(Note - this post was created when I served as VP of Ideos Institute, which is now the Fuller Center for Peacebuilding and Conflict Transformation)

“The world is a diverse, complex, and nonhomogeneous place. We need to embrace the diversity present around us and rejoice in it, because God certainly does. We must recognize how our understanding of God affects our worldview, our actions, and our Christian faith. Our choice of words and the language we use impact our thoughts and ideas. If we can move away from the false notion of a white male God, it will expand our understanding of the real God who is infinite and unrestricted.” - Dr. Grace Ji-Sun Kim, When God Became White

Pursuing unity and healing in the church requires navigating a vital historic and modern question: Is God’s design for unity one of diversity or conformity? The answer to this question has shaped different expressions of Christianity across the globe and throughout history. A belief in unity through conformity has often resulted in hierarchical structures, enforced compliance, violence, cultural assimilation, and, most horrifically, cultural destruction and genocide. We can trace this theological assumption and its impact through a history of warfare, conquest, colonization, and missionary work. But this isn’t the only way to build unity, and scripture, history, and the global church help us to see the possibilities of unity strengthened by diversity rather than conformity.

In this week’s In Conversation With…, we speak with Dr. Grace Ji-Sun Kim, author of the book When God Became White: Dismantling Whiteness for a More Just Christianity. The book uses Grace’s own experience and the stories of many others who were taught a form of Christianity based on a white male God, to help us understand the culture of whiteness and its theological and missional implications. We explore the social construct of whiteness, its impact on the understanding of God, and the historical context of a white Jesus. Dr. Kim helps us expand our imagination for solidarity among different racial groups cultivated by reimagining God beyond a white male figure. We also touch on practical steps for inclusivity in faith communities and the significance of diverse voices in understanding God.

Connect with Grace’s work:The Madang Podcast

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