sign in sign up
<<
Home , Christian privilege

CONFESSIONS OF A CHRISTIAN SUPREMACIST

Julie Todd, Ph.D. Candidate, University of Denver/luff School of

In this narrative, the author describes her journey as a progressive, white, U.S. Christian in comprehending the deeply embedded nature of her position of Christian superiority, which she names Christian supremacy. She indicates the obstacles and opportunities in dismantling Christian privilege for and those who work with them in social justice-social action circles. The author questions how certain Christian beliefs and attitudes may prevent or promote anti-oppressive practice. The unique complexities, promises, and resources for grappling with the intersec- tions of marginalized and privileged identities within Christian privilege work are highlighted.

A year ago I enrolled in a social work class was an obvious signal that it was. I did not called Disrupting Privilege through Anti- find it too difficult to accept that the Oppressive Practice (for information on the "knapsack" of Christian privileged with which pedagogy and structure of the course, see I was associated were, indeed, real: the Walls, Roll, Griffin, & Sprague, in press;Walls prevalence and positive portrayal of my et al., 2009). In the class, students were placed Christian tradition and values dominating la\y in groups associated with a specific kind of media, , and history; the comfort and systemic privilege that they personally security of being, speaking, and practicing my embodied. There was a caucus Christian faith without threat of violence; and and an able-bodied privilege caucus. Though the concrete ways I continue to benefit when I shared both of those privileged identities, 1 atheists and other non-Christian traditions are was placed in the Christian privilege caucus excluded and marginalized. While I was in order to delve into the ways that my stunned once again by recognizing this new Christian identity had benefited me and layer of privilege, my consciousness was oppressed others. raised. Despite my years of anti- work, Throughout the first few weeks of the the language of Christian privilege was class, I consoled myself with the notion that completely new to me. 1 had breathed the air because of my progressiveness, at the very of Christian privilege my whole life. I was a least I was "better" than most other Christians. WASP pastor's kid from New England, a I wanted to clarify that I was definitely not former foreign missionary, an ordained local like my fellow United Methodists Geoige W. church pastor, and currently a doctoral student Bush and Dick Cheney . I distanced myself in Christian social ethics. I was a serious not only from the extremely intolerant, warring- theological and political progressive, a Christian type of Christian, but was also quick to see living on the margins of my own religious myself as different from the other student tradition. I was a feminist, an activist in my members of my Christian privilege caucus, who denomination for the full inclusion GLBTQ mostly defined themselves as evangelical. (gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendeç and queer) Certain in-class experiences fostered my Christians, experienced in interfaith work, and transformation. In a theatre of the privileged involved in the community for racial and exercise, I embodied my position of distance indigenous justice. I was aware of the ravages from "other Christians." Literally separating of Christian domination and violence against myself from my own caucus members during marginalized groups throughout the ages. I had the exercise helped me see that this cognitive no compunction to speak about such matters behavior was a form of resistance to doing openly. That it had never crossed my mind, my own work and fully acknowledging the not even once, that my identity as a Christian extent of my privilege. While I was distancing in this country was a privileged social location from the evangelicals in the caucus, there was

140 REFLECTIONS - WINTER 2010 Confessions of a Christian Supremacist some parallel version of this resistant distancing retumed to a text we had read early in the that all of the members of the Christian privilege quarter by Goodman (2001): caucus were actually doing - each of us Christians distancing ourselves from other Superiority is not always Christians whom we considered to be conveyed in blatant and intentional somewhere on the spectrum of religiously ways. In reference to , bell unenlightened to violently extreme. In fact, my hooks... calls this type of behavior was hardly different. I was also a superiority ". " Christian who considered myself to be a better She defines it as the unconscious, Christian and better person with better beliefs internalized values and attitudes than others. Disassociating myself prevented me from dealing with a central issue: my own that maintain domination, even sense of righteousness, how I positioned myself when people do not support or in relation to people of other faiths or no display overt or religious faith, and the power wielded by my ... This sense of privileged group over others. superiority extends from the In another experiential exercise, the characteristics and culture of the caucus members participated in a fish-bowl dominant group to the individuals exercise, sitting in the middle of the room while themselves. Oppression is other class members read statements from commonly defined, in part, as the persons who experienced marginalization and belief in the inherent superiority of oppression as a result of Christians' attitudes one group over another (p. 19) and behaviors. Some members of my caucus cried as we began to bear witness to the anger and pain that our Christian privilege caused I was coming to terms with the reality that among those who were marginalized by our it was not only Bush and Cheney , not only Christian supremacy. 1 was aware at first that conservative evangelicals, but also / that I did not feel more than an intellectual assent operated in this world with a belief in the to what was being spoken, until one person inherent superiority of my religion. read a statement: "I hate it when Christians It was one thing to recognize that I think that I would be happier if I only believed continued to benefit from the structures of what they believe." I felt my body take a domination that I claimed to oppose. It was defensive position. Somehow I felt accused, another to admit that I maintained those but of what? I had to ask myself, did I think structures with this deep sense of superiority people would be happier if they believed what that I would have told you sincerely that I did I believed? I didn't want to believe that I not possess. Superiority, however well hidden, believed that. It sounded so arrogant and, yes, is still superiority and still imposes in its sense privileged. I lived with this question for weeks of truth and rightness. It is tempting at this until I could admit that yes, in fact, I did believe early stage of Christian privilege work to paint people would be happier if they at least "the problem" relative to Christian privilege in believed in . As I excavated (Kendall, this country in conservative, evangelical terms. 2006) my beliefs, assumptions, and behaviors, Certainly the in both its I had to acknowledge that in the past I had theological and political manifestations is an expressed feeling bad for those who didn't easy and often necessary target. But seeing believe. Though perhaps more consciously only this part of the Christian community as tolerant and less conspicuously imposing, I had the problem, would be to make a similar to confront the notion that I really accepted as mistake as locating the problem of racism only tme that my way of believing was superior to in the white South. It does not get at the way others. I had to reckon that I held a deep- in which an inherent religious superiority is down belief that my way was normal, betterl

REFLECTIONS - WINTER 2010 141 Confessions of a Christian Supremacist

deeply and broadly entrenched in most all , classism, and an Christian people in this nation. that contributes to the destruction of the earth. A year after this course ended, I was Every one of these categories has been invited to be a facilitator for the next class' undergirded by Christian theological Christian caucus. Halfway into the quarter one justifications. So, it seems even more relevant of the co-facilitators pointed out that I was to call the phenomenon of Christian privilege able to name easily some of the oppressor by this more accurate descriptor named positions I embody and maintain: racist, sexist, Christian supremacy. heterosexist, ableist. Yet she noted that I But the of Christian stumbled when I tried to label the oppressor privilege work brings up other complications. group with which I had been selected to While Christian traditions and scriptures have identify for the purposes of the class. This task served as a source of oppression for many of naming had remained unfinished from when groups, they have also served as a source of I was a student in the class the previous year resistance and liberation (Cone, 1990; De La In the week that followed, her question stayed Torre, 2002; Goss, 1993; Schussler Fiorenza, with me. In the middle of the week, I heard a 1995). was the foundation for the radio commentary reporting on Christian system of in the United States and a fundamentalism in the officer corps of the U.S. justification for racism and imperialism for military, particularly as it plays out in the centuries. Yet it has also been a basis for occupations of Afghanistan and Iraq resistance for Africans and African Americans (Democracy Now!, 2009). This exposé during slavery and the civil rights movement described a Christian attitude and practice of (Morris, 1986). Yet even as the exodus religiously motivated domination that was so narrative of the Israelites in the Hebrew Bible destmctive and horrific that it could be labeled is a central theme for black liberation theology as nothing short of supremacist. 1 decided to it has also been used to justify the conquest take on the word for myself: Christian and devastation of indigenous communities supremacist. (Tinker, 2004). The term seemed extreme at first. I had Not only can Christian ideology be to remind myself that part of my early work mobilized for both oppression and liberation, on Christian privilege was to not allow myself but there is also within group stratification that to distance from the extremes of my own gets played out. White, evangelical group, a common dynamic in privilege work (both in its historic and current that Kendall (2006) illustrates in her own manifestations) has dominated U.S. Christian struggle where she, as a progressive, anti- culture (Marty, 1970; Smith, 1998) and in some racist white person wanted to disown racist cases has served to "other" Roman Catholics white friends and family members. What also in racial terms (Ignatiey 1995; Mille^ 1985).^ made the language difficult to use was how This Protestant supremacy showed itself in closely it is related to white supremacy . But the second year in which I participated in the the previous year's class had shown me how class, wherein both the Protestants and intertwined the project of white supremacy is Catholic questioned whether or not the Roman with Christianity. Part of the tremendous Catholic faith tradition was a Christian tradition. potential of this Christian privilege work is the Catholicism has also served as both a source extent to which it lends itself to work on the of and oppression for many in this intersections of oppression and privilege. While country (Tinker, 1993), and as a source of white privilege work connects directly to racial cultural affirmation and survival for others and ethnic oppression, Christian privilege work (Haddad et al., 2003). How we sort out these relates to a whole host of categories of complexities of Christian privilege makes the oppression. It not only dominates other religious work especially rich and thomy and atheistic traditions in this country, but is The language of Christian supremacy implicated in virtually every other category of resonates for me partly because I stand at the oppression: racism, , . intersection of so many privileged identities.

142 REFLECTIONS - WINTER 2010 Confessions of a Christian Supremacist

Using this language prevents me from subordinate place of women in family and distancing myself as a progressive Christian church or the moral condemnation of non- from a tradition of domination whose history normative sexual and gender identities) that and current manifestation is nonetheless mine. are in conflict with more just and egalitarian I want to affirm the ways in which Christianity views. The issue of the Bible and its can provide special resources for the work of interpretation is most clear as students struggle dismantling Christian and other forms of with what to do with the heart of the Christian privilege: the prophetic tradition of the Hebrew tradition itself: the superior claim about the Bible and the person of Jesus interpreted as unique saving power of Jesus. The first caucus confronting oppressive establishments struggled with the biblical verse attributed to (Campbell & Rosenau, 2009; Borg, 1994). Jesus, "I am the way , the truth and life. No Having participated in two groups of Christians one comes to the Father except by me." "* All that have started this work, I am encouraged over the country on Sunday mornings, circles by its potential. Such work is - for some - an of children are sitting around being taught with aspect of a deeper faith development, an this phrase that they are superior to other inspiration to leam about other faith traditions, children who do not come to God by Jesus. and a call to challenging Christian institutions Even liberal Christians take such a practice to greater justice from the inside. Equally as as completely normal, and would deny such a compelling and inspiring to me are verse intends to convey a superior stance. But conversations coming out of a more radical doesn't it? If we watched a videotape of a reading of biblical scriptures encouraged by white supremacist group training their children the challenges offered during the course of that "whiteness is the way, the truth, and the the class. For example, such investigations can life," we would be completely horrified. So help begin a process of recognizing the extent what does it mean for ministers, social work to which poverty and economics are at the practitioners, educators, and social justice heart of Jewish and Christian sacred texts workers to believe in , salvation, and ? (Boff& Pixley, 1989; Hoppe, 2004), and the At first, some wanted to struggle with how ways in which Christian individuals and they could continue to embrace these beliefs institutions have perpetuated class without seeming oppressive to others. Is there stratification as much as alleviated it a less offensive but more loving, no less (McCloud, 2007; Riegei; 1998). This can be a effective way of drawing people into a foundation for mobilizing Christian ideology not conversation about faith and salvation? I began only for the purpose of disrupting Christian to wonder if certain kinds of Christian beliefs privilege, but for challenging class privilege as and attitudes might be antithetical to anti- well. oppressive practice. Does a desire to engage Clark (2006) points out, howeveythat the in anti-oppressive practice ultimately mean liberation strain of and sacrificing such beliefs and attitudes rather than history makes the identification of Christian forcing them underground? Many students privilege difficult in social justice communities. imagined that rejecting such beliefs was an A Christian, faith-based "calling" from God to outright rejection of their faith in God. A social justice is part of what makes the work dismantling of a privileged identity and its of confionting Christian privilege especially related oppressive institutions seemed a big hard for individuals. She counsels Christians enough challenge. That this work for to recognize the obvious historical limits to the Christians may also include dismantling a liberative nature of Christian and particular type of relationship with God and traditions in their impact on social justice. disrupting the interpretation of sacred texts There are myriad theological challenges seemed another. in this work. Obvious among them is the role The disruption of Christian privilege by of the Bible. Many students have not dealt challenging certain theologies and beliefs with reconciling traditional interpretations of surfaces another unique issue for the work: scriptures that they still hold (for example, the Christians' training in "defending the faith."

REFLECTIONS - WINTER 2010 143 Confessions of a Christian Supremacist

The work of disrupting Christian privilege can cues from those who are on the receiving end be taken as an assault on the very framework of Christian supremacy. in which we are taught by certain verses in the Bible that if we are being faithful, we will References be attacked. In this line of thinking, "true" • Boff, C, & Pixley, GV. (1989). The Bible, Christians are not privileged by the faith, but the Church, and the Poor Trans, by Paul persecuted for it. This thought was evidenced Bums. Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books. in students' minds by their experiences of what they viewed as hostility and marginalization • Borg, M. (1994). Meeting Jesus Again as a result of their faith expressions during for the First Time: The Historical Jesus graduate school. The dialogue about these and the Heart of Contemporary Faith. experiences, however, provided opportunity New York, NY: HarperCollins. for contextualizing minority religious experiences in the Bible and throughout history • Campbell, P, & Rosenau, S. (2009, June). that are not comparable to the context of The pride and pitfalls of allyship: On living as Christian privilege in the United Sates today. a Christian disciple. Workshop presented at This discussion also served to reinforce the Pedagogy of Privilege: Teaching, another important message that is sometimes Leaming, & Praxis conference, Denver, difficult for allies (across many axes of CO. difference): that the individual experience of discrimination is not the same as the • Clark, C. (2006). Unbuming the cross - experience of oppression. For example, while Lifting the veil on Christian privilege and a male student may have a genuine experience white supremacy in the United States and of male-bashing from a colleague in a abroad. In F. Salili and R. Hoosain (Eds.) classroom - an experience that is abusive and Religion in Multicultural Education (pp. counter to values of social justice - that does 167-214). Greenwich, CT: Information Age not mean that men as a group are oppressed Publishing. (for further discussion, see Goodman, 2001). As I begin to use the phrase Christian • Cone, J. H. A Black Theology of supremacist around the halls of my Liberation. (1990). 2"'' ed. Maryknoll, NY: predominantly white, liberal, mainline Christian Orbis Books. seminary, most students look at me like I have lost my mind. They primarily deny what I am • De La Torre, M. A. (2002). Reading the saying by appealing to the rationalizations I Bible from the Margins. Maryknoll, NY: used with myself. I am not the problem. I am Orbis Books. marginalized within my own faith tradition. The Christian liberationist tradition is the antidote • Democracy Now! (2009). The crusade for to oppression. Christianity called me into social a Christian military Retreived on 05/11/09 justice work. I am not "one of those kind of from http://www.democracynow.Org/2009/5/ Christians." Within this institution dominated 6/the_crusade_for_a_christian_ military. by the superiority of Christian assumptions, Based on more detailed analysis of the same however, those who are not Christian seem to issue in the May 2009 issue of Harper s understand exactly to what I am referring. For Magazine titled "Jesus killed Mohammed: me, resonance with those who have been The crusade for a Christian military" by Jeff marginalized because of Sharlet. and Christian privilege is evidence that there is something true about the language I am • Goodman, D. J. (2001). Promoting using. If part of the point of doing this work is and Social Justice: Educating becoming a better ally in anti-oppress i on work People from Privileged Groups. London: with marginalized people, then I will take my Sage Publications.

144 REFLECTIONS- WINTER2010 Confessions of a Christian Supremacist

• Goss, R. (1993). Jesus Acted Up: A Gay • Schussler Fiorenza, E. (1995). Bread Not and Lesbian Manifesto. San Francisco: Stone: The Challenge of Feminist Biblical HarperSanFrancisco. Interpretation. (1995). 2"'' ed. Boston: Beacon Press. i • Haddad, Y. Y., Smith, J. 1., & Esposito, J.L., Eds. (2003). Religion and • Smith, C. (1998). American Immigration: Christian, Jewish, and : Embattled and Thriving. Muslim Experiences in the United States. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. Walnut Creek, CA: AltaMira Press. • Tinker, GE. (1993). Missionary • Hoppe, L.J. (2004). There Shall Be No Conquest: The and Native Poor Among You: Poverty in the Bible. American Genocide. Minneapolis: Fortress Nashville: AbingdonPress. Press.

• Ignatiev, N. (1995). How the Irish •Tinker, G E. (2004).American Indian Became White. New York: Routledge Press. traditions. In M. de la Torre (Ed.) Handbook of U.S. Theologies of • Kendall, F .E. (2006). Understanding Liberation (pp. 235). St. Louis, MO: White Privilege: Creating Pathways to Chalice Press. ! Authentic Relationships Across Race. New York, NY: Routledge. • Walls, N. E., Griffin, R., Amold-Renicker, H., Burson, M., Johnston, L., Moorman, N., • Marty, M.A. (1970). Righteous Empire: Nelsen, J., & Schutte, E.C. (2009). The Protestant Experience in America. Graduate social work students' leaming New York: The Dial Press. joumey about heterosexual privilege. Journal of Social Work Education, 289- • McCIoud, S. (2007). Divine Hierarchies: 307. Class in American Religion and Religious Studies. Chapel Hill, NC: University of • Walls, N.E., Roll, S., Gririn, R.A., & North Carolina Press. Sprague, L. (in press). Teaching about privilege: A model combining integroup • Miller, K.A. (1985). Immigrants and dialogue and single identity caucusing. Exiles: Ireland and the Irish Exodus to Understanding and Dismantling North America. New York: Oxford Privilege. University Press.

• Morris, A.D. (1986). Origins of the Civil Rights Movement: Black Communities Organizing for Change. New York, NY: The Free Press.

• Rieger, J. (1998). Remember the Poor: The Challenge to Theology in the Twenty- first Century. Harrisburg, PA: Press intemational.

• Schlosser, L.Z. (2003). Christian privilege: Breaking a sacred taboo. Journal of Multicultural Counseling and Development, I, 48-49.

REFLECTIONS - WINTER 2010 145 Confessions of a Christian Supremacist

Julie Todd is in her fifth year studying ethics and non-violence in the religion and social change concentration of the University of Denver/Iliff School of Theology Joint Ph.D. Program in Religious and Theological Studies. She is adjunct faculty at the Iliff School of Theology and an ordained elder in the New England Conference of the United Methodist Church. Comments regarding this article can be sent to: [email protected]

(Footnotes) ' While this list of privileges continues to expand, the first source in which I encountered such a list was Schlosser, 2003. -The class instructors modified theatre of the oppressed experiential exercises and techniques so they could be used to explore the experiences of privilege. Mgnatiev and Miller both document Irish emigrant and immigrant experience in the early U.S. colonies and the United States, including historic evidence of their racialization. Ignatiev documents in particular the ways in which the Irish use their European ancestry and whiteness in turn to repress African Americans. 14:6

146 REFLECTIONS - WINTER 2010 Copyright of Reflections: Narratives of Professional Helping is the property of Cleveland State University and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use.