Being real about race

In February 2021, Dan started an occasional sermon series looking at Race, God and the Church. Here are the talks so far if you've missed them. 

Here's a list of resources you might find useful to help you think about these issues further. 

Feel free to add further recommendations or reviews in the comments section below! 

You may find it helpful to look at the Church of England's "6 pastoral principles for living well together" (see this brief video introduction here). They were prepared in the context of contentious discussions around human sexuality, but are just as applicable in the context of difficult and painful discussions around race and racism. 

Video explainers
What is unconscious bias? A 3 minute video explainer from the Royal Society, or a 3 minute video explainer from the Network for Inclusion and Equality.
How to out-smart your unconscious bias (a TED talk).
What does systemic racism look like in America? (We have a different context in the UK, but similar systems exist) An 18 minute video. 
What is privilege? A 4 minute practical illustration.

Articles
A four-part series of articles by New York pastor and thinker Tim Keller, looking at the Bible, race, sin and justice. First article here. 
Some articles by London-based Adrian Lock: Confessions of a racist and Why I’m no longer talking to Black people about race (the way I used to)* and The silence of the leaders.
How I've benefitted from white privilege. A brief article. 
"11 charts that show the extent of racial inequality in the UK" from the Independent newspaper. 
How can we talk to our children and teens about injustice? from Parenting for Faith
A guide from Tearfund: a guide to talking about Black Lives Matter including Bible studies and further links

Books
Ben Lindsay's "We Need To Talk About Race: Understanding the Black Experience in White Majority Churches" - written from a Black British perspective. 
Esau McCaulley "Reading while black" - an African American biblical scholar looks at biblical material to develop a theology of policing, anger, slavery, black identity and more. 
Reni Eddo-Lodge "Why I'm no longer talking to white people about race" - a hugely influential UK book (not written by a Christian). 

Films / TV 
Selma - part of the story of Martin Luther King's work to overcome systemic racism in the USA.
12 years a slave - a free black man gets abducted and sold into slavery.
Small Axe - a series of films from the BBC charting UK racial discrimination.

Sermons / talks
"Reach the world: A church for all nations" - a sermon from Mohan Seevaratnam on Mark 11:12-19, preached at St James' by the Park in January 2018.
Ben Lindsay's talk "No justice, no peace" from New Wine 2020. 
"Race, justice and the gospel" - a sermon from Tope Koledo, lead pastor of Jubilee Church, London 
"Racial reconciliation" - a sermon from Andrew Wilson at King's Church, London
"Use your privilege" - a sermon from John Ortberg at Menlo Park Presbyterian Church, California
Some seminars from New Wine 2020 on Race and Diversity. 

Interviews and panel discussions
Dan's interview with Anna (17 minutes) - an edited version was shown on our Sunday service on 7/2/21.
Dan's interview with Josh (8 minutes) - shown at our Sunday service on 21/3/21. 
ONE - a series of films including interviews with 2 black Church of England clergy and a panel discussion looking at race, the Bible and church. 
Interview with Reni Eddo-Lodge (see above under books). 

Websites
Check your blind spot - a UK Christian response to racial injustice.
Be the Bridge
Resources on race - a primer by UK church leader Andrew Wilson, highlighting lots of other good resources on the web.

You might also find this model of racism helpful, adapted by Streatham Baptist Church from Ben Lindsay's book:

What else have you found helpful? Add it in the comments section below!