“On Race as Power and Dominion, and Our Unity, Hope, and Diversity in Christ”

1. The function of race as a concept and reality in the American (human) experience is like the original sin, described by the biblical Prophets and Apostle Paul in their writings. Race taints every aspect of our individual and collective life. The bondage and dominion of race is unavoidable and omnipresent in human interactions in the American society. Like sin, race is power and control. Like sin in its universal outlook and dimension, the concept of race throughout the American history and experience is hegemonic dominion and existential psychological burden. The race idea means that it is a framework, a systems of thought-process, a state of (the) mind, a narrative of contrasts, and a series of human standardization that evaluates human dignity and worth, and assesses the subject of (human) inclusion and exclusion in the modern world. Race is a metaphor for/of the meaning and indiscriminate character of sin in the world.

2. As sin taints every aspect of the human reality in the world, race as a systemic structure and a regime of systems network architecture that undergirds American thought and pragmatism (i.e. ideas and actions, tangible and intangible, visible and invisible). Race wages war against the self and the collective.

3. Our attitude is tainted by race.
Our treatment of and interaction with other individuals is tainted by race.
Our emotions (both internal and external) are tainted by race.
Our human condition is tainted by race.
Our definition about humanity and who is human is tainted by race.

4. Our laws on home ownership is tainted by race.
Our laws on school coding and zoning is tainted by race.
Our public policies are tainted by race.
Our foreign policies are tainted by race.

5. Our theological praxis is tainted by race.
Our ecclesiastical functions are tainted by race.
Our righteousness is tainted by race.
Our theology and understanding of God and humanity is tainted by the racial veil.
Our theological writings and education are
Our evangelistic endeavors and missionary strategies are racially-guided.

However, the hope of race and humanity is Christ alone, and the redemption of race and humanity is in Christ alone.

“Paul clearly believed that ecclesial unity even amidst great diversity was possible, and the differences that Paul’s churches faced do not seem to have been any less challenging than what we face today. Christian friendships between Jew and Gentile, slave and free, male and female, rich and poor testify clearly to God’s ability to create unity and friendship amidst great diversity. Paul’s strategy was to articulate how God’s hospitality in Christ created a common identity for all his churches, a welcome that transformed them from enemies and outsiders into friends and family—both with God and with one another”

“And if God has welcomed us in Christ as his friends and family while we were enemies and outsiders, how can we not respond with hospitality and friendship to our Christian friends and family with whom we may different on the level of our cultural and social identifies” (pp. 70-71)–Joshua Jipp, “Saved by Faith and Hospitality”