Beyond Racial Gridlock: Embracing Mutual Responsibility

A great model for dealing with racism from the historic Christian perspective 2009-01-22

Reviewer: Edwin P. Copeland

Any book on racism faces a difficult challenge. A book on racism that integrates a Christian perspective faces an even greater challenge. For to properly address racism from a Christian perspective requires the author to talk about what is often overlooked in pulpits all across America: the effects on sin and human depravity and their direct correlation to racism. Laid out in 150 down to earth and well-structured pages Yancy briefly outlines the common models of colorblindness, Anglo-conformity, Multiculturalism and White responsibility before offering up his unique mutual responsibility model and an integrated Christian response and implementation.
Yancy bases his model of mutual responsibility on the framework of sin and human depravity and their subsequent effects on racism. "The problem of racism is the problem of sin" (9). "Our sin nature seeks to be released from all measures of accountability" (24). Sin as effected the hearts of all men, both white and colored...but so has the cross. In the cross Christians can both embrace their responsibility and contribution to racism while also finding a lasting solution: reconciliation. Only when the cross is properly understood does Yancy contend Christians will embrace mutual responsibility.