“White People Talking to White People About Racism, A Reading of Reparations: A Christian Call to Repentance and Repair by Duke Kwon and Gregory Thompson”

Abstract: The rise of Donald Trump, a global pandemic, the murder of George Floyd, the civil unrest throughout America, and the extreme polarization of the church does not need to be a perfect storm of despair and desolation, but instead an opportunity for spiritual and social transformation. The author of Hebrews turns to the prophet Haggai to declare that God shakes “the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land” and “all nations” indeed so that “what cannot be shaken may remain.” The perfect storm of 2020 has shaken us so that we can become unshakeable especially as we make central to our mission in the words of Kwon and Thompson, “to repair our communities from the ravages of White Supremacy.”

We believe as May 25 approaches, the date of George Floyd's murder, the spiritual and social transformation of the church requires a tangible, substantial and generous way to discuss, learn, and discern new, redeemed action. The Invitation seeks to foster such a conversation with a four-month series of reading and responding to Reparations: A Christian Call to Repentance and Repair.  

A set of new books have become prophetic gifts to the church during this last year’s crisis: How to Fight Racism, Jamar Tisby; After Whiteness, Willie James Jennings; Reading While Black, Esau McCaulley; and Jesus and John Wayne, Kristin DuMez. We are eager to promote reading and discussion of Reparations by Kwon and Thompson because we believe it is also a book that will be of vital importance for what will remain of the American church once the pandemic is over.

Focus question for our reading and response: as we read Reparations, we will confront many layers of resistance both in ourselves, our immediate communities, as well as our state and national conversations. The Invitation will consistently encourage listeners and participants to return to the focus question of kenosis in the language of Philippians 2: how can my response to Reparations allow me to cultivate the like-minded consciousness of Jesus who emptied and humbled himself and became obedient to death on a cross?

Call for contributors to respond we are soliciting up to sixteen responses to the introduction and seven chapters of Reparations. These responses can be offered in a variety of ways over four-months beginning the second week of May and ending in September. Below are a examples of possible responses to a chapter of the book:

Reading response w/ blog: a 1000-2000 word blog and a 30-60 minute recorded conversation either in person or via zoom.

Reading response w/o blog: a 30-60 minute recorded conversation either in person or via zoom.

Worship/action responses: some form of creative prayer or worship that inspires discernment for action, for us to be “doers of the word.” Content to be presented as web-based material and in some way offered, introduced, and or discussed on the podcast. The worship/action responses should help us turn to God’s presence, repent, intercede, and physically respond to the transformative love of God in and through our bodies and behaviors. Examples: poetry, music, visual art, interactive public art, written and guided prayer.

Action response: a call to action that invites listeners to learn more about an appropriate, just action. This response can highlight people or organizations already involved in reparations, further learning sources, books or web-based resources.