race, grace, and the role of white evangelicals in the pursuit of racial reconciliation
TRANSCRIPT
Race, Grace, and the Role of
White Evangelicals in the
Pursuit of Racial
Reconciliation
Student Congress on Racial
Reconciliation (SCORR)
Biola University
February 19, 2016
Alexander Jun, Ph.D.
Department of Higher Education
Azusa Pacific University
Day of Rememberance
Roadmap for Today
• A Sense of Belonging
• Implicit/Explicit Biases
• Biblical Perspective on Equity
• Racism in Higher Education
• Gaps in Diversity Discussion
• Research in Practice
Sense of Belonging
The Elephant and the Giraffe
Building a House for Diversity (1999) Thomas & Woodruff.
Implicit and Explicit
• What is visible?
• What is invisible?
Implicit and Explicit
• What is visible?
• What is invisible?
• Male
• Asian (Korean-American)
• Christian (Presbyterian)
Implicit / Explicit Biases
Implicit Association Test (IAT) at Harvard University
Why Linsanity does not compute…
Implicit Biases
To a hammer…
Biblical Perspective on Equity
A Place at the Table
Acts 6:1-4…
In those days when the number of disciples
was increasing, the Hellenists among them
complained against the Hebrews because their
widows were being overlooked in the daily
distribution of food.
A Place at the Table 2 So the Twelve gathered all the disciples
together and said, “It would not be right for us
to neglect the ministry of the word of God in
order to wait on tables. 3 Brothers and
sisters, choose seven men from among you
who are known to be full of the Spirit and
wisdom. “We will turn this responsibility over
to them4 and will give our attention to
prayer and the ministry of the word.”
Acts 6:1-4
A Place at the Table
• Systemic
• Unaware/Unintentional
• Racial Justice
• Sensitivity and Hospitality
Diversity/Unity in Faith Community
• Unity is central to the Gospel • Past failures of the evangelical church
– Focus on evangelism and salvation at the expense of
Christian unity across racial lines
– Individual vs. Systemic
– Christian higher education has been largely silent
• Colorblind Ideology (Normativity)
• Theology of Whiteness
• Gap in the Discussion of Racial Reconciliation
Racism in Higher Education
(University of Missouri)
Racism Closer to Home
(UCLA Kanye Western)
Racism closer to home…
Challenges in Higher Education
• Missouri
• Yale
• Claremont McKenna
Push Back…
• Academic Freedom
• Political Correctness
Group Discussion
*Are students becoming too PC, too sensitive
and less tolerant of dissenting perspectives,
thus creating a culture that attacks academic
freedom and the 1st amendment rights to free
speech? or…
*Have students’ painful experiences with
racism finally led to a significant movement
toward change?
www.harvesttotable.com
"For no good tree bears
bad fruit, nor again does a
bad tree bear good
fruit, for each tree is
known by its own fruit. For
figs are not gathered from
thornbushes, nor are
grapes picked from a
bramble bush. The good
person out of the good
treasure of his heart
produces good, and the evil
person out of his evil
treasure produces evil, for
out of the abundance of the
heart his mouth speaks.
Luke 6:43-46
Apple Dangling
Apple Dangling Strategies
• Threat
• Incentives
• Guilt
Behaviors vs. Consciousness
Texas A&M
Go Back to Where You Came
From
• “Outraged and disappointed”
• “Does not represent the values and mission
of our institution”
www.harvesttotable.com
Texas A&M
“the actions of a few do not
represent our institution’s
mission and values…”
A Few Bad Apples?
Branches….
Trees…
Roots…
Soil…
*Technology
*Mission Statements
*Heart of institution
Hospitality
• A Sense of Belonging
• Implicit Biases
• Microaggressions
• Cultural Appropriation
• Challenges to Diversity
Microaggressions
“…brief and commonplace daily verbal,
behavioral, or environmental indignities,
whether intentional or unintentional, that
communicate hostile, derogatory, or negative
racial slights and insults toward people of a
non-dominant group…”
-Sue et al. (2007)
Common Challenges
•“I didn’t mean it”
•“That’s not who I am”
•“You’re being too sensitive”
•“That’s Reverse Racism!”
•“How can you have a majority minority?”
•“You win-I now have white guilt. Now
what?”
Common Challenges II
•I don’t see color
•Why do you keep talking about the past?
•Why can’t we all be the same?
• The more you keep bringing it up, the more
it becomes a problem
•If would be less angry then maybe I could
hear you better
Group Discussions
• What signals does your institution send that
remind students that they do not have a
place at the table?
• What hospitality practices will lead to a
greater sense of belonging?
Racial Reconciliation—
By whom? For whom?
Research:
To explore the experiences of White administrators at Christian institutions of higher education within the United States who have demonstrated a commitment to anti-racism.
But WHY are you studying White people?
Research Question
“What characterizes the experiences of White administrators from Christian institutions of
higher education within the United States who choose to engage in anti-racism* programs,
activities, and initiatives?”
*Social Justice
Methods • Narrative Inquiry • Grounded Theory Approaches
• Individual Interviews (40 participants)
• Recruitment and Sampling
Anti-Racism
“…an action-oriented strategy for institutional
systemic change that addresses racism and other
interlocking systems of social oppression” (Dei,
1996, p. 252 ).
Findings
Two Theoretical Models:
• Cycle of Critical Consciousness
• Awareness and Engagement Continuum
Cycle of Critical Consciousness
Unaware & Engaged Unaware & Unengaged
Aware & Unengaged Aware & Engaged
Engagement
Aw
are
nes
s
Engagement / Awareness Continuum
Group Discussions
• How do you define or measure
“Awareness”…
• How do you define or measure
“Engagement”…
• How does one strike a balance between
awareness and engagement?
One Event; Two Perspectives
Micah 6:8
“He has shown you, o mortal, what is good.
And what does it require of you? To act justly,
and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with
your God”
Being an Ambassador
• Recognize your privilege
• Use your privilege
• Speak for yourself
• Speak with your people
• Remember that activism takes
many forms
Being an Ambassador II
• Know that you are still a work
in progress
• Stop being surprised (educate
don’t obliterate)
• Hold on to multiple realities
Questions/ Discussion
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