Preaching about racism

In "Preaching about Racism," preaching professor and pastor Carolyn Helsel lays out a format for pastors and faith leaders to engage the necessary task of talking about racism from the pulpit. In this follow-up to her first book "Anxious to talk about it: helping white Christians talk faithfully about racism," Helsel provides strategies and a theoretical framework for crafting biblical and theological sermons that incorporate insights from social sciences and psychology, gleaned from more than a decade of writing and teaching about racism. She argues that for white pastors preaching to predominantly white congregations, it is crucial that we start with gratitude for the work that Christ has already done in our own lives. She explains: "The shame of sin does not motivate us to live new lives. Our gratitude for what God has done gets us excited to live humbly and work for justice" -- especially justice for those most affected by the prevalence of racism in our world.--