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America's Original Sin: Racism, White Privilege, and the Bridge to a New America by Jim Wallis
annelisa614's review against another edition
5.0
I read excerpts of this in class, but my professor loaned me his copy and, voluntarily, I read the whole thing. I read ~160 pages in one day. I couldn’t get enough. It’s so powerful. Wallis does so much in 230 pages.
marie_gg's review against another edition
4.0
http://mariesbookgarden.blogspot.com/2016/08/americas-original-sin-racism-white.html
Jim Wallis calls this book his "lament of the white father." A central theme of the book is the fact that parents of black children have to have "the talk," about how to behave around police and how to just behave in general, in order to survive. Wallis was inspired to write this book after Trayvon Martin was shot and he witnessed the ignorance of the white Christian evangelicals in his midst. He realized that if his own son, a six-foot-tall athlete, had been walking down the street, doing the same thing, he would have been fine.
Wallis identifies racism as the true original sin. As Michelle Obama recently said, "I live in a house that was built by slaves." As Wallis says, "This nation was founded by the near genocide of one people and the kidnapping of another people to build this nation. So slavery and the indigenous destruction of those who were here--that was our original sin. And it still lingers in our criminal justice system--in most of our systems."
Wallis aims most of his message specifically evangelical Christians, because he was disappointed and dismayed by their response to recent highly publicized shootings of African-American men. But it's an important message for all white Americans to hear. He believes it's the call of our Christian faith to work for racial justice, and I agree.
Jim Wallis calls this book his "lament of the white father." A central theme of the book is the fact that parents of black children have to have "the talk," about how to behave around police and how to just behave in general, in order to survive. Wallis was inspired to write this book after Trayvon Martin was shot and he witnessed the ignorance of the white Christian evangelicals in his midst. He realized that if his own son, a six-foot-tall athlete, had been walking down the street, doing the same thing, he would have been fine.
Wallis identifies racism as the true original sin. As Michelle Obama recently said, "I live in a house that was built by slaves." As Wallis says, "This nation was founded by the near genocide of one people and the kidnapping of another people to build this nation. So slavery and the indigenous destruction of those who were here--that was our original sin. And it still lingers in our criminal justice system--in most of our systems."
Wallis aims most of his message specifically evangelical Christians, because he was disappointed and dismayed by their response to recent highly publicized shootings of African-American men. But it's an important message for all white Americans to hear. He believes it's the call of our Christian faith to work for racial justice, and I agree.
drbobcornwall's review against another edition
5.0
Racism is America's original sin. Racism has been deeply embedded in the American psyche since the first European settlers stepped foot on the shores of North America. The Civil War brought an end to slavery, but not racism. The Civil Rights Movement and the legislation that it pursued put an end to most overt forms of segregation, but it did not rid us of racism. The election of the first Black President was a move forward, but it didn't end racism. Indeed, nearly fifty years after the death of Martin Luther King, Jr. the church remains just about as segregated today as it did then.
Jim Wallis, founder of Sojourners and Christian social activist, has written an important primer on America's original sin. In a book that is deeply personal, Wallis, who is White himself, addresses the often unaddressed problem of White privilege that hangs over our national conversation, including the conversation within the Christian community. He admits, as we who are white and male must do, that he is the beneficiary of a system that rewards those who are white and male. He grew up in Detroit, a city that has been deeply affected by racial divisions and white flight. As an adult he has spent much of his life living in communities where is the minority ethnicity. He encounters with his neighbors has influenced his life and vision. He also admits that "no matter what you do to help overcome racism, you can never escape white privilege in America if you are white" (p. xxii).
This is a challenging book, but it is also a hopeful one. It involves a confession of sin, but it also offers a vision of a bridge to a new America. The cover of the book features the Edmund Pettis Bridge in Selma, Alabama. Those who crossed that bridge in the 1965 participated in one of the most pivotal moments in the Civil Rights Movement. That is one bridge that has been crossed, but we still bridges to build and to cross so that we can become the nation that Dr. King and others envisioned.
The book begins with the story of race, takes us to Ferguson and Baltimore. It develops the premise of original sin and its legacy. Being theological, there is also a call to repentance, which is more than saying your sorry. Moving further in Wallis talks about dying to "Whiteness." That doesn't mean we who are of European ancestry must feel guilty about our heritage, but does require that we reject the ideology of whiteness, that is the ideology of white supremacy.
An important chapter takes us into the church, which remains largely segregated -- that includes most liberal/progressive congregations. What does a truly multi-racial church look like? Getting here will require intentionality, acknowledgement that diversity isn't an end in itself, developing a spirit of inclusion, and empowering leadership that is multi-racial. This all requires a great deal of adaptability!
Any conversation about race and America cannot avoid discussion of the role of police in our country. Wallis speaks of moving from envisioning the police as warriors to guardians. Serving and protecting needs to be made a priority! It is important to affirm that both black lives and blue lives matter. All of this requires building trust within communities, and this requires moving more fully toward community policing, ending the school-to-prison pipeline, and mass incarceration. Speaking of that, we need to address what has come to be called the "New Jim Crow." The racial disparity of our prison population must be addressed. Much of the problem is rooted in America's drug policies, which affect African American communities much more than other communities. Along with recognizing the disparities in our laws, Wallis encourages a move toward restorative justice, so that the purpose of the criminal justice system is to repair harm.
It's not just the African American community that faces the impact of original sin. Immigrant communities do so as well. Immigration policy today has become very politicized, and peoples lives are at stake. The system is broken, but there is no political will, despite the fact that both the Roman Catholic Church and evangelicals have been calling for reform. There is, of course, fear in the land that "those people" will come and take over. White America feels threatened. The response isn't pretty. It's also not very Christian.
Racism is our original sin. It affects everything that occurs in our nation. But it need not have the final word. We can build a new bridge. We can cross the bridge to that new America Jim Wallis envisions. We must do so because the demographic shift is leading quickly to a multi-racial country. So will we adapt and embrace the other, or will we dig in our heals. Wallis suggests the former, and I agree.
I believe this is more than an important book. It is an essential book to read. It is important that those who, like me, are white hear from one who is also white calling on us to repent. Repentance is not easy. We prefer a cheap grace that requires nothing of us, but that is not what Wallis offers. So, let us read and consider what it will take to cross the bridge.
Jim Wallis, founder of Sojourners and Christian social activist, has written an important primer on America's original sin. In a book that is deeply personal, Wallis, who is White himself, addresses the often unaddressed problem of White privilege that hangs over our national conversation, including the conversation within the Christian community. He admits, as we who are white and male must do, that he is the beneficiary of a system that rewards those who are white and male. He grew up in Detroit, a city that has been deeply affected by racial divisions and white flight. As an adult he has spent much of his life living in communities where is the minority ethnicity. He encounters with his neighbors has influenced his life and vision. He also admits that "no matter what you do to help overcome racism, you can never escape white privilege in America if you are white" (p. xxii).
This is a challenging book, but it is also a hopeful one. It involves a confession of sin, but it also offers a vision of a bridge to a new America. The cover of the book features the Edmund Pettis Bridge in Selma, Alabama. Those who crossed that bridge in the 1965 participated in one of the most pivotal moments in the Civil Rights Movement. That is one bridge that has been crossed, but we still bridges to build and to cross so that we can become the nation that Dr. King and others envisioned.
The book begins with the story of race, takes us to Ferguson and Baltimore. It develops the premise of original sin and its legacy. Being theological, there is also a call to repentance, which is more than saying your sorry. Moving further in Wallis talks about dying to "Whiteness." That doesn't mean we who are of European ancestry must feel guilty about our heritage, but does require that we reject the ideology of whiteness, that is the ideology of white supremacy.
An important chapter takes us into the church, which remains largely segregated -- that includes most liberal/progressive congregations. What does a truly multi-racial church look like? Getting here will require intentionality, acknowledgement that diversity isn't an end in itself, developing a spirit of inclusion, and empowering leadership that is multi-racial. This all requires a great deal of adaptability!
Any conversation about race and America cannot avoid discussion of the role of police in our country. Wallis speaks of moving from envisioning the police as warriors to guardians. Serving and protecting needs to be made a priority! It is important to affirm that both black lives and blue lives matter. All of this requires building trust within communities, and this requires moving more fully toward community policing, ending the school-to-prison pipeline, and mass incarceration. Speaking of that, we need to address what has come to be called the "New Jim Crow." The racial disparity of our prison population must be addressed. Much of the problem is rooted in America's drug policies, which affect African American communities much more than other communities. Along with recognizing the disparities in our laws, Wallis encourages a move toward restorative justice, so that the purpose of the criminal justice system is to repair harm.
It's not just the African American community that faces the impact of original sin. Immigrant communities do so as well. Immigration policy today has become very politicized, and peoples lives are at stake. The system is broken, but there is no political will, despite the fact that both the Roman Catholic Church and evangelicals have been calling for reform. There is, of course, fear in the land that "those people" will come and take over. White America feels threatened. The response isn't pretty. It's also not very Christian.
Racism is our original sin. It affects everything that occurs in our nation. But it need not have the final word. We can build a new bridge. We can cross the bridge to that new America Jim Wallis envisions. We must do so because the demographic shift is leading quickly to a multi-racial country. So will we adapt and embrace the other, or will we dig in our heals. Wallis suggests the former, and I agree.
I believe this is more than an important book. It is an essential book to read. It is important that those who, like me, are white hear from one who is also white calling on us to repent. Repentance is not easy. We prefer a cheap grace that requires nothing of us, but that is not what Wallis offers. So, let us read and consider what it will take to cross the bridge.
notesonbookmarks's review against another edition
4.0
I believe that Jim Wallis will be remembered as a white ally who walked the talk on the right side of history. I also think that if he updated this book just these 4 years later, he would have something different to say in his "Blue Lives Matter" chapter.
always_a_scientist's review against another edition
3.0
This book is a powerful exhortation to white Christians to learn about and combat the systemic injustices in our society that operate against people of color. He brings statistics, personal stories (his own and others), and biblical arguments together well. If you are already willing to believe in white privilege and the stories of communities of color, this book will be an excellent resource and motivator.
I read this book as part of a Christian men's group that meets every Friday morning. One of members decided to drop out of the group for the time we read the book. His reason was the same as many others who will never open this book: the name on the cover. For better or worse, many conservatives see Jim Wallis as a puppet of the radical Left, funded by the likes of George Soros; therefore, whatever good is in this book, they will never read it.
The book also has some structural difficulties. While each of the chapters is well-written and stands well on its own, they lack a overall coherence. For example, after multiple chapters talking about African-Americans, he devotes an entire chapter to immigrants. This is a very important and moving discussion, but it does not fit well in the flow of the rest of the book. Two of the chapters are not as much his work as summaries of other very important documents (the Justice Dept. report on Ferguson and the President's task force on 21st Century Policing).
The final chapter does a good job of bringing these threads together and offering advice on how to move forward and cross the bridge in the title. He thinks it will be the result of the actions of millions of individuals meeting and learning from people different from themselves. We each have a responsibility to break out of our homogeneous social circles and become friends and neighbors with people of different colors and economic situations than ourselves.
I read this book as part of a Christian men's group that meets every Friday morning. One of members decided to drop out of the group for the time we read the book. His reason was the same as many others who will never open this book: the name on the cover. For better or worse, many conservatives see Jim Wallis as a puppet of the radical Left, funded by the likes of George Soros; therefore, whatever good is in this book, they will never read it.
The book also has some structural difficulties. While each of the chapters is well-written and stands well on its own, they lack a overall coherence. For example, after multiple chapters talking about African-Americans, he devotes an entire chapter to immigrants. This is a very important and moving discussion, but it does not fit well in the flow of the rest of the book. Two of the chapters are not as much his work as summaries of other very important documents (the Justice Dept. report on Ferguson and the President's task force on 21st Century Policing).
The final chapter does a good job of bringing these threads together and offering advice on how to move forward and cross the bridge in the title. He thinks it will be the result of the actions of millions of individuals meeting and learning from people different from themselves. We each have a responsibility to break out of our homogeneous social circles and become friends and neighbors with people of different colors and economic situations than ourselves.
readhikerepeat's review against another edition
5.0
Do white Christians play a role in perpetuating racism in America and, if so, what can be done about it? These are the questions Jim Wallis explores in his latest book, America’s Original Sin: Racism, White Privilege, and the Bridge to a New America. In it, he explains why racism is incompatible with Christianity and that it’s time for white Christians to work to end racism in America. It’s clear in the first few pages that this is not a book about a post-racial society because we don’t live in a post-racial society, with Bryan Stevenson pointing out in the foreword that “Slavery didn’t end in 1965 – it just evolved.” And so begins a story of racism in America, how Christianity plays its part in perpetuating it, and why “it’s time for white Christians to be more Christian than white.”
America’s Original Sin is part narrative non-fiction, part social commentary. The book is organized around Wallis’ own thoughts but his use of Bible verses and statistics raises it above the level of pure opinion. Where Wallis really excels is in his ability to write about such a heavy topic in an approachable way. Although it was published by a Christian press and is about Christianity, it is not a book solely for the religious. In fact, it’s as much for non-churchgoers as it is for churchgoers, and many of the calls to action can be broadly applied.
It’s also not a criticism of Christianity, but rather a criticism of how the Bible is sometimes used to exclude and divide, whether explicitly or implicitly, when it should be used to include and unite. The book is organized around three central themes: racism’s incompatibility with the Bible, repentance, and change, which are discussed below. These are only a few of the issues raised in the book, so if you’re worried that reading the discussions will give away too much, don’t. America’s Original Sin offers a sweeping commentary on everything from Wallis’ own experiences to those of Trayvon Martin and Michael Brown to immigration issues. Religious readers will likely be more impacted by the Bible verses than the non-religious, but Wallis’ calls to action can resonate with anyone.
For the full review, visit The Book Wheel.
America’s Original Sin is part narrative non-fiction, part social commentary. The book is organized around Wallis’ own thoughts but his use of Bible verses and statistics raises it above the level of pure opinion. Where Wallis really excels is in his ability to write about such a heavy topic in an approachable way. Although it was published by a Christian press and is about Christianity, it is not a book solely for the religious. In fact, it’s as much for non-churchgoers as it is for churchgoers, and many of the calls to action can be broadly applied.
It’s also not a criticism of Christianity, but rather a criticism of how the Bible is sometimes used to exclude and divide, whether explicitly or implicitly, when it should be used to include and unite. The book is organized around three central themes: racism’s incompatibility with the Bible, repentance, and change, which are discussed below. These are only a few of the issues raised in the book, so if you’re worried that reading the discussions will give away too much, don’t. America’s Original Sin offers a sweeping commentary on everything from Wallis’ own experiences to those of Trayvon Martin and Michael Brown to immigration issues. Religious readers will likely be more impacted by the Bible verses than the non-religious, but Wallis’ calls to action can resonate with anyone.
For the full review, visit The Book Wheel.
missamandamae's review against another edition
3.0
Quite a good read. While I can't say the author introduced any real new material or way of thinking for me, I do very much appreciate the tone he uses. I think it helps make the information and thought processes more palatable or understandable for those who might initially be resistant to talk about race. Lots of great pull quotes I intend to use in a church setting given the opportunity. I also appreciate the personal stories and testimonials that given the talk about race extra punch and vigor so it stands out to the average reader. Good book to read if you're looking for talking points with relatives and friends who may not be as open on the subject of race.
corngod31's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
medium-paced
4.0
A great book for Christians- should be read by all.