As I sat reading on my couch last night, I felt a deep, unexpected grief come over me. I don’t exactly know all the specifics of how and/or why it arrived, but it was noticeable nonetheless. After processing it for a while, I determined that it was a leading from the Spirit of Christ to write a simple yet clear response to white supremacy. I honestly hope that you knew what I was going to say when you read the title: absolute and dogmatic denouncement. Regardless however, I felt like I needed to say it publicly.

First of all though, let my admission preempt your accusation: yes, I am a pasty white, paid-for blonde, young-at-heart mid-thirties, Jesus-chasing single woman. I realize that I am wholly blind to the countless benefits of white privilege I encounter and receive every single day in our society. I know that I am treated differently/preferentially completely based on my whiteness, in ways that I don’t even recognize or consider consciously.

With that said, I cannot change the color of my skin nor do I feel inappropriate shame associated simply with being white. It’s how God chose to make me and there’s nothing I did to earn, deserve, or manipulate where, when, how, or what race I was born. I trust his sovereignty. However, I denounce ANY ideology, theology, notion, feeling, belief, judgement, or worldview that says my whiteness (or anyone else’s) makes me (or them) innately superior to a person of color whether black, brown, blue, or purple. White supremacy is wholly demonic (James 3). Every human being, regardless of race is made in the image of God and the imago Dei alone dictates all of mankind’s absolute equality in value, worth, and identity (Genesis 1:27). I believe the gospel of Jesus Christ.

 

The gospel of grace unequivocally refutes any race’s assumption of supremacy over another (Galatians 2). Hear me clearly: the foundation of our Bible’s gospel is that the One who is TOTALLY OTHER THAN, INFINITELY MORE SUPREME, COMPLETELY SUPERIOR TO US, “Christ Jesus…made himself NOTHING, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” For US. To know us. To be with us. To save us.  To redeem us. To make us alive. To reconcile us. To adopt all of us foreigners into his family.

The only One who could ever rightly claim supremacy, chose not to. While we were his enemies, Christ stumbled up a hill called Calvary to die for us. Because he loved us.

Because he loved the world – all of it (John 3:16, Titus 2:11).

The gospel also tells us that one day very soon, every knee (no matter its color) will bow down to Jesus. “God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

The gospel, the good news of Christ, stands directly against white supremacy – and I stand in complete agreement with that gloriously good news. 

My black and brown brothers and sisters, I stand with you.

~Courtney <3

___________________________

**These words are my very own. Any repetition from others’ statements is simply the natural similarities we possess by standing on the gospel together.

**If any statements in this blog are offensive somehow to you, please know that it was unintentional and out of complete ignorance. Please let me know so I can learn.

**If you have not yet embraced Jesus with your life, but would like to talk, please let me know. It would be my privilege to tell you more about the good news of Christ.

**Scripture passages above are from Philippians 2:5-11 unless otherwise noted.