This is the final episode in our series, “When God Became White,” with Grace Ji-Sun Kim, author of the book of the same name. This series has dug deep into the damage done by misguided theologies centered on white supremacy, but this episode is ready to uncover a way out. "How We Get Free" is an intelligent and lively discussion that urges us to learn from those who are different than us, to see marginalized and often invisible people, with philosophies and interpretations of scripture that can serve as powerful antidotes to the theologies of terror and torment.

This episode is a great place to begin the series if you haven't already. Here, our hosts hint at the voices and interpretations that we pass up when preachers return to the same old theologies of terror and torment, tainted by white Christian nationalism. Prepare for a look at a better world, one where different means of knowledge and understanding can lead us to be inspired in new ways.

Get deeper into our podcast series, “When God Became White,” with Grace Ji-Sun Kim, author of the book of the same name. Here, we examine the high price of cheap grace for white slaveholders, and reveal the catastrophic consequences of getting theology wrong. This is an unflinching look at the danger of a toxic gospel narrative that stratifies human beings, placing white men closer to God than anyone else

Get deeper into our newest podcast series, “When God Became White,” with Grace Ji-Sun Kim, author of the book of the same name. Host Peter Laarman and Kim dig into the important history of the relationship between America, Christianity, and white supremacy and the shifting historical designations of "whiteness," which powerful forces use to divide and distract the people. This episode grapples with the idea of America as a "melting pot," and asks if Christianity can survive the embrace of an ideology that stratifies human beings.

This episode kicks off our new podcast series, “When God Became White,” with Grace Ji-Sun Kim, author of the book of the same name. Host Peter Laarman and Kim discuss some of the myriad problems the social construct of race has caused, and why we must tackle this construction alongside the concept and consequences of “Christian whiteness.” Do people realize how they're participating in this? Can they come to terms with the way it is normalized? These are important questions for Christians who are struggling and want to build a better world, who may be unwittingly promoting whiteness in their churches, liturgies, and hymnbooks.

American Evangelicals have allied themselves with weapon manufacturers and big businesses, despite scriptural exhortations against just such behavior. In this episode, the panelists strip away the biblical façade, helping listeners understand the true nature of this alliance undergirding so much modern conservative thought. Dr. Hendricks, Dr. Sinclair, and Rev. Laarman discuss the evolution - and the danger - of this perversion of biblical teachings that leads to prayers for guns and praise for slavery.

American evangelicals often consider their political opponents as demons who oppose God. Worse still, they cast immigrants, minorities, and the vulnerable the same way. Dr. Hendricks, Dr. Sinclair, and Rev. Laarman discuss what a real Bible-centered ethic looks like. They also dig into many of the ways that evangelicals are weaponizing misunderstandings of the Bible, from the antichrist to the sin of Sodom.

In the second part of this series, Dr. Obery Hendricks, Dr. Charlene Sinclair, and Peter Laarman take a deep dive into what white Christian nationalists actually worship: power, wealth, and (most of all) whiteness.  American evangelicals were once in broad alignment with other groups in regard to abortion. Now they are overwhelmingly aligned with the Catholic bishops, with the "right to life" becoming a familiar dog whistle in evangelical circles. Dr. Hendricks, Dr. Sinclair, and Rev. Laarman discuss what a real life-centered ethic looks like. They also excavate the roots of the abortion obsession, going back to the time when conservative strategists realized that explicit anti-Black racism was no longer acceptable and needed a new wedge issue to stir up their base.

A deep dive into what white Christian nationalists actually worship: power, wealth, and (most of all) whiteness. They discuss what's new and dangerous in the very close alliance between this cohort and would-be dictator Donald Trump. Dr. Hendricks, a respected biblical scholar, observes how far removed the white evangelical values are from the actual values of the Jesus of the gospel accounts, to the point that the white evangelicals' claim to be "Bible believers" becomes absurd.

Who do we expect to be the one to turn the other cheek? In our democracy, our ideals envision a give and take of compromise. In reality, however, we often expect Black people and other people of color to bear the majority of the sacrifice. Meanwhile, white power structures have been historically less likely to accept any loss – symbolic or material. Looking to a worldwide view, Palestinians have been sacrificing openly for 75 years to no discernible effect in terms of being respected and granted justice. For the oppressed, it is the Book of Revelation that speaks to anyone battling demons of any kind, throughout the world or within the heart. They picture not only the utter darkness that cloaks the earth, but also the glory and hope of God that is ultimately stronger. Can we genuinely "turn the other cheek"? Can those who are suffering be expected to remain patiently hopeful?