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A major problems w/ many evangelicals entrance into race conversations is that it is nearly impossible to understand how racism works, and thus how to participate in freedom, w/o first setting aside the individualism inherent in how they see the gospel & justice.
Namely, because centering of an individualistic salvation spread from person to person is the center, rather than the centering of saving communities and households, evangelicals often see individual justice and salvation as the path to right wrong.
This cultural value and a consistent reinterpretation of American politics through the lens of the religious right, takes a structural/systemic racism and tries to change it with good behavior and friendship instead of policy change and systemic restructuring.
The entire evangelical construct, without a return to its core tenants (activism, crucicentrism, conversionsim, and biblical), cannot, because of its syncretism with white culture, offer much structurally to the anti-racist struggle at this point.
There is individual work to be done, I think for most Christians, it is to do the character work of unlearning defensive postures, because without that, we will always center Christian feelings and adopted ideologies over hearing the injustices in front of us.
I’m just tired of wasting time with people and institutions who want credit for having the “right” feelings or intentions, but never being willing to do what is actually needed.
