For one, viewing any race as totally monolithic in thought, word, and deed must be denied and resisted.  That attitude should absolve any and all races from a false guilt.  Races are not monolithic.  Ask any Zulu or Tanzanian.  Ask any Chinese or Japanese.  Ask any Spaniard or Serbian.

Racial reconciliation is a subject treated by many articles, sermons, churches, and Christians.  It focuses basically and mainly on reconciliation between two races, the Black and White races.  The word reconciliation is both a beautiful and positive word, as it replicates in a very small way what is experienced between humankind and God when humankind—individually or corporately—attempts to become reconciled to God.  It represents a reunion in sorts.  In this case, it is between a holy and just God—the offended one—and a sinful and depraved humanity—the offenders.

Racial reconciliation is viewed by many as akin to that kind of reunion.  Instead of a holy and just God, one race is considered the offended ones and the other race as the offenders.  The Black race is the offended one, and the White race is the offender.  It sounds analogous, doesn’t it?  But is it?

Diverse races of people stretch across vast lands and continents.  They include very diverse ethnic groups.  For instance, Africa represents distinct races and ethnic groups or tribes.  North Africa is considered White Africa and sub-Sahara Black Africa.  Within both areas, people with different physical features and skin tones, cultures, customs, religions, and languages exist. Europe represents similar diversities of people groups as those of Africa.  Asia represents a multitude of races including the same diversities as Africa and Europe.  The Americas—Central, North, and South—originally represented diverse ethnic groups, languages, cultures and customs; today they represent all races and diverse ethnic groups.

What do all of the above have in common?  Each continent contains people groups who were/are offenders and offended. Wars raged between diverse groups within those stretches of land—not just between races, but within races.  Slavery existed on all continents and in all races.  Slavery was/is universal.  No one race is guiltier than another.  Either all races are guilty or all races are guiltless based on their histories.  Humankind is the great offender to God and to one another.

Since races contain great diversity physically, linguistically, historically, culturally, religiously, and custom-wise, how can any one of them be viewed as monolithic in actions or attitudes, or be stereotypically categorized?  How can two races representing good and evil, offended and offender, be set aside as needing reconciliation?

Perhaps this is more a North American issue and focus.  But even if it is just that, it’s worth considering, discerning, and judging.  Are all Blacks the offended and all Whites the offenders?  Are these two groups monolithic in thought, acts, or experiences?   And lastly, do Black and White Christians need to reconcile?

When it comes to the issue of slavery, slavery existed since ancient times; North America’s slavery (aside from Native American slavery) initiated in Africa where many Black Africans were captured and sold into slavery by other Black Africans.  It was a profitable commerce.  However, slavery was historically abolished by White European nations and White America and Canada before it was abolished in Africa, the Middle East, or Asia.

North America’s slavery history is mixed.  Slavery existed and was practiced by Native Americans before any European arrived.  What appears to be unknown to many and certainly hardly treated in history books is that thousands of Black Americans also owned Black slaves.  Native American tribes owned black slaves with three of them unwilling to emancipate their slaves after the Civil War.  History reveals the multi-racial mix of offended and offenders.

As for the racism related to lack of civil and legal rights, the nation and various states were guilty of allowing and enforcing that sad era.  Politicians were involved.  Leaders were involved.  And, yes, many Whites were involved, as perhaps others.  But not all Whites were involved just as not all Blacks are involved in today’s crime statistics revealing a higher rate of crime than other races.

One reason an entire race must not be accused or blamed of not caring relates to the fact that, for the most part, the majority of people of all races is involved in simply surviving and coping with life.  The demands of life and meeting basic needs and obligations related to oneself and family often take precedence over issues relating to others.  This is not true of Whites only, but of people of all races.  There is not enough time or energy outside of coping and surviving for most to be engaged in issues involving other people.

Today, racism against Blacks still exists, but so does racism against Asians, Hispanics, Native Americans, and Whites.  Racism is a common sin; it’s universal; but it’s not racially monolithic.  One cannot be deemed a racist simply by the color of one’s skin.  It’s much more complex, individualized, and sensitive than that.

There is a push from several directions to bring about racial reconciliation based on a monolithic perception of race.  How are Christians to view and deal with this perception that is biblically and historically based on a false premise?

For one, viewing any race as totally monolithic in thought, word, and deed must be denied and resisted.  That attitude should absolve any and all races from a false guilt.  Races are not monolithic.  Ask any Zulu or Tanzanian.  Ask any Chinese or Japanese.  Ask any Spaniard or Serbian.

Guilt based on race should be limited to individuals and groups solely revealing undeniable racism through words and deeds.  When it comes to thoughts, those are secret sins needing to be confessed to and reconciled with God alone.  People lust after others, are envious of others, and look down on others in their thought lives, but they don’t confess those sins to unknowing persons.  Such sins are between individuals and God alone who sees and knows all.  What is not visible cannot and should not be assumed or presumed relative to others. God alone is all-knowing.

History cannot be ignored, nor should it be selective.  Selective history is biased history.  History proves people of all races include the offended and the offenders.  Acknowledging history and this fact encourages us to be just and fair toward people of other races.

Scripture cannot be ignored, nor selectively applied.  There is basically only one genuinely offended party, and that is a holy and just God.  The rest of us of all races are basically offenders who need to be reconciled to God through Jesus Christ.  We’re in this position together.

Reconciliation does not apply to one entire race with another entire race.  That perception is based on a myth—a myth that views races as monolithic—it’s a falsehood needing to be acknowledged and resisted.  Black and White Christians should be more aware than any other group of people that this perception, aim, and drive do not comply with God’s truth of who we are before Him and between one another. “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28).  Christians are one family and one kingdom.

Let’s be true to God and one another by denouncing a racist myth. Let’s not engage in what is “unkind, unnecessary, or untrue.”

Helen Louise Herndon is a member of Central Presbyterian Church (EPC) in St. Louis, Missouri. She is freelance writer and served as a missionary to the Arab/Muslim world in France and North Africa.