Dr. Ben Carson got off to a stumbling start as the Secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development. In front of a room full of federal staff workers, Carson seemed to categorize African slaves as immigrants. Speaking of America as the land of opportunity he said, “There were other immigrants who came in […]
Author: Jemar Tisby
February 26, 2012 marked a resurgence of the civil rights movement in America. Seven years ago, Trayvon Martin, a 17-year-old African American was walking back from a convenience store in Sanford, Florida wearing a hoodie and carrying Skittles and iced tea. Moments later, he was fatally shot by a neighborhood watchman. The circumstances of Martin’s killing polarized the nation […]
For over thirty years, U.S. citizens have celebrated the third Monday of January as the Martin Luther King, Jr. national holiday. A day set aside for this remarkable civil rights leader should be universally welcome, but I admit that I approach the day with mixed feelings. Which Dr. King do we honor on his national […]
NOTE: The following is not an endorsement of all of President Obama’s policies nor an endorsement of the Democratic party. The intention is to reflect on the content of a single speech as it impacted a single writer. On January 10, 2017, President Obama delivered his formal farewell speech to end his eight year term. The […]
Some of my comments on an episode of Pass The Mic have invited scrutiny and strong disagreement. In general, I accept this as part of the task of racial reconciliation and a positive sign of tackling the right topics. Due to distorted interpretations, however, I do sense the need to clarify those statements and extend their application. What […]
Our culture is fascinated by Christians who achieve mainstream recognition. It happens in sports with people like Gabby Douglas and Jeremy Lin. It happens in politics when believers run for office. But nowhere is Christianity in pop-culture more fascinating than in the realm of hip hop. Lecrae Moore (or just Lecrae) has an interesting and […]
Douglass’ words remind us that for some Americans, independence ends with an asterisk.
The theme of the the Presbyterian Church in America’s 44th General Assembly was “Refreshed In and For the Cross.” For those present on the evening of June 23, 2016, it may have been one of the most refreshing times in the denomination’s history. That night, Overture 43: Pursuing Racial Reconciliation and the Advancement of the […]
Even though many Christians recognize racism as a sin, we do not name the exact nature of the sin. James, the brother of Jesus, labels racism and other -isms as sins of “partiality.” The opening verses of James 2 explain how the sin of partiality works, especially in regard to economic class. It reads: 1 […]
Even though ethnic minorities call for white, evangelical Christians to speak up and be allies for racial justice, their sincere attempts to do so often get the side-eye. It’s an age-old problem. How do minorities, particularly African Americans, respond when white Christians get involved with racial justice efforts? During the Civil Rights Movement, organizations like […]
While it is true that most systematic and written forms of Reformed theology come from Caucasian males, Reformed theology is not the “white man’s religion.” No matter how you define it, the core tenets of Reformed theology are woven into the fabric of African American Christianity. The sovereignty of God over all of life, his […]
I had the honor of presenting at the 2016 Together for the Gospel conference on the A.R.C. of Racial Reconciliation. It was part of a breakout session I did jointly with Ligon Duncan, Chancellor of Reformed Theological Seminary. In it, I explained the essential elements of all genuine racial reconciliation. A = Awareness The phrase […]
Reading Scripture is a life changing discipline. In this article, RAAN President, Jemar Tisby, explores the omni-directional blessing of Bible reading.
Sometimes I don’t know whether I’m writing for a white audience or a black audience. My words are meant for both groups–any groups really–but on a network dedicated to addressing the core concerns of African Americans biblically, the primary recipients of those words should be easy to identify. I sometimes write expressly to my white […]
Black males make up just two percent of public education teachers. That’s right…two percent. Yet public schools, especially in the inner city and other low-income areas are overwhelmingly comprised of racial minorities. I constantly hear black Christian men talking about mentoring black youth. But it’s almost always in the context of church planting, or other “vocational” […]
Using Scripture, Jemar Tisby breaks downs why public lament is more than just another hot take or social media rant.
For the second year in a row, not a single black person garnered a nomination for an Academy Award. Black actors are understandably upset. A mass boycott of the ceremony is being proposed. This should serve as a warning because what’s happening with black people and the Oscars could happen with black people and the […]
Our sister in Christ and frequent Pass the Mic guest, Michelle Higgins, spoke in front of 16,000 students at Urbana 2015. The Urbana conference has been going on for over two decades and is dedicated to mobilizing young people for missions. Hosted by Intervarsity, the event brings together thousands of students from all different Christian […]
Another blow has been struck against confidence in the criminal justice system in America. A grand jury decided not to indict the two officers whose actions on November 22, 2014 led to the death of 12 year old Tamir Rice. Officer Garmback drove the police cruiser and Officer Loehman jumped out of the vehicle before […]
Jemar Tisby directs us to a seven-part series entitled, “Race and the American Church”, by Otis Pickett that surveys the U.S. church’s interplay with racial dynamics.