Reviewed by Jocelyn Garner

"Faithful Antiracism" by Christina Edmondson and Chad Brennan is a remarkable book that diligently applies Scripture to the practice of racial justice, and carefully examines the current attitudes, practices, and activities of those who want to support racial justice in the United States. It is deeply rooted in Scripture. The book is based on three extensive national research projects:

1. Race, Religion, and Justice Project (2019–2020): the RRJP was a two-year, national research project that Chad Brennan directed. "The RRJP is one of the largest studies of racial dynamics in US Christianity that has been conducted. It consisted of interviews with 115 leaders and experts in ten cities, a nationally representative survey of 3,260 individuals (the margin of error for the RRJP Survey was plus or minus 1.9 points at a 95 percent confidence interval), focus groups with 119 congregants in seven cities, and ethnographic studies of churches in four cities. A collaboration team of over 200 experts and leaders helped with the project."
2. Renew Partnerships Campus Climate Survey (2016–2020): the RPCCS was conducted at eighteen Christian colleges and universities between 2016 and 2020. It is one of the largest studies of racial dynamics in Christian colleges, with 13,580 responses collected.
3. Barna Group research: this book also includes data from several studies conducted by their research partner, the Barna Group (barna.com).

For me personally, this book provides the substantive foundation I've been seeking: Biblical understanding, real data about Christian and non-Christian attitudes towards racial justice, and practical steps towards breaking down the systemic racism perpetuated by our American society in ways we may or may not entirely understand.

Can you share a quote from the book that was meaningful to you?

"If we have different perspectives on the history of our country, it is nearly impossible to make progress toward addressing racial injustice. As aboriginal leader George Erasmus explained, 'Where common memory is lacking, where people do not share in the same past, there can be no real community. Where community is to be formed, common memory must be created.'"

For me, this answers the question why we must understand how systemic racism came into being; the history, the key choices that were made, and how they shaped the attitudes and activities that perpetuate systemic racism. As challenging as it might be, "understanding and acknowledging the past is an essential part of making progress. We can't move forward if we refuse to look back. Reflecting on the past is not a barrier, it is a door to freedom, growth, and healing."

What was a new thought or a key takeaway?

Chapter 4 was an eye-opening experience. Starting in 1452 when Pope Nicholas V issued the Doctrine of Discovery, the authors identified periods of time when Christians alternately decried and supported systemic racism in the form of genocide and slavery in the early years, followed by racial prejudice, hate groups, and redlining in housing in more recent times. This chapter clarified for me the history I needed to know, and stitched together the bits of understanding of systemic racism that I've gathered up to this point. I recognized the sources of some of my own right- and wrong-headed beliefs, and had flashbacks of some of the attitudes of my parents.

What action will you take as a result of reading this book?

I have so many more books I want to read to fill out my understanding of systemic racism and to pursue practical steps I can take where I live, work, play, and learn. This book makes an excellent companion to Latasha Morrison's book "Be the Bridge: Pursuing God's Heart for Racial Reconciliation." I want to be able to clearly state the case that following Jesus includes social action — actively caring for those in need — and I want to know by heart (memorize) the Scripture passages that support racial justice in our world.

Is there anything else you'd like to share about this book?

I also understand better the role of lament in our collective Christian experience. We as Christians have so much for which we should lament, as the first step towards acknowledging the misuse and mis-application of Scripture in systemic racism. This book provides careful guidance on how we can approach the problem, prayerfully engage with other ethnic groups, learn from their perspectives, and together work towards racial justice.