White American Christianity Needs to Be Honest About Its History of White Supremacy

#religion

In the past few days, I’ve seen all kinds of statements from Christian leaders trying to distance themselves from the violent mob at the Capitol. Christian writers known for their thoughtfulness lament that “somehow” white supremacy has crept into our churches, and the faculty of a major evangelical institution put out a manifesto saying that the events at the Capitol “bear absolutely no resemblance to” the Christianity they teach. That mob, they’re telling us, is a fringe element. They’ve radically misunderstood the real message of American Christianity.

White American Christianity indeed has a complex history intertwined with white supremacy. Let’s explore some key points:

1. Foundational Doctrine: Centuries ago, the Church laid the groundwork for the theft of the Americas, enslavement of Africans and Native Americans, and brutal colonization worldwide. The doctrine that it was acceptable to take land and liberty from non-Christian people played a significant role in this history.

2. Puritans and Colonization: The holiness movement of the Puritans, who arrived in the “new world” to spread the gospel, led to the near extermination of the Pequot people and the enslavement of survivors. Roger Williams, an advocate for religious freedom and separation of church and state, was banished for objecting to government enforcement of the Ten Commandments.

3. Influence on American Documents: While Thomas Jefferson’s Declaration of Independence reflects Christian influence by grounding rights in our status as creatures of God, it also described Native Americans as “merciless Indian savages.” The Constitution defined African-Americans as only three-fifths of a person.

4. Protestantism and Slavery: For centuries, white Protestantism justified slavery using biblical texts. Even the Ku Klux Klan rooted its ideology of white supremacy in Protestant theology and the Bible.

5. Contemporary Reflection: Recent analyses, such as Robert P. Jones’ book “White Too Long,” reveal how white Christians have constructed and sustained a project of protecting white supremacy and opposing black equality throughout American history.