Faithful Antiracism: Moving Past Talk to Systemic Change

by Christina Barland Edmondson, Chad Brennan, Korie L. Edwards (Foreword)

"Racism presents itself as an undefeatable foe-a sustained scourge on the reputation of the church. Drawing on brand-new research, Chad Brennan and Christina Edmondson remind us that Christ has overcome the world and offer clear analysis and interventions to challenge and resist racism's pernicious power, equipping readers to move past talk and enter the fight in practical and hopeful ways"--

Genres: Nonfiction, Race, Christian, Religion, Social Justice, Theology, Christian Non Fiction

239 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 22, 2022

Reviews

[Daniel Kleven · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are very few "timeless classics," books that address their topics "once and for all," leaving little more to be said. The topics of race and religion in American are particularly prone to the shifts and developments of the years, and in particular, after the collapse of the "racial reconciliation" era, we need new books to help chart the course. Faithful Anti-Racism is just such a book for 2022 and beyond.

The book is described as representing "the most comprehensive study on Christians and race since Michael Emerson's own book Divided by Faith: Evangelical Religion and the Problem of Race in America (2001)." Divided by Faith was a landmark, an award winning book that dug deep into actual sociological data to help explain the widely divergent perspectives on racial injustice between Black and white Christians.

To be clear, I don't think this book is DbF 2.0. DbF is presented mainly as a sociological study. Faithful Anti-Racism does draw heavily on recent research from the Race, Religion, and Justice Project, but it weaves in a much more broad array of material -- discussion questions, prayers, anecdotes. DbF read more as a more straightforwardly academic book, weighted toward the descriptive; Faithful Anti-Racism is a wholistic study to help Christians grow ("Moving Past Talk to Systemic Change"), and while it includes a descriptive scholarly base, it goes much further to prescriptive suggestions.

As such, the book is fantastic! The "silent exodus" (which grew in volume to #LeaveLoud) of Black and brown Christians from predominantly white churches marked the end of the era of white-centric "racial reconciliation," and Faithful Anti-Racism does not shy away from this, but offers careful analysis of why this is the case. It is not afraid to call out shallow ineffective solutions. One of the chapters was powerful and incisive in this regard: "Faithful Antiracists Do Not Rely on Magic" -- the magic of cross-racial friendships, the magic of conversion, the magic of colorblindness, the magic of being woke, the magic of racial diversity trainings. Some of these things can be good, but you can have a Black friend and be totally ineffective at addressing racial inequities in our world. The book handles all of the complexity and nuance of these issues with care and wisdom. For those tempted to throw up their hands "it's just too hard; it's a lose-lose catch-22; damned if I don't, damned if I do" - this book will start to help you find your way through the labyrinth of issues.

I loved the formatting the the full color throughout, including some sections that color coded particular vocabulary to help illustrate the point. I loved the charts and graphs illustrating the data from the study. I loved the footnotes, the recommendations to books, articles, and videos.

And don't miss the series of video interviews available at https://faithfulantiracism.com -- with figures like Ray Chang, Mark Charles, Michael Emerson, Jemar Tisby, Duke Kwon, Lecrae, and many many more.

It's November 2022 as I write this. Donald Trump has just announced he will run for president again; Christian Nationalism is in the spotlight and the headlines; where will this country be in "the not-so-distant future"? I loved the Epilogue, offering a fictitious but hopeful vision of "what the future could hold if we are willing to work together in Christ's strength and for his glory." This book will help us get there.

It's now on my list of top books to recommend on the subject.

[Bob · Rating 4 out of 5]

Summary: Drawing upon the Race, Religion, and Justice Project, offers biblical and practical recommendations to engage racism personally and with one’s faith community.

The resurgence of white supremacy movements, police-involved shootings or other measures resulting in the deaths of a disproportionate number of Blacks, and efforts to suppress the history of slavery and racism in our country is, to be frank, discouraging. With the election of the first Black president, many of us had hopes that we had turned a corner in our racial history.

This book is one both of realism, rooted in the recent research findings of the Race, Religion, and Justice Project, and hope, rooted in the scriptures and the God in whom we trust. Indeed, the title, Faithful Antiracism, is a ringing challenge both to trust God and keep showing up to work against the forces that sustain racism.

The authors both come from long experiences of working with churches and other organizations in developing policies and practices fostering greater racial equity in their midst and greater effectiveness in addressing racism in society. Chad directed the Race, Religion, and Justice Project that studied the racial dynamics in U.S. Christianity, interviewing 115 leaders and experts, and involving 119 congregations with 3260 congregants. They also use research from Renew Partnerships Campus Climate Survey and Barna Research.

The first chapter of the group shares some of their research findings. It turns out that Christians often have less accurate racial views and are less motivated to address racial injustice. They attribute this to a “cultural toolkit” that emphasizes accountable freewill individualism, relationalism, and antistructuralism that hinder recognizing societal and economic differences, and embedded structures that account for disparities in things such as household wealth by race.

They then turn to scripture showing the structures of racial hostility evident in Ephesians 2 and the significance of the work of Christ in bringing both peace and justice. They survey the concerns of the prophets regarding the unjust structures in Israelite society that oppressed the poor. They note that while Christians attest to being committed to scripture, this is often qualified by the talking points of political culture which takes precedence. They elaborate a variety of principles that apply to racial justice from denunciations of greed, to making things right when we’ve benefited from unjust racial hierarchies. They then turn to biblical and historical figures who stood for justice.

They also emphasize how understanding the past is critical if we are to understand the pain of those who lived through these realities or bear the traumas of parents and grandparents who suffered them. They offer an outline of that history. They turn to the importance of understanding the present as well, pointing out key events from the 1960’s to the present, the forms of opposition, the superficial support that often covers this, and the ways political allegiance have taken precedence over biblical teaching. One of the most trenchant observations was the strategy of “label, mischaracterize, dismiss” to oppose pursuit of racial justice, calling actions of people of goodwill “a movement” (labelling), describing it as Marxist or Socialist when it is motivated by biblical concerns (mischaracterizing), and warning people to avoid such stuff (dismiss).

Often superficial efforts have focused around the “magic” of relationships, helping people become Christians, of “colorblindness, “of being welcoming, or even being “woke.” Often, these obscure deeper issues both in our own lives and in the organizational structures of our churches and other organizations. Rather, we ought take a page from a study of Acts, as the church overcame racial barriers. We also need mentors and solidarity with others beyond our own groups and should seek out coaches as we engage this work. We learn to measure change with substantive rather than superficial measures. And we learn both how to partner with those facing injustice and use our presence and economic and political resources to withdraw support from those acting unjustly.

As I mentioned at the beginning, this is a hopeful, though grittily realistic book. It grounds our efforts to stand against racial injustice in scripture while refusing superficial window dressing. But it also names practical steps individuals and groups can take. This is a handbook churches can use, with discussion questions and prayer that help bring truths before God for his illumination, leading to actions of substance instead of a world of talk.

____________________________

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary review copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

[AJ Gebara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely great! I have read Ibram Kendi’s How to be Antiracists, and I loved it also but ultimately it is not from a Christian perspective. Faithful Antiracism presents many of the same ideas but through a Biblical worldview. It uses data-driven, both quantitative and qualitative, and Biblical analyses and solutions to racial injustice and ultimately shows that Christians not only need to be part of the conversation but must lead in the efforts to confront the racism embedded in our systems and change them to bring a more equitable future. This is grounded in both the messages of the prophets, especially Amos, the early disciples in Acts, and most importantly Jesus!

I humbly encourage anyone who doesn’t know where to start in the race conversation or who doesn’t know much about it to read this book.

[Chris Hatch · Rating 5 out of 5]

Christina Edmondson is a personal friend so of course I'm biased but...this is a helpful look at the historical problems in America which have led to structural inequities in our society. And then the authors provide a helpful look at the biblical motivation and current realities that Christians face in striving for racial justice today.

[Ashley Hoss · Rating 3 out of 5]

Faithful Antiracism is a book that is written for people who see past and present systemic racism and ask, "well what can I do about this?" Built on the premise of research done by Chad Brennan and Dr. Christina Edmonson from 2019 to 2020 (called the Race, Religion, and Justice Project, or RRJP for short) and how scripture addresses the way we should engage with racial justice, Mr. Brennan and Dr. Edmonson equip their readers with practical steps towards having a more racially inclusive church environment and lifestyle.

On pages 2 and 3, the authors define faithful racism as:

"We are using two senses of the term faithful. First, faithful describes someone who is trustworthy and loyal: faithful antiracists are steadfastly committed to working towards antiracism. Second, faithful antiracists are full of faith or faith-full. We believe it is essential to rely on God's power and leading in order to make progress. As Jesus said, "I am the vine, you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me, you can do nothing" (John 15:5).

By racism, we mean race-based discrimination and social hierarchies where individuals receive advantages or disadvantages because of perceived racial differences. If you find that sentence confusing, hang in there. We will explain what we mean by these concepts. By antiracism, we mean working against the forces that sustain racism."

From there, the authors tell their stories of how they've been affected by racism and race in general and what lead to them writing this book and explain their research. The research was particularly noteworthy to me and I would have loved to see more information on the research, but I understand that having more of that would also make the book significantly less accessible for the general public to read. They also made it clear that they weren't able to include the views of biracial/mixed (they use multiracial, but as someone that is biracial/mixed, that's generally not the term I choose to use for myself) people or Indigenous people because their sample size didn't have a significant number of people in either group, so they couldn't make accurate statements about the views of each group. As I understand it, the book was in the process of being written before the US census information had been released, so the authors may not be aware that racially mixed Americans now make up about 8.8% of the population. While I understand why our voices were not heard in the research, it is unfortunate nonetheless.

The first 5 chapters outline what it looks like to be an antiracist further, by looking at how an antiracist should have wisdom, read and apply scripture, stand for justice, understand the past, and understand the present. At chapter 6, the book turns to look at racial trauma, which was one of the most helpful chapters to read and it was very compelling. I highlighted many parts of the text because not only did it highlight so much of Dr. Edmonson's expertise and passion, but it also resonated strongly with me while pointing to God's care for his children and his heart for justice in these situations.

After chapter 6, the book primarily looks at solid action points that Christians can take to work towards racial justice. One of the most important things to me was how much Dr. Edmonson and Mr. Brennan emphasized that this is not easy work, it will take time, and it will be uncomfortable. Yet, it is also worthwhile and should be done. While I appreciate many of the action points given and agree with a lot of the diagnosed issues given, I don't know if I am fully on board with some of the proposed solutions. Additionally, parts of the book were hard to read, not because I couldn't understand them or was disinterested, it was just a writing style that doesn't necessarily appeal to me. That said, I do recommend this book as a way to grow and give food for thought. I'd recommend reading it in the context of a group, especially if you are in ministry, so that you can discuss together ways to implement some of the suggestions given.

[Adam Shields · Rating 4 out of 5]

Takeaway: One of the most significant hindrances to systemic change is the inability of White Christians to speak clearly about the reality of race. 

I am not sure how to discuss Faithful Antiracism. Over the past two years, I have participated in a zoom book discussion group centered on racial issues in the Church. It started as a Be the Bridge group and then discussed Jemar Tisby's Color of Compromise, and since then, it has discussed various books about race and the Church. As part of leading the discussion of Faithful Antiracism, I would listen to the audiobook early in the week. And then reread it in print on Thursday afternoons and make notes on how the section was structured and questions to ask. This means I listened to and read the print version of the book over five weeks.

Much of my thoughts are about how Faithful Antiracism is an example of the difficulty that the White Evangeical church has about addressing race, even in the more progressive parts of the Church. I am very familiar with Christina Edmondson. I have heard her speak in person a couple of times. I have listened to the Truth's Table podcast for years. I have read many Intervarsity Press books about race. I was not familiar with Chad Brennan before the book, but I was familiar with the research, which he helped to direct, from Barna, which is being formed into several books. Micheal Emerson, who coauthored Divided by Faith, spoke about this research in this 25 minutes talk, which I recommend. I also was in an earlier Be the Bridge group with one of the Barna staff who helped manage the research as it was being worked on over the past couple years.

Over and over, as we discussed Faithful Antiracism, we could not figure out why the book seemed to hold back and frame issues in the American Church as if they were universal problems and not problems centered in the White church. One straightforward example is in the chapter about truth-telling about the recent history of the Church and race. The chapter focused on Billy Graham as the moderate in conversation with the more racially progressive Carl Henry. The point of this chapter was that there were both progressives and moderates, and we can't claim the progressives and ignore the ways that the White church also upheld moderation (and opposed desegregation and integration of the culture as a whole.) But this framing ignores the third member of Evangelicalism's founding fathers, Billy Graham's father-in-law, the pro-segregationist Nelson Bell. The fuller picture is that while many White Evangelicals were moderate like Graham, and some were progressive like Henry, many were explicit segregationists like Bell. Without grappling with that whole history and the ways that both moderates and progressives often were willing to organize with segregationists like Bell for evangelism and institution building (see Bad Faith), we can't get a good picture of the history that needs to be grappled with.

I know that both Edmondson and Brennan know this from the rest of the book. I know that they are interested in systemic change and truth-telling, but consistently throughout the book, it felt like they were held back. I don't know if it was pressure from editors or a desire to make a more palatable message for white readers, but I felt like this happened regularly.

Chapter 9, where the book discusses evaluating our progress in antiracism, was regularly framed with the illustration of a doctor meeting with a patient about a health problem. But that framing confirms the individualistic orientation of White Evangelicalism. Instead, the more accurate illustration is not an individual doctor with an individual patient but a public health professional trying to address systemic health issues. Both primary care doctors and public health doctors address individual diseases like heart disease, but they do it differently. A primary care doctor may talk about exercise, eating right, and the targeted drug regimen. But a public health doctor will address the ways that the structure of our society as a whole is contributing to heart disease. It is not that individuals eating right and exercising aren't essential for the individual, but that only addresses that individual, not the whole system, which has subsidized unhealthy foods and oriented toward an economy based on private cars, which often do not have sidewalks to walk and exercise safely, etc. Until this point and even in this chapter, the importance of moving toward systemic change is emphasized (it is even part of the subtitle), but the illustration chosen as the center of the chapter undercuts the point by again emphasizing the individual.

Again, my main point here isn't that Faithful Antiracism is a lousy book. Instead, my point is that it is a book that is an excellent example of where even in the attempt to overcome white reluctance to discuss the systemic reality of race, it still centers the white reader, the individual model of change, and frames issues as problems for all of society to address instead of addressing racism as a problem of white ideology.

Every book on race published by Christians seems to have to convince the white reader that there is a problem. As my group has read a variety of books on race, we keep having discussions about the fact that every book seems to have an intended audience of people just being introduced to race as a problem and addressing those same people later in the book as if they are ready to lead their churches and community organizations in addressing the problems of an ideology white supremacy. People who had to be convinced of the reality of the problem of race at the start of a book are not the same people who should be reading about how to structure appropriate measurements of organizational change at the end of the book. And I don't know where the books are coming from evangelical publishers starting with more advanced assumptions. To use the academic metaphor, a book can't be a 101, a 201, and a 9999 class simultaneously. It can't even really have a 101 and a 401 audience at the same time.

I am far from an expert, and this is primarily a complaint from silence; at least part of the problem of race in the white evangelical Church is that we want to be inclusive, and when someone that is at a 101 or 201 stage expresses interest, the whole group is asked to go back and center their perspective instead of centering the perspective of those that are experienced.

If you have read more than a handful of books on race and the church, Faithful Antiracism probably will not have a lot that is new. But I don't think that is fundamentally the problem of the book, but instead the problem with even progressive publishers centering the white evangelical experience. There are no simple solutions. A book has to break even if it does not make money. A book published by evangelical publishers that speaks more clearly about race than most white Christians want them to, won't make money and will likely be targeted for institutional backlash. White Evangelicals tend not to want to attend churches that were founded by Black or other minority denominations and leaders. They tend to want to attend churches that are white-led but inviting racial minority Christians into them to create more diverse but still white-centered spaces. I do not really know a solution until that fundamentally changes.

[Caleb Lagerwey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fantastic book for Christians interested in anti-racism written by experts in the field. Rarely does one find a book with such expertise behind it, and thus I really appreciated the blend of scripture, social research, and practical advice. The book covers scriptural stories with antiracist takeaways, social science research that updates the Emerson & Smith findings of two decades ago (Divided By Faith), interviews with experts in a variety of related antiracist fields (including related online videos), and practical steps for individuals and organizations to fight racism. This book has new insights for racial justice veterans while also providing an accessible introduction for those new to the field. I cannot emphasize enough how refreshing it is to read a book about racism that comes both from orthodox Christians and from bona fide experts in the field.

[Drick · Rating 3 out of 5]

Christina Barland Edmondson and Chad Brennan are antiracist educators particularly focused on the white evangelical church. They have co-authored this book for groups of Christians (mainly) to explore what it means to be a dedicated Christian anti-racist. Edmondson brings her experience as a Black woman and a psychologist, whereas Brennan is a white youth worker who has done a lot of work on himself in churches to address racism in the evangelical church. He has conducted a number of surveys with mostly young adult white Christians about their attitudes and knowledge of racial issue. In the Introduction they invite the reader to "imagine how different our lives could be if our society was rid of the disease of racial injustice" (p. 1), and then go about showing that might be in the ensuing chapters

Because of their evangelical focus there is a strong emphasis on the Bible's call to racial justice, which I found interesting because it is the Bible that in the past and even present evangelicals often used to justify slavery and segregation and today use to see it as a "social" rather than a "spiritual issue." There is also a tendency to focus on individual attitudes of conscious or implicit racism. While they mention the institutional and systemic nature of racism, they don't address how the church as an institution cooperates or can resist racism. These are the fundamental weaknesses of the book in my view.

Even so they offer a good deal of research that can be helpful to groups of all persuasions. They also have excellent chapters on the impact of history on racism today. Perhaps one of their strongest chapters is the final one entitled "Faithful Antiracists Help to Change Our Society," where they draw heavily on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr's book, Where Do We go From Here: Chaos or Community, which where quoted is as relevant today as it was when it was published shortly after Dr. King's death.

For certain evangelical groups I suspect this would be a helpful Primer in antiracism action for white Christians. It also a great resource taken from other authors who have addressed the issues raisse

[Tiffany · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had the privilege of attending a lecture by Edmondson (as well as sharing in a group conversation with her afterwards) in 2018. I found her to be intelligent, kind, funny, and real. This book is what I hoped it would be: a book written with the intended audience of evangelical Christians who don't know what to do with the problem of racism. I particularly appreciated how the book was organized. The first few chapters helped open my eyes to the reality of racism and the (humbling) truth that white/asian/latino Christians IN PARTICULAR are blind to the reality of racism. She used statistics and history to prove to the mind and then scripture to convict the heart. This is not an overwrought, emotional book. Nor is it a stodgy lecture. Rather, this is a book that focuses the truth of gospel on racism. And this focus (like everything else the gospel illuminates) leads to repentance, action, and hope. Highly recommend!

[Tyler Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite part of this important book is the recent survey results about how Christians tend to think about racial justice today. Simultaneously, so much and nothing has changed since Divided By Faith was published back in the 2000. This work is, in many ways, an update to that important work. I love the prayers at the conclusion of each chapter, and the practical advice for becoming an advocate for justice in the local US church.

One disclaimer is that I do not think this a great book for someone who is on the fence about the extent to which Christians should be concerned with racial justice. If the reader is skeptical or cautious about the work of racial justice, I'd recommend they start elsewhere. But for those committed to the cause but looking for next steps this work is a great next step.

It is printed on terrible, glossy, smudge-friendly paper. And for some reason the publisher excluded page numbers from the end-notes which is incredibly frustrating.

[Amelia and John · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was hopeful for a well grounded Christian approach to anti-racism, but this book didn't do it.

For a book that was branded as an evangelical-ish perspective on anti-racism, it was as if appeals to Scripture were quite secondary. The sociological work wasn't as good as it could have been. The call to action in my opinion was vague and unclear.

The book seemed to take the popular anti-racist approach of assuming race as the be-all-end-all facet of identity, instead of examining the intersections of politics, economy, etc.

Personally, it wasn't very engaging, but to others that I talked with it was helpful for them. I just don't think this book offers much with regards to where Christian discourse on race needs to be.

[Shannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book for church small groups and Sunday school classes. This book includes scripture, eye-opening research data, history, terminology and more. I appreciated the discussion questions and prayer at the conclusion of every chapter. Faithful Antiracism would make a wonderful choice for starting honest conversations and raise awareness about racism.

Thank you to NetGalley and InterVarsity Press for the eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

[Liz Curfman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book provides data and Biblical driven information on how to practically be an anti racist for the cause of Jesus. Not much was new to me, however I think it would be great for Christians that want to put a practical perspective on staying engaged with anti-racism, and it would make a great book for small groups.

[Charlene · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have now read a dozen or so different books on Christian responses to racism. This one is excellent and well worth reading for its down to earth language and practical suggestions.

[Lynette Duncan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Helpful look at a biblical response to racism.

[Ellie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is unique in its cross-disciplinary approach to understanding racial dynamics and inequality in our current context. The authors draw on their extensive academic, professional, and faith backgrounds to put forth what can honestly be described as a work of love.

Edmondson and Brennon’s commitment to the truth and their love for the church is evident throughout. That, coupled with current research and accessible language, is what makes this book so compelling. It is organized around several different themes that serve as helpful lenses with which to consider how to intentionally work against racism in its pervasive forms. Because of that, I did not find the content to be redundant when compared to other books written on this topic.

This book is packed within helpful examples, additional resources, thought-provoking questions, and prayers woven into each chapter. It would be a valuable resource to add to any organization’s toolkit, but especially so for churches seeking to be faithful to Scripture in our present moment. I would recommend this to anyone looking for practical ways to build discernment and walk in wisdom when it comes to racial justice.

[Joel Gustafson · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is practical, biblically-saturated, and impactful. Whether you think racial injustice isn’t a thing or you’ve been fighting against it for years, pick this book up! Full review here: https://www.christianitytoday.com/bet...

[Sara Harrison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Three and a half stars, really. I was really tempted to give this one three. At times I was tempted to give it two. I have decidedly mixed feelings about this book and my feelings varied wildly from chapter to chapter.

I appreciate that this book is steeped in scripture. I deeply, deeply appreciate that it attempts to take a biblical, broad-viewed approach to the topics of justice, racism, and anti-racism in America. And while I appreciate that this book is trying to be focused, I can't help but be left with the impression that the authors are of the opinion that faithful anti-racism ought to be the first and primary focus of every Christian. And I disagree with that.

In no particular order: some questions and musings that I am left with from this book:
- the authors fail to put the rise of conservative evangelicalism around the turn of the century in the context of the truly Christ-less "liberal" "Christianity" that social justice was aligning itself with. The "shift away from social engagement and toward evangelism" was a recognition--especially in light of WW1--of the failed post-millenial project.
- Identity politics are a radical danger to the church. Our identity must first be in Christ before anything else. And the anything else must bend the knee to Christ.
- There is talk of white preferences--but I think that white preferences may very well be the negative space of our society. As white people, we often do not know ourselves what they are--and they are wildly different from area to area. The white preferences of Minnesota, Georgia, and SoCal are not identical to each other.
- To what degree are my preferences just my preferences, and to what degree do I get to have preferences? In education we talk about accommodating learning styles and know that children have different styles. Would it benefit kids to cluster learning styles in the classroom if we could? Probably. So why not worship styles?
- The different kinds of Jews in Acts were BOTH minority cultures. Neither were the power-holding Romans. So when we look at Paul's instructions to the Romans, what do we get? The densest theology in all of Scripture. But no social commentary. I have no clue what that means, but I'm betting it means something.
- At one point the book acknowledges its own double-speak with regards to the power of individual relationships, saying they matter, they're not enough, we need to listen, but make sure we're listening the right ways, we need to ask questions, but not the wrong questions. White people need to do the work here, but don't you dare drift toward anything that might smack of white savior-ism.
- I've spent too long in and around the educational system to trust "metrics." Metrics are an idol. Period. Don't tell me that Baal can be "effective" if you just handle him right.

So with all of these complaints, why am I still giving four stars? Because I came away from this book troubled by the Holy Spirit. Because I believe that the Spirit gave the writers something to say, and that they said it, and that those who go to it wanting to listen will hear the Spirit saying something.

But this ain't Scripture.

[Carla Hendricks · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great book for Christians or Christian organizations in pursuit of racial diversity and unity. The majority of the book discusses our country's racist past, while examining present-day attitudes and beliefs surrounding race and justice issues.

A common belief amongst Christians today is "If we just preach the Gospel, Jesus will change hearts and prejudice and injustice will cease." To this authors Christina Edmondson and Chad Brennan respond, "Unfortunately, unbiblical and incomplete views of the gospel hinder the ability of many Christians to effectively apply all of the Bible's teachings in regard to racial injustice in our society. Contrary to popular belief, the Bible does not teach that our relational dynamics with one another are separate from the gospel, a distraction from the gospel, or a much lower priority than the gospel."

In the second half of the book, the authors state, "Our research has shown that racial dynamics in Christian organizations get worse as the racial diversity increases. Bringing together people of different races creates additional opportunities for relationships, empathy, and understanding, but it also creates additional opportunities for acts of racial prejudice, conflict, unhealthy power dynamics, and more. We must use more effective methods for measuring progress."

The final chapters of the book explores that very thing - proven ways to increase progress and concrete measurements of that progress.

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent and necessary book that tackles the Church's historic and modern-day roles in racism and antiracism.

Recommended for anyone looking to learn more about how Christians should approach racial issues within and outside of the Church, even if they are new to (or even skeptical towards) the idea of antiracism.

The chapters are supported both by scripture and data. The authors frequently referenced survey data which showed how opinions on systemic racism differed between Christians vs. non-Christians. This was particularly heartbreaking and really emphasized how we need to do better. Many Christians just are not thinking about racism in a biblical way, and reading books like this can be great stepping stones to progress.

I read this by myself, but the discussion questions at the end of each chapter would make this perfect for a Bible study or discussion group.

For those looking for similar reading that explores the intersection of Christianity and racism, I'd also recommend Be the Bridge: Pursuing God's Heart for Racial Reconciliation and Divided by Faith: Evangelical Religion and the Problem of Race in America

Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!

[Libby · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Faithful Antiracism" stands out from other recently published books addressing racism within Christian contexts for a few reasons. Having one Black and one White author allows issues to be addressed from both perspectives. Many of the books I've read recently were by Black authors, and I needed their insights. I also needed Brennan's humble admissions of ways he has made mistakes in his approaches to racism. Edmondson and Brennan skim over topics that are addressed more in depth in other bookss, such as Jemar Tisby's "The Color of Compromise". They themselves point out that their book moves fast so they can stay focused on "measurable change". This is my one criticism. So often I wanted more about topics they only skim over, so at times, I felt like the book lacked depth. However, I don't think they could address more without the book becoming unwieldy. They end with an imagined vision, not of paradise, but of a world where actual change has begun to take place. This epilogue was compelling because it replaces a focus on large problems with glimpses of doable solutions that will start change. Another excellent book to add to a growing (and needed) collection of Christian books about racism.

[Jane · Rating 5 out of 5]

In all our learning journeys, we need to assess what we know, what we don’t know, what we want to learn, and how we want to move forward. As a lifelong learner, I know there’s so much I have yet to learn and there’s so much I have to unlearn and relearn. Also, as someone who tries to live out my faith following Jesus, there have been many times I’ve struggled with the questions “What do I do? What do we do? How do we live out our lives fighting against the injustices in this broken world as people who believe in a God of justice?” Amongst the many resources available to support my/our learning & informed action, I am thankful that Faithful Anti-Racism by Dr. Christina Barland Edmondson and Chad Brennan is out in the world. It is full of research and analysis, history and often overlooked hard facts, insight and wisdom gleaned from personal stories/interviews, and practical and necessary steps to move forward. I also love that each chapter ends with a prayer and the book as a whole consistently points us to scripture to help us be antiracists who are faithful and full of faith in a God of justice.

[Rachel Blackmer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I both loved and was annoyed by how data-driven this book is. It was helpful to see evidence that white Christians in America are more racist than white non-Christians, and to take an assessment to evaluate how racist you are. But sometimes listening to this book made all of the statistics jumble together. It’s probably better experienced in print.
I loved the prayers at the end of every chapter, and the emphasis on prayer being your first step in fighting for racial justice. I also loved hearing the authors’ experiences following up with those they have trained to determine whether or not an impact was really made. So often we feel like we’re making progress, when we really aren’t asking the right questions to evaluate that.
The authors did an excellent job addressing the common reasons why white Christians aren’t fighting for racial justice. I really appreciate the biblical verses referenced about foreigners, and the encouragement to care for the foreigner, whether or not they have come here legally.

[Mhughessc · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Faithful Antiracism: Moving Past Talk to Systemic Change" was co-written by Christina Edmondson and Chad Brennan. This book is practical, helpful, and very easy to read. According to the authors, people who are faithful antiracists are described as: having wisdom, applying the Bible, standing for justice, understanding the past and present, understanding racial trauma, and helping change society. In each section of this book, the authors give concrete evidence through graphs, charts, and personal anecdotes. Each chapter also has reflection questions and a prayer as well. I was surprised by the results of the surveys, specifically from white Christians.

This book would be an incredibly useful tool to use in a small group or working with Christians who have a sincere desire to be a part of the social change that is so very needed. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

[Eric Clapp · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a pastor, I often have conversations that end with someone telling me, “We don’t need to talk about racism. We just need to talk about [fill in the blank… usually The Bible or Jesus].”

What I love about Faithful Antiracism is that it’s a concise book that takes a few different avenues into a conversation about antiracism that is firmly rooted in the story of God’s people.

I imagine this would be a great book for a church group hesitant to discuss race to read together because of the ways it centers discussion in prayer and scripture. At different times, this book takes a historical approach, trauma-informed approach, and ultimately lands on an appeal to traditions of faith as expressed in scripture to make its point.

It’s a good addition to the conversation for its pragmatism and usefulness for beginning conversations where church folks may be more hesitant.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Stephanie Hendrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Faithful Antiracism is (or would be) a perfect book to promote understanding among Evangelical Christians as to the role of the White church's engagement in racism past and present. The authors speak a language that Evangelicals understand while at the same time presenting difficult truths.

Chapter Eight entitled FAITHFUL ANTIRACISTS FOLLOW THE EXAMPLE OF THE EARLY CHRISTIANS brings us along to see how the early church handled the problems they faced as different cultures were being brought together as one in the body of Christ. There is plenty of Bible in this book. And, there is a bounty of beautiful prayers petitioning God for supernatural help in the truly difficult task of taking down structural racism piece by piece.

Faithful Antiracism is a book that stesses the vertical aspect of the Gospel (the relationship of people to God) and the horizontal aspect of the Gospel (the relationship of people to each other). The authors remind us that both elements are the same Gospel.

[Cassandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a really good read! The authors did a great job with this one; both of them are Christian anti-racists. This book focuses on teaching Christians on how to be an anti-racist. It was very well researched. I actually learned some new things especially as a black women myself. I was familiar with a lot of things the book discussed. I was already familiar with anti-racism having read some literature. But this one is different because it’s through a Christian perspective. Both authors shared stories, give history lessons, and showcases bible verses and passages and interpret them. Christians of any race needs to come together, with God as our guide, to combat racial Injustice.

I highly recommend this book for those who want to be a faithful antiracist!

"I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Why is racism a controversial topic in some American Christian circles?
Why is there an arm of American Christianity that not only opposes antiracist work, but fights to maintain the status quo of white dominance in churches and our country?
Why have so many American Christians embraced American exceptionalism and nationalism, and what's the relationship between racism and those things?
What does the Bible have to say about justice and why we are to pursue it?
What can a 21st century Christian do to fight against injustice?
Are there proven, research and data-backed methods, and scripture-based actions Christians can take to fight for systemic change in our country?
Curious for answers to those questions?
Well, then read this book, which is a worthy addition to the conversation about the intersection of faith and race.

[Richard Pulfer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been looking for a book which mired the topic of antiracism with a Christian perspective, and this book certainly delivers. I particularly liked that book used Biblical understanding to support social justice, while also showing the pitfalls of "magic thinking" that has plagued both sides of the issue. This is a very in-depth and expansive study on the subject of antifacism, making it perfect for a Bible study. One small issue - the book does very occasionally employ yellow print on white pages while trying to highlight certain terms, but this can make it hard to read. It happens sparingly, but it is a bit distracting. Otherwise, it's a compelling examination of a topic issue from an oft-overlooked viewpoint.