The Sin of Systemic Racism

What is systemic racism and how does it work? It's not something that we can wish or complain away! Systemic racism refers to the way societies are structured to create and maintain racial inequality and inequity. It's a broad concept encompassing how racism is embedded within institutions, laws, policies, practices, and even societal beliefs and attitudes. This embedding can lead to disadvantages for people of color across various aspects of life, including housing, education, employment, earnings, benefits, credit, healthcare, and the justice system. How does systemic racism actually work? It works through institutionalizing practices that favor white people and exclude non-white people. When people institutionalize something, they create structures that keep the practice going long after the founders of the practice leave the scene. Here is a glaring example. In this country, the public educational system is based on local property taxes. Poorer communities therefore have far fewer resources and lower quality schools, which then reinforces poverty in that neighborhood, which leads to fewer resources. Since the poverty rate for Black-Americans is twice that of the population as a whole, the system of school funding disproportionately traps communities of color. What’s the answer to systemic racism? Paul tells us, “So that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:10-11). This passage refers to the second coming of Jesus when all of humanity will acknowledge Him as Lord. This acknowledgment which includes the “knee of racism” is a universal act of submission, either willingly or unwillingly. Change is going to come! Until then, be encouraged by looking to Jesus!

Dr. Robert L. Taylor, Th.D., Bible teacher & expositor