As Josh Clemons, the executive director of OneRace, an anti-racist Christian organization, kicked off its racial reconciliation conference last week, he compared efforts to clean the church from the sin of racism to an ancient Japanese art practice, kintsugi.
The centuries-old method consists of mending broken pottery by welding pieces with liquid gold. Once repaired, the new ceramics are embellished by shining golden cracks, proudly displaying what were once flaws. Similarly, congregations that reckon with racial divides and engage in bold efforts to dismantle racism in the church end up embellished and more unified, he explained.
“Our racial past is marred and scarred,” Clemons told media at the event. “It’s steeped in racism and ethnocentrism and cultural divide. The church is often on the wrong side of that conversation. We believe that the church should show up credibly in these conversations.”
The Aug. 14 conference, themed “Change the story, redeeming race, reconciliation and the mission of the church,” invited faith leaders to engage in discussions on race, from a gospel-centric perspective.
Five years after George Floyd’s murder at the hands of a Minnesota police officer, which shocked the country and prompted a racial reckoning in American society and the church, much of the conference’s discussions noted how the momentum spurred in 2020 has progressively faded.
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In total, 402 faith leaders, from 18 states, attended the event hosted at Norcross’ Victory Church, a megachurch 20 miles north of Atlanta. According to OneRace’s data shared with media, 42% of participants were white, 42% Black, 5% Asian and 5% Latino. In panels and small group sessions, guest speakers, including Christianity Today COO Nicole Martin and National Association of Evangelicals President Walter Kim, discussed topics ranging from ways to clear theology from racist bias to the challenges that come with leading multiethnic congregations.
The political context — as the Trump administration rolls back diversity, equity and inclusion commitments and undermines efforts to teach Black history in schools across the country — was front and center in discussions. As race-related issues become increasingly polarizing, Clemons urged attendees to remain steeped in the work of racial reconciliation and “speak less to foolishness and more to the faithfuls.”
Reminiscing over the support he received from white congregants after Floyd’s murder, Pastor Albert Tate of Fellowship Monrovia in California noted how few voices mounted to denounce current blows at DEI and the erasure attempts of Black history.
“As a Black man, my tears weren’t ignored,” he said of the general reaction to Floyd’s killing. “I didn’t have my white siblings in the Facebook comment section questioning whether it was wrong. We all knew it was wrong. What’s hurtful and discouraging is the silence of my white siblings watching the dismantling and not saying anything.”
Still, nearly 10 years after OneRace’s creation and despite the political shifts affecting its efforts, the organization remains dedicated in its attempts to absolve congregations from the sin of racism. The group’s priority, explained the 37-year-old director, is to remain helpful to those still passionate about the cause.
“Are the folks as loud as they once were? Are there as many? No. Have we seen a falling away? Yes. Is that challenging? Yes. But that isn’t a reason for retreating,” Clemons said.
After the morning’s worship concert, Clemons took the stage to lead the attendees in prayer. Seated around tables in the church’s main chapel, participants bowed their heads as he encouraged them to listen with open hearts and minds.
The first panel, about the “11 o’clock hour” still being the most segregated hour in America, a reference to the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.’s 1960 speech on segregated churches, featured Pastor Lee Jenkins of Eagles Nest Church in Roswell, Georgia; former Fellowship Bible Church Pastor Crawford Loritts, also of Roswell; and World Relief’s Liliana Reza, as well as Martin of Christianity Today and the NEA’s Kim. All shared insights on how racism shows up in theology but also in church life.
As he shared closing remarks, Jenkins, who leads a nondenominational Black church, urged attendees to beware of any theology “that still preaches difference, separation and anxiety.”
Another panel touched on the consequences of initiating discussions about race in churches. Drawing on their own experience, speakers encouraged attendees to become comfortable with ruffling feathers when engaging in racial reconciliation efforts from the pulpit.
OneRace aims to engage faith leaders in such discussions throughout the year. Created amid the 2016 anti-racism protests, the organization seeks to train “reconcilers” or faith leaders trained on race-related issues in their ministry. The trainings, meant for faith leaders and local churches, cover the history of racism in the U.S., the role the church has played in enforcing white supremacy and how to improve racial equity and identify solutions to rid churches of racist bias.
One training, Reconciliation 301, invites participants to reflect on their own racist behaviors. The “Southern Justice experience” takes faith leaders to Alabama’s historic sites. After visiting Selma’s Edmund Pettus Bridge, where peaceful activists demanding civil rights were beaten in 1965, the training cohorts go to Birmingham’s 16th Street Baptist Church, where four Black girls died in a bombing orchestrated by Ku Klux Klan members in 1963.
And starting this year, OneRace added another training to its offerings. In partnership with World Relief, the “Southern Border Experience: San Diego & Tijuana” takes faith leaders to the U.S.-Mexico border to observe border issues and meet activists advocating for migrants’ rights.
The conference also served as an occasion for faith leaders to discuss the fatigue that comes with tackling race-related issues in their congregations.
Dennis Rouse, the 67-year-old founding pastor of Victory Church, formerly Victory World Church, a nondenominational megachurch with multiple Georgia locations, shared candidly about losing touch with white Christian friends when he established the multiethnic congregation in the 1990s. Still, the desire to create a truly unified church surpassed those challenges.
“If you’re going to be a true Christian, you can’t hold prejudice in your heart against another people,” he said before urging leaders to rely on God when feeling discouraged by the work.
Similarly, Loritts, who became pastor of Fellowship Bible Church in 2005, when the congregation was majority white, reflected on the fatigue that comes with being perceived as a “token” and “sellout,” as the Black pastor of a white congregation. Though multicultural congregations embody the unifying message of the gospel, Christians shouldn’t fixate on multiethnic congregations as a “strategy” or a “brand,” he said.
“I didn’t come to Fellowship as a racial experiment,” Loritts said. “I came to do the Lord’s work.”
The speakers also noted the importance of multiethnic churches representing the congregations’ diversity in leadership, pastoral staff and worship teams.
At the core of OneRace’s approach to racial reconciliation is rejecting political etiquette, which many speakers drew attention to throughout the day. Though the movement centers racial justice, it is adamant about not taking sides politically.
Derwin Gray, founding pastor of Transformation Church in Indian Land, South Carolina, and author of the 2022 book “How to Heal Our Racial Divide,” urged leaders to preach boldly on issues — even if it means antagonizing “Democrats and MAGA.”
The AND Campaign, a nonpartisan civic organization that invites Christians to transcend partisan polarization, is a OneRace partner and sent representatives to the conference. AND Campaign Director Justin Giboney said from the stage that racism has wrongfully become politically polarizing for Christians.
“The race debate in much of the church has become a battle between those blind to the sin of racism and those who believe racism and sexism are the only sins,” he said.
Kim, of the NEA, told media that racism is not a political issue but a sin that “breaks the heart of Jesus” and that it has been a challenge for the church for millennia.
The conference also drew attention to similarities between how the church has handled racism and how it handles anti-immigrant hatred. Reza, director of U.S./Mexico border engagement for World Relief, a Christian humanitarian organization, urged attendees to not turn a blind eye to the fate of Latino Christian communities impacted by the federal government’s crackdown on immigration.
Noting that the hurt racism has caused Black Christian communities mirrors the experiences of Latino Christians who feel abandoned by fellow Christians now, Reza implored attendees to stand in support of those communities.
“We, I, need you all to be the church,” said Reza, as she shed tears, adding, “Black brothers and sisters, do not turn a blind eye.”
Fiona André is a national reporter for Religion News Service based in New York City, and Helen Teixeira is a contributor to RNS.
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25 Responses
Very good conversation to have and trust not only for a healthy degree of understanding of other peoples backgrounds and life experiences, but also importantly there be a gracious spirit in the process.
Hopefully also in time this can include economic and opportunity disparity, which of course is color blind.
I think it might be better to say that racism is not JUST a political issue, but also a grave sin issue.
Because it definitely a political issue- but it’s not ONLY a political issue. I think this comes from the idea that the church should stay out of politics, but politics involves how the human condition is governed, and so it’s irresponsible to “stay out of politics” when it means deferring to the whims of the oppressor, and those on the margins paying the highest cost.
Why do I find it appalling that at every turn we have to dig up the grave of what was one time institutional racism and bring it back to life. I grew up in a time when institutional racism was very prevalent. My experience at a certain reform school in Florida re-enforced it, in its handling of white on one side of the road and blacks on the other. Yet some sixty years later here we are digging it up again and the ones bringing it back to life are the ones who did not suffer the indignities their ancestors lived with.
Do I believe that racism does not institutionally? It does. Only because the shoe is on the other foot and the children of those who suffered that racism are the ones who are the racist. Its like the old saying there a demon in every bush, but instead now the indignities suffered so long ago by the black community, their progeny are using the same old saying, “there’s a racist in every white person”. It is a grift for those who never lived through those indignities and more and more it is their religion.
Bobby – Racism is a sin. And scripture tells us the impacts of sin are not isolated. Sin impacts our children’s children. Scripture also tells us how to address sin, and that is not by “stopping talking about it.” (And I’m not sure where you land on the sin of institutional racism being “one time”, as it is proven to be woven into systems, cultures, behaviors, colloquilisms, and generational attitudes dating back to the founding of this nation…and even further back to the beginning of time.)
What I find difficult to understand is the disrespectful, dismissive attitude – by BELIEVERS – towards discussing and addressing a sin that STILL impacts GENERATIONS of communities throughout the world.
My parents are Boomers who lived through Jim Crow, with the stories to prove it: segregated schools, relatives who chose to “pass”, klan threats, celebrations of MLK’s assassination, and more.
It is unfortunate that we can’t listen to their story – and many like it – with any amount of respect, compassion, empathy or interest in learning from it; instead it’s defensiveness, “get over it”, “stop talking about it”, “you weren’t impacted or alive” lies, “you’re a grifter” accusations, and whataboutisms that make it about yourself. Have you considered THAT dismissiveness is part of what is causing this to fester?
I wish I could say that I have the hope and faith of my parents (they acknowledge it’s what’s gotten them through), but the more and more I read attitudes like Bobby’s (and you’re among MANY), I’m kinda resigned to the church doesn’t care. I do appreciate the efforts of these types of conferences, though.
Making a profit from the sins of others is condemned in the Bible. Using the sins of the past to forge a present-day lucrative career (example: “anti-racist” books, studies, speakers, etc.) is condemned in the Bible as well.
Romans 8: 1 & 2
“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death.”
God has placed our sins in the deepest part of the sea and has put out a “No Fishing” sign for believers.
“Using the sins of the past to forge a present-day lucrative career (example: “anti-racist” books, studies, speakers, etc.) is condemned in the Bible as well.”
Well then there’s a WHOLE LOT of that going around: We have MANY in the body of Christ who are psychologists, professors, and authors who make a living providing Christian counseling and teaching for healing from past traumas. I see books on recovering from all sorts of past traumas (being a child of divorce, domestic violence, abuse, addiction, etc) prevalent in the Christian aisles of book stores. I’ve been invited to paid Christian conferences on healing from past traumas, too.
Can you show the verses for how this is condemned?
I have NO problem with a believer whose career and calling intertwine in such a way that their career involves helping fellow believers heal or introducing Biblical ways of healing to non-believers – what a powerful impact! I’m sure we can all think of how divorce, abuse, addiction, and other traumas have grabbed hold of GENERATIONS of families, and I’d love to see these strongholds broken through the power of Christ. I would much rather point people to a Christian therapist than a secular one; yet I know I can’t complain about the lack of Christian therapists if I don’t believe in paying them.
Overall, at the root of this is the very disappointing realization that the church is NOT interested in addressing racism. I wish we’d set an example for the world rather than letting the world’s approaches to it prevail, but oh well.
Marin:
We are discussing two separate issues here: Forgiveness and healing are not synonymous. My point is simply that Christians, through Christ, have been forgiven for past wrongs. Dredging up the past over and over again does not bring any healing, it simply perpetuates the pain.
Further, trained counselors help the healing process but only Christ can forgive the sin. When speaking with those who advocate for reparations, I have noticed they rely on past sin a great deal in order to justify present grift. This is so wrong!
Move on. Forgive as you have been forgiven. Do not “guilt” people into giving what they would not normally give based on sins committed hundreds of years ago. Christians have been forgiven for ALL sins once they believe and accept the power of Christ’s gift. They are called OUT of sin to live Godly lives, they are not called to wallow in the past.
Phillipians 3: 13-14
“Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”
This from a man who watched Stephen get stoned to death and who persecuted Christians up until the day God knocked him to the ground and woke him up. May all of us press on and seek God’s help to do so every day!
Thanks, Dr Cynthia, for your comments. It’s disheartening how often Christians embrace positions which seem cultural rather that Scriptural. I always appreciate your rebuttals.
Dear Cathie, I hope you will take another look at the topic and review relevant scripture. Cynthia’s response misinterprets verses which is why her conclusions are wrong. In Phil 3:13, Paul is not forgetting the _sins_ or _responsibilities,_ but rather all the things that he gave up for Christ. Paul actually reminds us of his sins in 1 Cor 15:9-10, and mentions the fact that he therefore worked harder than the other apostles. After meeting the Lord, Zacchaeus was motivated to do even more than just provide recompense to anyone that he had cheated – he paid _four_ times (Lk 19:8)! Jesus tells us to go to put things right with those we have wronged (Mt 5:25). Both John the Baptist and Paul speak of the “works of repentance”. And making restitution is fundamental to God’s Law in the OT, which we should not forget. Remember that Saul’s descendants were punished for Saul’s killing of the Gibeonites (2 Sam 21). There are many more examples.
The desire to avoid consequences is common to all wrong-doers and particularly abusers. This is a feature extensively covered by the Roys Report – pastors and churches trying to cover up and escape consequences for abuse. One of the strategies is to say that “God has forgiven me, so you should drop this” and I hope we all realise how wrong that is. It seems strange that Cynthia is on this site if that is her position.
The forgiveness of sins through Jesus relates to our sins against God. Forgiveness between people is also required as a response to God’s forgiving us. But this does not remove responsibility for restitution for harm.
A lot of assumptions and conflating of issues here:
Yep, forgiveness and healing are not synonymous. And REPENTANT, professing Christians are forgiven. (Sounds like you’re assuming all who have perpetuated racism are repentant, professing Christians? Or are you speaking of the church?) However, the impacts of sin do not stop once forgiveness takes place. Remember, Abraham and Sarah still had to raise Ishmael – and TODAY we still pay the price for it! We can’t just “not talk about it” as if we aren’t.
Which brings me to this: time does not heal unaddressed wounds. Time has no healing element. In fact, with time, unaddressed wounds become infected (and don’t you think we are infected by now?). So it is important to address wounds, even if uncomfortable; it’s like a physical wound that needs to be cleaned out. It is painful and uncomfortable, but needed for healing.
I think we should discuss HOW to address wounds. Reparations is a whole other issue that is not the “only” way (I have nuanced opinions on it), nor is it synonymous with racial reconciliation; you’re conflating the two. (Although did you know the families of slave OWNERS received reparations for the loss of slave labor? But the families of slaves themselves were denied; THAT is a nuance to the argument.)
We can tell the stories of generations impacted by racism and marginalization without defensiveness, shame or guilt. I actually believe all races have been impacted by our nation’s marred history and have stories to tell. And it costs NOTHING to listen with empathy and compassion. My family’s legacy – slavery, segregation and all – is a TESTIMONY to God’s hand being on us for 8 generations! Why wouldn’t the church encourage that being told?
“Overall, at the root of this is the very disappointing realization that the church is NOT interested in addressing racism. I wish we’d set an example for the world rather than letting the world’s approaches to it prevail, but oh well.”
Well said. To date much of the Evangelical church and online conversation attempts to deny the reality or racism in the 21st century. It may not be as institutionalized as it was in years gone by but it still exists.
The tactics used by those who wish to inhibit any conversation about racism are often as follows. Associating it with liberalism or their understanding of Wokeism. Trying to make a case the Bible does not call for it. Accusing the victims of now being racist. Fear that they need to have “White Guilt”. Or downright racist tendencies. Playing the “Race Card”. Numerous “Whatabout” arguments. Blaming the victim. The argument from “Meritocracy”. Various forms of online gaslighting.
Dear Cynthia, you seem to be conflating quite a lot of things. Remember firstly that there is no Bible verse about a “No Fishing” sign. That is straight from Corrie ten Boom (and maybe others before her) and not actually correct. Remember, Paul comfortably spoke about his persecution of the church and considered himself the least of the apostles as a result. That is not “No Fishing”. The OT shows us clearly that David was forgiven by God, but the consequences were severe.
The passage about “no condemnation” relates to sin against God and eternal judgement, _not_ about wrongs done to others, for which restitution is the appropriate action. Remember that we are called to the “works of repentance” and these could include restitution. Remember Zacchaeus – that is true repentance. Jesus told people to go to put things right.
There is no prohibition to making money off the sins of others. Where do you find that? Lawyers do it. One thing that is actually prohibited is making money from usury. Yet this is the basis of the US system of capitalism. How do you feel about that? Adultery and initiating divorce are prohibited by Jesus and by Paul (although not separation). How do you feel about that?
I have lived in Africa and the US, and I can comfortably say that African Americans still suffer from the consequences of slavery and, more importantly, the underlying philosophy of white supremacy. I spent time speaking with a white pastor from the US and I was shocked by his casual racism. Do you acknowledge the great ongoing sin against African Americans?
Andrew Mole:
Micah 7:19:
“You will again have compassion on us; you will tread our sins underfoot
and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea.”
2 Corinthians 5:17:
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!”
You should consider living in the light of these truths.
Dear Cynthia, neither of these say that we never bear the consequences of our sins, nor that we shouldn’t put things right. Your approach releases sexual abusers in the church of their responsibilities to try to put things right. God gave Micah 7:19, but he did not remove the Law:
(Lev 6:5) Restitution plus for stealing from or deceiving a neighbour
[…] They must make restitution in full, add a fifth of the value to it and give it all to the owner on the day they present their guilt offering.
(see also Exodus 21 & 22 for restitution to other human beings and see Zacchaeus in Luke 19:1-10, Jesus’ command for restitution in Matthew 5:23-24 and Paul’s offer to make restitution to Philemon for Onesimus for NT examples).
God can forgive sins against Him without restitution (why would he need it?), but recompensing neighbours is completely required. Once we are freed from sin we become slaves to righteousness, and that includes putting things right with our brothers and sisters – do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Do you reject restitution when people have done wrong to you? Seriously?
Andrew Mole:
We live in a fallen world, do we not? As Christians and non-Christians alike, we all have to live with the consequences of our sinful acts. However, once we accept Christ’s forgiveness, we are free:
Romans 8:2: “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death.”
Galatians 5:1: “For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.”
John 8:36: “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”
2 Corinthians 3:17: “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.”
John 8:32: “and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
Romans 6:18: “And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.”
Galatians 5:13: “For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.”
Andrew, do you see the answer to your questions in this last verse? We are called as believers to serve one another through love. When Christ controls your life, “making restitution” becomes automatic and guilt-free. It is how you live, it is who you are. And, as Jesus often said, we are to FORGIVE as we have been forgiven. Not easy, but we have to do it.
Perhaps I am misreading your comments, but it sounds like you believe Jesus’s sacrifice was not enough and more is required. Am I right? If I could get right with God through my own actions, Jesus didn’t need to come at all.
Cynthia, responding to your latest:
Thank you for asking. Yes, God forgives our sins and that it is only God that can.
But no, you are wrong in that the scriptures and your interpretation do not apply to what we were originally talking about. Consequences may still apply in this life, not as eternal payment, but as discipline. You can and should choose to do good due to a redeemed heart, but penalties may still apply for wrong actions.
Charles Colson went to jail because he repented, confessed and accepted the penalty. Peter talks to believers about suffering as a criminal, after all (1 Pet 4:15).
The freedom that is mentioned in Rom 6:18 & 8:2, Gal 5:1, John 8:32,36, 2 Cor 3:17 is the freedom from living a sinful life that leads to death, something that is not relevant to reparations and does not apply to a worldly community like a country. And how would a country repent in such a way as to remove consequences? Countries and systems do not have eternal life.
Do you acknowledge that there are consequences for a pastor who abuses his flock or do you think that he should be immediately released back to ministry without consequences (even criminal ones)?
Its way past time for Christian people especially white ones, to get serious about racial reconcilation, stop horsing around and get to work!!!!!!!!!!
Tank – wonderful sentiment, but I encourage you to not get your hopes up. As you can see, this article references visiting sites like the Montgomery church bombed in 1963, and responses are to “stop dredging up the past” of “sins committed hundreds of years ago” despite people walking around today who knew or are related to those girls (Condoleeza Rice “dredges it up” in her autobiography when mentioning being friends with one of the girls, and the childhood memory of hearing of her gruesome death).
It’s hard to accept that the church isn’t interested, including those who sit among us as fellow believers. Unfortunately, addressing racism is no longer seen as being about treating people of all races with the love and respect of Christ; it’s “woke” (aka “leftist” aka “unbiblical”). Perhaps we pray that we can get back to seeing racism as the sinful barrier to seeing and loving others as Christ calls us to, and then we can have hope?
I recommend the racial-reconciliation ministry Center for Biblical Unity (Monique Duson, Black and Krista Bontrager, White) on YouTube 100%! They hit these issues with grace and nuance–but zero compromise of the core values of New Testament rebirth and God’s impartiality for all his image-bearers (not Jew nor Greek, male nor female).
This is the second time I’ve heard of this YouTube channel. I must check it out. Thanks!
Brian, looks interesting. Thank you.
Andrew Mole:
Your words: “Your approach releases sexual abusers in the church of their responsibilities to try to put things right.”
Sexual abusers belong in prison, Andrew. That’s how our legal system in the USA deals with those convicted of sexual offenses. “Trying to put things right” cannot happen aside from facing criminal charges. The Church should not be welcoming sexual predators under ANY circumstances, not is it the place for them to “try to put things right.”
Serving time in prison is a type of restitution, don’t you think?
“The forgiveness of sins through Jesus relates to our sins against God. Forgiveness between people is also required as a response to God’s forgiving us. But this does not remove responsibility for restitution for harm.”
Andrew Mole:
It sounds like you’re suggesting here that God’s forgiveness of our sins is not enough. As a response to God’s forgiving us, we should definitely forgive others, but my salvation is secure whether I forgive others or whether I do not. My salvation is secure whether I provide “restitution for harm” or not. As Paul made clear:
Ephesians 2: 9:
“For it is by grace you have been saved through faith, and this not from yourselves; it is the gift of God, not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance as our way of life.…”
Christianity is the only religion that requires NOTHING from me for my salvation except repentance and acceptance of Jesus’ gift. Period.
You need to make sure you are not burdening believers with additional requirements. Also, you need to make sure that your words are grounded in the Bible. When we are filled with the Holy Spirit, our actions reflect Christ and we follow HIM, not what the world presents as mandatory requirements to meet some kind of human-created standard of behavior.
Dear Cynthia,
It seems that we have already agreed that punishment including incarceration and some form of restitution can be appropriate for sexual abuse. When you say that, do you think you are implying that the abuser can “earn” forgiveness from God through restitution? Of course not, and neither am I.
I hope you would therefore also agree that Ephesians 2:9 does not relieve such wrong-doers of the requirements for punishment or restitution for wrongs done to one another. This is my whole point.
God has made it clear that he hates favouritism of every kind (“My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favouritism.”, James 2:1), and he has made provision for restitution. God cares about wrongs done to one group of people, even generations later, as He demonstrated when he brought three years of famine on Israel until they punished Saul’s descendants for the slaughter of Gibeonites (2 Sam 21). Should not Christians therefore be on the forefront of making amends for slavery? No individual today is at fault for the actions of their ancestors, but it is right for them to acknowledge them and to try to right wrongs when one group has benefitted over another. Hope this is clear now.
Andrew Mole:
Thanks for your comments and the clarification of your position. Your stance is an interesting one which explains (at least for me) why so many Christians seem confused about reparations.
“Making amends for slavery” needs further explanation on your part. What exactly do you mean? If I look at it from a personal perspective, several of my ancestors gave their lives during the Civil War in order to “make amends for slavery.” Does their sacrifice count? Other ancestors arrived in the early 1900s from Scotland. Are they responsible for the effects of American slavery?
If somehow you are implying that unequal outcomes are a consequence of what happened centuries ago, I would have to ask for citations of studies supporting this claim. Certain groups have always benefitted over others here and those groups will continue to do so, but only for a time. As we like to say, they are on a short leash.
Slavery is a Satanic practice that still occurs today across the world. I can’t wait for the day when Jesus stops it once and for all. In the meantime, I live each day in the knowledge that God loves me, forgives me, and wants me to shine for Him. With His help, that’s what I try to do. As you have said, I am definitely not responsible for the sins of my ancestors, nor are you.