GW 11: Racial Injustice and Freedom from Systems of Oppression
The death of George Floyd created worldwide momentum about race issues. For the first time in a long time, some Christians and their churches decided to embark on the difficult journey of uncovering personal bias and hurts linked to systemic racism, learning ways to actively resist it in conversation with veteran activists who have been doing the work for years. Mainline protestant and evangelical denominations, and Christians of all stripes must reckon with their links to colonialism and the slave trade, after centuries of silence and avoidance.
The aim of the course is to journey together for ten weeks and go deeper in the Christian conversation, prayer and reflection about racism.
We want to help you navigate your way through this very difficult topic, exploring it from a distinctively Christian worldview and perspective. We desire to equip you so you can more easily identify and resist racism and other oppressive systems. We also want you to find freedom as we journey together: freedom from racial trauma/hurt, from shame and guilt,...
We will cover various topics in order to give you elements to build a post colonial theology, as an alternative to white dominant approaches.
Each session will include testimony regarding racism in society and in the Church, including Black, Asian, Latinx and Native American/First Nations perspectives. This will be followed by teaching, discussion, prayer and Q & A.
Josiane Ngongang will be coordinating this course, teaching and bringing together guest speakers from diverse ethnicities and countries. Josiane is a Christ follower seeking Jesus’ kingdom and justice in Paris. Originally from Cameroon, she has spent most of her adult live living in France. She works as a project manager for a French tech company. She’s been involved in youth ministry for the past 16 years. Currently she focuses on teaching, prayer and overseeing her local church life as a member of their group of elders.
10 Sessions: Wednesday, 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM (PST) / 20:30-22:00 Paris time.
January 2022 -March 2022
We are offering this module as a weekly training via Zoom. If you are unable to attend the live sessions, we are offering a special course which will be uploaded for you to go through at your own pace and on your own schedule at a discounted price of $125
Entry Fee:
$150 USD* -LIVE TEACHING WEBINAR ($20.00 of which funds trainings in Africa and the Global South)
$125 USD* -SELF PACE WEBINAR
*Partial and full scholarships are available in the drop down menu below
January 19 (Week 1): Rediscovering God’s heart for justice and plan for equality, unity and diversity among humans - Introducing the team.
January 26 (Week 2): Racism as a tool of oppression
What exactly is systemic racism? What is privilege? Why is the race conversation vital for our churches today? How does it affect us as individuals, society and churches?
February 2 (Week 3): Identity: seeing and accepting ourselves the way God sees us.
February 9 (Week 4): The renewing of our minds - Why is there resistance when we bring up race as a conversation topic? How can we respond to this resistance and encourage others (and ourselves) to engage in the process of change?
February 16 (Week 5): Racism and spiritual warfare
February 23 (Week 6): Is Christianity the white man’s religion?
Colonialism, slave trade and the complicity of the Church: what has the impact been in ex-colonized societies? What can the Church do about this heritage today?
March 2 (Week 7): Good news for everyone
Exploring how God challenges oppressors and lifts the oppressed up in OT and NT. Preaching a decolonized Jesus vs. empire religion
March 9 (Week 8): Reconciliation Matters
Dealing with “Black rage” and “White guilt and shame”. What does it look like to be reconciled with God, ourselves and those who have oppressed us or those we have exercised privilege over?
March 16 (Week 9): When the Church tackles systemic oppression & injustice.
March 23 (Week 10): Moving forward
Wrap up session with testimonies from participants, final prayer and commissioning.
Course participants will explore the following questions and topics:
What exactly is systemic racism? What is privilege? Why is the race conversation vital for our churches today?
How does racism affect us as individuals, society and churches?
What about the Black Lives Matter movement?
What does Jesus have to say about privilege and power?
Racial stereotypes and their consequences.
Internalized racism and how to break free from it.
Envisioning a journey of healing from a negative “racial self esteem” (i.e feeling less worthy than the majority, having to please the “white-gaze”, being overwhelmed by our privilege) and restoration of God’s image in us.
Mental health care for black & other ethnic minorities.
Dealing with people who won’t engage in the conversation or feel guilt-tripped: Understanding the “change curve” as it applies to the conversation about racism.
How can we engage in mind renewal and the Holy Spirit’s work.
Powers and principalities at work in nationalism, racism and other isms.
Fighting/Resisting with God’s tools.
Praying for people and ourselves.
Engaging with those returning to African spiritualities as a means to be free from “oppressive white Christianity.”
Seminary and white Jesus: uncovering the white centeredness of our church seminaries and institutions, providing alternatives.
Where is the church majority today and how should that affect us as individuals and communities?
Discover how important Africa was in the birthing of the church, before it became Roman centered.
The concepts of : Black rage, White guilt, White shame
What does it look like to be reconciled with God, ourselves and those who have oppressed us or those we have exercised privilege over?
The cross: the starting point. What about forgiveness?
What can I/we do now with my community?
Participants will be encouraged to:
Take further steps in their spiritual lives, leading to fruitful action
Think more clearly and learn to express themselves more sensitively about racism in church contexts