The Scourge Of Racism
Paperback Book
Released October 5, 2023
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Now In The Strong Man Store!
Black preachers have been part of black history from slavery. Any attempt at even a sample list will certainly appear as though someone noteworthy was purposely overlooked. Instead, I am going to narrowly focus on one pastor-preacher born in the 19th century that in the midst of the professed biblically conservative predominantly white Christian denomination he was part of called out its racism. I and some contemporaries I will cite stand on the shoulders of men like Rev. Francis Grimké, a former slave who stood on the Word of God as written to make the biblical case that racism in the house of God is sin. He was rebuffed, but as a true hero of the faith did not back down.
I recently learned of Rev. Grimké in an October 6, 2022 article written by white Anglican, P.C. Kemeny, a professor of religion and humanities and dean of the School of Arts and Letters at Grove City College, PA that appeared on The Gospel Coalition Web Site.1 Beyond Rev. Grimké’s impressive academic credentials obtained in his rise up from slavery, it is his heartfelt devotion to Christ and the Word of God uncompromised that captured my admiration. As part of an ostensibly biblically conservative Presbyterian denomination he wrote an article in 1912 charging members to behave more in line with Scripture as it concerned relating to their brothers of color (1 Peter 3:8-9).
According to Dr. Kemeny, while Rev. Grimké’s call for repentance fed revival in his article was embraced by the denomination’s magazine editor, his rebuke of biblical inconsistency in the toleration and practice of racism within the ranks was rejected. As Rev. Grimké had no doubt deduced, this outcome was due to the continuing sinful adherence of white church members to the prevailing cultural norms of systemic racism rather than the teaching of Christ plainly presented in the Bible. He called out this inconsistency in his unpublished essay Dr. Kemeny writes, arguing “evangelistic efforts should turn people ‘away…from all their sins;’ ‘even those that are dear to them as racial prejudice.’”
Dr. Kemeny concludes on the sad note that the white Christians of Rev. Francis Grimké’s time missed out on the opportunity to respond to God’s prophetic call through him to greatly needed repentance from the sin of racism and revival. Dr. Kemeny challenges 21st century conservative professed white Christians to consider whether they will also miss out on God’s prophetic call through today’s voices including my own that has declared His judgment standing on the shoulders of Rev. Grimké.2 I have been crying out to conservative white evangelicals for many years to repent from racism and seek revival in this Blog and my latest book, The Scourge Of Racism.3 Too, this Ministry presents the willing with the Lord’s call to return to Him through our Strong Man Of God Online Rally.4
1 Read Dr. Kemeny’s article, Missed Opportunity: Francis Grimké on Racism and Revival.
2 See the October 8, 2023 post, Racism A Reason For Church Judgment, under the category, Instruction along with the one on October 15, 2023, In Judgment, Grace, Mercy And Revival, under the category, Glory To God! Some of the contemporary name recognized black pastor-preacher voices God is using to address the issue of racism in conservative evangelicalism and beyond include Rev. William Dwight McKissic, Sr., Bishop Wellington Boone, Dr. Crawford Loritts, Dr. Voddie Baucham and Dr. Tony Evans whose latest sermon series contains the message, The Sin Of Racism.
3 The Scourge Of Racism print version is available in the Strong Man Store, all major internet booksellers and brick and mortar bookstores. The just released E-Book is avail- able at major E-Book sellers. Watch the book trailer.
4 Hear and respond to the Lord’s gracious call to return to Him through this Ministry’s Strong Man Of God Online Rally, Return To The Lord, on YouTube.
By the grace of my God I am pleased to be writing this 500th post since I began making them back in 2011! I am so grateful to God for saving and putting me into His service; granting that I could have a life of meaning and purpose far beyond my wildest imagination! And how fitting that the Lord would give me a word to launch out Black History Month 2024 given that I have been writing on the occasion presenting a biblical worldview of the black American experience since 1986 in some form or another. Again, all of my heartfelt praise and thanksgiving to God for His grace and mercy in using a wretch like me to serve in His Kingdom causes and work (1 Timothy 1:12-17)!
So, why a Black History as though it were somehow special and above all others? In line with all that the Lord has had me writing in this Blog since this past September 2023 stemming from my latest book release, The Scourge Of Racism,1 the existence of a purposeful celebration of blacks in American history is not about being special, but overlooked! In yet another outcome of the nation’s bigotry, discriminatory acts and oppressions arising from systemic racism, the many positive contributions of blacks to America from slavery were scarcely mentioned in the textbooks used to teach white students much less black and other hues in segregated schools through the 1950s.
As he taught in the early 20th century segregated educational environment, black educator, Carter G. Woodson, sought to address the purposeful injustice he saw in dismissing the vital role of blacks in America’s development. In 1915 he founded the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History through which he participated in research, writing many articles and the publishing of scholarly publications that presented the abundant historical facts about blacks and their contributions to the American experiment. By 1926 Woodson was instrumental in establishing what was first Black History Week in February and later morphed into the entire month to further promote the cause.2
In 1933, perhaps Mr. Woodson’s most incisive work was published, The Mis-education Of The Negro.3 In it, he pulls no punches criticizing the American educational system and the way its deliberate actions to exclude blacks from history was hurting all students not just those that were black. Nevertheless, black students deprived of a healthy representation of the positive historical contributions of those from their culture were reinforced in their supposed inferiority systemic racism loudly sounded they possessed. Woodson did not limit his critique to whites, but blacks too, among those that were finding success and amidst the churches who he felt had a wider educational role.
Woodson’s book was among the first I was introduced to as I took newly minted Black Studies courses in the mid-seventies. It was eye-opening, direct, honest and humbling reading what this black man was saying to this young radical who wanted to make it all about what “the white man” had done to us as victims. Far from the victim mentality progressive liberal proponents of Critical Race Theory (CRT) advance in their educational reform efforts today, Mr. Woodson kept it real about black failures; calling for taking more responsibility in educating our children and building up the community while also rightly acknowledging the purposeful oversights and harm done by guilty whites.
Indeed, what the proponents of CRT fault guilty whites of is sin pure and simple. Sin cannot be fixed by intellectual theories nor through returning evil for evil God condemns as it seems some are bent on doing with CRT (Romans 3:9-31, 12:17-21).4 And there it is. By naming God and citing Scripture in the foregoing I have purposely introduced what is the overarching reality of all history as well as black history. As I was led by Him to discuss in last week’s post, God is the invisible active Sovereign behind the existence of all nations.5 In a biblical worldview then, blacks are not victims in our American historical experience, but the just recipients of a lighter than death sentence for the sins of our West African forefathers and our own as God judges all nations (Jeremiah 25:15-29).6
In the educational spirit of Carter G. Woodson behind Black History Month, the Lord has enabled me to write about the black American experience from a biblical worldview through many posts in this Blog and other writings on our dedicated From Slavery To Victory Education Project Web Site.7 Besides the stark reality and undercurrent of judgment, I have been blessed to speak of God’s good ends through all of our suffering. This was originally a matter of personal inquiry of the Lord because as Mr. Woodson wanted, I had become very acquainted with the many outstanding black historical figures and their accomplishments with some inspiration. However, I was left empty without understanding why our suffering; an answer only God could and did satisfactorily provide to me.8
1 The Scourge Of Racism print version is available in the Strong Man Store, all major internet booksellers and brick and mortar bookstores. The just released E-Book is available at major E-Book sellers. Watch the book trailer.
2 Learn more about Carter G. Woodson and the renamed organization he founded.
3 The Mis-Education Of The Negro, by Carter G. Woodson, Copyright 1933, 1969, The Associated Publishers, Inc., Washington, D.C.
4 Sin can only be fixed as God does in the Gospel of His Son, Jesus Christ! Those that profess to be Christians attempting to repay evil for evil should heed the Lord’s call to return to Him, for you have surely gone far away from Him. Hear the Lord’s merciful call to return through this Ministry’s Strong Man Of God Online Rally, Return To The Lord on YouTube.
5 Read the January 28, 2024 post, Global Dominance A Stewardship, under the category, Call To Repent.
6 Reconciling God’s permitting of evil oppression in the context of judgment on the one hand and His disapproval of it on the other is marvelously seen in His Word for those that will accept it (Deuteronomy 28:15, 29-33; Psalm 103:6). Blacks walking in the delusion of innocent victimhood should carefully note in Jeremiah 25:29 that unless you consider all the African nations better than Israel and not among the world’s nations, God asserts none were to go “unpunished,” (NKJV).
7 Visit the Web Site at https://fromslaverytovictory.org.
8 See the two-part post beginning June 2, 2019, Message From A Redeemed Black Man, under the categories Biblical Worldview and Black History.
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