to push American down but to help us know our medical history, as it were, so we can better prescribe the kinds of attitudes and behaviors that might help us repent, turn from our sin, and find reconciliation.'
"Implicit bias is the missing part of the conversation among people who don't think they are racist and who don't want to be racist."
"Often, it seems, we are less concerned with equality and justice than we are subconsciously guided by our instincts toward comfort, safety, and security."
"My desire in looking at our racial past isn't to push American down but to help us know our medical history, as it were, so we can better prescribe the kinds of attitudes and behaviors that might help us repent, turn from our sin, and find reconciliation.'
"Implicit bias is the missing part of the conversation among people who don't think they are racist and who don't want to be racist."
"Often, it seems, we are less concerned with equality and justice than we are subconsciously guided by our instincts toward comfort, safety, and security."
November 24, 2017
Perfect recap from another reviewer:
This book has so many compelling points, like the need not to merely do acts of justice, but to become just. Or the idea that people might think they’re following the golden rule (“Do unto others as you would have them do unto you”) when really they’re following the silver rule (“Don’t do to others what you wouldn’t have them do to you.”) The silver rule is passive. The golden rule requires action.
This book has so many compelling points, like the need not to merely do acts of justice, but to become just. Or the idea that people might think they’re following the golden rule (“Do unto others as you would have them do unto you”) when really they’re following the silver rule (“Don’t do to others what you wouldn’t have them do to you.”) The silver rule is passive. The golden rule requires action.
August 18, 2018
Such an excellent book about race and racism meant for the general reader--especially the Christian reader. Wytsma knows his stuff. He has a great writing style and can communicate both logic and compassion. He is a pastor and his motives are Christian motives, but the book is for the general reader. I would highly recommend this one.
July 2, 2017
Pleasantly surprised: Ken Wytsma, a white guy, gets it. If you've read Coates, Alexander, Barber and the like, part of this will be a review for you. Otherwise, for those of us who grew up believing issues of race didn't have anything to do with us, it's a primer.
August 16, 2020
16/08/2020
3.5 ⭐
I found some aspects of this really interesting and learned a lot of things that I'd literally never heard before but, for the most part, because the author focused so much on religion, most of this book went over my head. I highly recommend this for anyone who follows or takes part in Christianity.
3.5 ⭐
I found some aspects of this really interesting and learned a lot of things that I'd literally never heard before but, for the most part, because the author focused so much on religion, most of this book went over my head. I highly recommend this for anyone who follows or takes part in Christianity.
February 15, 2018
We live in strange times. There is both conversation about the problem of white privilege and claims that white men are being discriminated against. Which is it? When the Black Lives Matter movement emerged after the shooting of Michael Brown was shot by a white police officer, many White Americans responded with All Lives Matter. This response, while sounding egalitarian, failed to recognize that in our country the powers and principalities have valued white lives more than black and brown lives. The current immigration debate is another expression of this issue.
Ken Wytsma is a White Evangelical minister who has chosen to address the problem that seems to be running rampant in his own community. Wytsma is the founder of The Justice Conference and President of Kilns College. He wrote the book at the request of an editor at InterVarsity Press after he gave a speech on privilege. I found the book to be honest and compelling. It speaks to a problem that continues to roil our nation. We speak of equality and yet much of our history is filled with examples that speak otherwise.
It is unfortunate that we must continually talk about race and racism. I admit it's uncomfortable admitting to privilege. I want to think of myself as innocent of bias and prejudice. I want to believe that I've earned what I have. The reality is, despite growing up in a home without a lot of money, we did have a home on a safe street in a nice part of town. Not everyone had that opportunity, sometimes simply because the rules stood against them. Even though rules have changed, the legacy continues.
Wytsma divides his book into three parts. The first part has to do with "the story of race." It's a story many have heard, but need to hear again. One of the things we need to hear is that racism is a rather new phenomenon, but one that was used in developing a doctrine of discovery and imperial conquest. It was used ultimately to enslave. In time it appealed to science.. We gave scientific validation to differences in skin color and hair texture. He talks about how governmental policies helped create a segregated population in the cities, policies such as redlining.
That's part one. Part two, takes a more spiritual look at things. He explores the question of equality in conversation with the kingdom of God. He calls on fellow evangelicals to look closely at how they understand the Gospel, noting that it has important social justice implications. Finally n part three he addresses the challenge of privilege. Most specifically how "racism went underground." While are seeing a resurgence of racist talk, for the most part people have found other more subtle ways of expressing racism. He speaks of implicit bias that causes us to look others with suspicion. We make assumptions about people, such as Blacks are lazy or prone to violence. Then we act in response. The good news is that implicit bias can be dealt with. We just have to look inside and recognize where it is present. Part of that, is to recognize privilege on the part of White Americans.
I believe this book should be read, not only be White Evangelicals, but by all Christians. It can open up conversations. I was in a conversation with an African American pastor about race and the church. He told me that I'm one of the few White pastors he has been able to have that conversation with. Maybe this book can empower more conversation so that someday we can get to the point where all lives matter. But first we have to recognize those lives that have historically not been valued. Here is a starting point for that conversation.
Ken Wytsma is a White Evangelical minister who has chosen to address the problem that seems to be running rampant in his own community. Wytsma is the founder of The Justice Conference and President of Kilns College. He wrote the book at the request of an editor at InterVarsity Press after he gave a speech on privilege. I found the book to be honest and compelling. It speaks to a problem that continues to roil our nation. We speak of equality and yet much of our history is filled with examples that speak otherwise.
It is unfortunate that we must continually talk about race and racism. I admit it's uncomfortable admitting to privilege. I want to think of myself as innocent of bias and prejudice. I want to believe that I've earned what I have. The reality is, despite growing up in a home without a lot of money, we did have a home on a safe street in a nice part of town. Not everyone had that opportunity, sometimes simply because the rules stood against them. Even though rules have changed, the legacy continues.
Wytsma divides his book into three parts. The first part has to do with "the story of race." It's a story many have heard, but need to hear again. One of the things we need to hear is that racism is a rather new phenomenon, but one that was used in developing a doctrine of discovery and imperial conquest. It was used ultimately to enslave. In time it appealed to science.. We gave scientific validation to differences in skin color and hair texture. He talks about how governmental policies helped create a segregated population in the cities, policies such as redlining.
That's part one. Part two, takes a more spiritual look at things. He explores the question of equality in conversation with the kingdom of God. He calls on fellow evangelicals to look closely at how they understand the Gospel, noting that it has important social justice implications. Finally n part three he addresses the challenge of privilege. Most specifically how "racism went underground." While are seeing a resurgence of racist talk, for the most part people have found other more subtle ways of expressing racism. He speaks of implicit bias that causes us to look others with suspicion. We make assumptions about people, such as Blacks are lazy or prone to violence. Then we act in response. The good news is that implicit bias can be dealt with. We just have to look inside and recognize where it is present. Part of that, is to recognize privilege on the part of White Americans.
I believe this book should be read, not only be White Evangelicals, but by all Christians. It can open up conversations. I was in a conversation with an African American pastor about race and the church. He told me that I'm one of the few White pastors he has been able to have that conversation with. Maybe this book can empower more conversation so that someday we can get to the point where all lives matter. But first we have to recognize those lives that have historically not been valued. Here is a starting point for that conversation.
August 28, 2019
Didn't realize that this book had such a religious bent to it when picking it up. Apart from that it's critically under-cited and uses the broad, undefined, unsubstantiated boogieman of "racism" to prove his point.
In one example Wytsma explains to a white landscaper that he's benefited from "structural racism" because his white customers don't have a problem trusting and hiring him which they surely would if he were a minority. This is a completely unsubstantiated claim that only makes sense to people that already agree with Wytsma--this isn't a convincing argument. Also, how is it structural? This is surely based on culture and would change from neighborhood to neighborhood, right? He isn't arguing that every neighborhood predominantly occupied by whites would have the same rate of discrimination, surely? With that counterexample we that it isn't structural, because it cannot be found in law or through from a past, well-defined discrimination like, say, black family wealth which in far lower than whites mostly because of their lack of home ownership as a direct result from red-lining (which Wytsma does touch on, to his favor). This is just one of many straw man arguments that this books employs.
If you're actually interested in learning about inequality in the United States and why some races, classes, and neighborhoods succeed over others I suggest the following titles in the order I present them:
Our Kids: The American Dream in Crisis
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...
The Color of Law: A Forgotten History of How Our Government Segregated America
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3...
Illiberal Reformers: Race, Eugenics, and American Economics in the Progressive Era
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...
$2.00 a Day: Living on Almost Nothing in America
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...
The Power Broker: Robert Moses and the Fall of New York
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...
A Fine Mess: A Global Quest for a Simpler, Fairer, and More Efficient Tax System
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3...
In one example Wytsma explains to a white landscaper that he's benefited from "structural racism" because his white customers don't have a problem trusting and hiring him which they surely would if he were a minority. This is a completely unsubstantiated claim that only makes sense to people that already agree with Wytsma--this isn't a convincing argument. Also, how is it structural? This is surely based on culture and would change from neighborhood to neighborhood, right? He isn't arguing that every neighborhood predominantly occupied by whites would have the same rate of discrimination, surely? With that counterexample we that it isn't structural, because it cannot be found in law or through from a past, well-defined discrimination like, say, black family wealth which in far lower than whites mostly because of their lack of home ownership as a direct result from red-lining (which Wytsma does touch on, to his favor). This is just one of many straw man arguments that this books employs.
If you're actually interested in learning about inequality in the United States and why some races, classes, and neighborhoods succeed over others I suggest the following titles in the order I present them:
Our Kids: The American Dream in Crisis
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...
The Color of Law: A Forgotten History of How Our Government Segregated America
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3...
Illiberal Reformers: Race, Eugenics, and American Economics in the Progressive Era
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...
$2.00 a Day: Living on Almost Nothing in America
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...
The Power Broker: Robert Moses and the Fall of New York
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...
A Fine Mess: A Global Quest for a Simpler, Fairer, and More Efficient Tax System
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3...
June 19, 2017
I read this in a few days. I have rarely been so impressed by a book that deals with race and inequality, and I've never read anything that addressed the issue of white supremacy in a non-Neo-Nazi way. I grew up in the Midwest, not as a racist at all, but I never considered the issue of opportunity and supremacy merely because I was born into a middle-class white family. This perspective changes everything. There were stigmas attached to Native Americans and Mexican migrant workers, so I see how all of these issue play into each other. Ken Wytsma made so many profound and challenging comments. I highlighted and starred many statements. I found this to be compassionate, non-offensive, and well-informed, which are 3 difficult achievements when addressing race and equality. I am looking at my culture and my personal life differently now, and I'm grateful for the challenge. This book also made me want to read his other books. I highly recommend it.
October 9, 2017
Love, love, loved this one (even when it hurt to read or made me cry or made me angry at how real and rampant injustice is). Grateful for the ways it opened my eyes to more of my own privilege and what I can do about it, more of the division in our country and how it has formed, more of how other people are experiencing very different things because of their race, and more about how we can actually work to bring about change and true freedom and healing for all people. This one was challenging, convicting, powerful, and necessary. It’s well researched yet reads easily, doesn’t come across as condemning or preachy, and helped me to see and understand more of reality. A must read.
August 27, 2017
Ken Wystma does a masterful job detailing racism and racial injustice without shaming or moralizing. His use of historic and current examples expose the reality that though illegal, racism (and white privilege) continue to influence our government, our communities, and even our churches. Because it's appropriately confrontative, it's not an easy or light read—but it is an important one. I wish everyone who refuses to see the pain and injustice caused by racism would read this book (esp. pastors, law enforcement officials, and government leaders)!
September 14, 2017
I wish I could give this book more stars! I'll have to settle for writing the only review I've ever written on here. READ THIS BOOK. Be challenged to examine your privilege and do something about it. If discussions of privilege scare or offend you, then I say again READ THIS BOOK. If it doesn't scare you, but you feel uninformed and don't know where to start learning - READ THIS BOOK. I already want to read it again.
November 5, 2017
Raw and poignant. EXCELLENT READ for Christians who need to be woke, and also for Christians who need to be encouraged as we claw our way through the masses of fellow believers who still won’t admit that racial inequality is real, or if they do recognize it, still sit around in apathy believing that “Jesus has got it covered.” I wish I could hug Ken Wytsma and tell him thank you for writing this.
April 28, 2018
For the most part this is a great book. Unfortunately he takes a detour midway to blame dispensationalism, Bill Bright's gospel presentation, and Billy Graham's sinner's prayer. These are not the causes of racism in America. The roots of our modern race issues are older than these men and movements and the detour is a weak distraction from an otherwise strong book.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 150 reviews