The Religion of Whiteness
How Racism Distorts Christian Faith
Michael O Emerson author Glenn E Bracey II author
Format:Hardback
Publisher:Oxford University Press Inc
Published:26th Sep '24
Should be back in stock very soon
Are most white American Christians actually committed to a Religion of Whiteness? Recent years have seen a growing recognition of the role that White Christian Nationalism plays in American society. As White Christian Nationalism has become a major force, and as racial and religious attitudes become increasingly aligned among whites--for example, the more likely you are to say that the decline of white people as a share of the population is "bad for society," the more likely you are to believe the government should support religious values--it has become reasonable to wonder which of the adjectives in the phrase "White Christian Nationalism" takes precedence. In this book, Michael O. Emerson and Glenn E. Bracey II respond definitively: the answer is "white." The majority of white Christians in America, they argue, are believers in a "Religion of Whiteness" that shapes their faith, their politics, and more. The Religion of Whiteness, they argue, raises the perpetuation of racial inequality to a level of spiritual commitment that rivals followers' commitment to Christianity itself. This religion has its own unique beliefs, practices, sacred symbols, and organizations. What is more, this religion affects more than just churches. It drives the nation's politics, divides families, and is especially harmful to communities of color. Using national survey data, in-depth interviews, and focus group results gathered over several years, Emerson and Bracey show how the Religion of Whiteness shapes the practice of Christianity for millions of Americans--and what can be done to confront it.
As disturbing in its implications as it is informative in its data, this book will become canonical content for any analysis of race and religion for decades to come. I couldn't stop highlighting and note-taking! * Jemar Tisby, PhD, New York Times bestselling author of The Color of Compromise and How to Fight Racism, Professor of History at Simmons College of Kentucky *
The Religion of Whiteness presents a provocative thesis that all Americans-whether Christian or not-will be forced to engage. Marshalling an impressive collection of empirical data, Emerson and Bracey's work deserves a wide reading. It will likely shape the discussion around race and American Christianity for years to come. * Andrew Whitehead, Author of American Idolatry: How Christian Nationalism Betrays the Gospel and Threatens the Church *
Sometimes we must look at what we fear to see the depth of the problem we know we have. Whiteness is that problem. Emerson and Bracey's The Religion of Whiteness makes such looking productive and possibly healing. At a moment, when so many people refuse to accept the truth of the problem of whiteness, this book dispels the myths, lies, and evasions that mark white American Christianity. If there is a future for Christianity in the United States (and many other places) it will require accepting the truth this book illumines and choosing to walk in its light. * Willie James Jennings, Yale Divinity School *
[T]he authors persuasively depict a religious movement that seeks to defend its destructive principles at all costs. This is sure to spark debate. * Publishers Weekly *
The authors are careful to support this assertion through quantitative survey data. Some of the most powerful moments, though, come from interviews with people who have been wounded and alienated from their Christian communities for opposing tenets of the religion of whiteness. * Choice *
ISBN: 9780197746288
Dimensions: 201mm x 132mm x 25mm
Weight: 363g
208 pages