Resources for Conversations on Racial Justice and Equality

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A Conversation on Racism and Adventism with NAD Leadership from NAD Adventist on Vimeo.

Day of Prayer for Racial Justice and Equality

On Sabbath, June 27, 2020, the leadership of the North American Division of the Seventh-day Adventist Church is asking its members, churches, ministries, and services to join in a special day of prayer for the deep hurt and frustration that racial injustice and inequity have caused in North America. MORE

Below are some suggested resources for local churches and members as they have discussions on racial justice and equality. 

Resources

More resources may be added to this list as they become available. The majority of these resources have been compiled by Carmelo Mercado, vice president and Multicultural Ministries department director of the Lake Union Conference, and Dave Gemmell, associate director of the North American Division Ministerial Association. Please note: Not all of the listed resources are officially endorsed by the Seventh-day Adventist Church. 

North American Division Entity Statements and Resources on Race

  1. NAD Asks Members to Join in a Special Day of Prayer for Racial Justice and Equality
  2. NAD President Addresses Racial Tensions in the U.S.
  3. NAD Issues Response to Recent Deaths and Racial Turmoil in U.S. (English)
  4. Respuesta de la NAD ante las muertes recientes y agitación racial en los EE.UU. (Español)
  5. Columbia Union: A Statement from the President's Council: A Call for Justice, Prayer and Peace
  6. Lake Union: Statement on Police Brutality and Racial Turmoil
  7. Mid-America Union: A Call to Stand Against Racism
  8. North Pacific Union: A Call for Change
  9. Pacific Union Response: Let Justice Roll
  10. Southern Union: Southern Union Response to U.S. Racial Tensions
  11. Central States Conference: Statement Regarding the Death of George Floyd
  12. Lake Region Conference: The Milestone & The Moment
  13. Northern California Conference: Executive Officers Issue Joint Statement on June 3, 2020
  14. Oregon Conference: Statement on Racial Justice
  15. Upper Columbia Conference: Statement on the Killing of George Floyd
  16. Oakwood University: A Message to the Oakwood Community

General Conference and World Division Statements and Resources on Race

  1. General Conference: Only Connection with God Can Overcome Global Rice in Evil
  2. General Conference: A Time for Compassion and Healing: Our Christ-Centered Mission
  3. South Pacific Division: Adventist Church in Australia makes statements on George Floyd
  4. Trans-European Division Reacts to Current Tensions Surrounding the Death of George Floyd

Seventh-day Adventist History Reading Books

  1. Protest and Progress by Dr. Calvin Rock
  2. Seventh-day Adventists and the Civil Rights Movement by Samuel G. London
  3. Ellen G. White and Church State Relations by Ronald G. Graybill
  4. Telling the Story – An Anthology on the Development of the Black SDA Work by Delbert Baker (free pdf)
  5. The Enduring Legacy of Ellen G. White and Social Justice by Jonathan A. Thompson
  6. Christ Has Welcomed You: A Biblical Case for Relational Unity in the Seventh-day Adventist Church by Drs. Gregory J. and Carol Easley Allen

Race Issues Books

  1. White Fragility – Why It’s so Hard for White People to talk about Racism by Robin Diangelo
  2. Biased -Uncovering the Hidden Prejudice that Shapes What We See, Think and Do by Jennifer L. Eberhardt
  3. Woke Church: An Urgent Call for Christians in America to Confront Racism and Injustice by Eric Mason
  4. The Myth of Equality: Uncovering the Roots of Injustice and Privilege by Ken Wytsma
  5. So You Want to Talk about Race by Ijeoma Oluo
  6. Is Justice Possible – The Elusive Pursuit of What is Right by J. Paul Nyquist
  7. Beyond Racial Gridlock – Embracing Mutual Responsibility by George Yancey
  8. America’s Original Sin, Racism, White Privilege, and the Bridge to a New America by Jim Wallis

Discussion Guides for Small Groups

  1. ‘The Look’ by Proctor and Gamble (Downloadable PDF)

The guide starts with a short film depicting what a black man experiences in his brief interactions with people in everyday life. There are discussion questions based upon each scene in the film.

  1. ‘Implicit Bias’ United Methodist Church

The workbook enables users to learn more about one of the significant barriers to reaching goals of diversity, community, and equity.

Helpful YouTube Video Clips

  1. How Racism Makes us Sick — TED Talk by David Williams
  2. Cracking the Codes: Joy DeGruy, A Trip to the Grocery Store
  3. Martin Luther King Jr. — Love Your Enemies 
  4. Grey’s Anatomy clip from Season Fourteen, Episode Ten — Give Ben the Talk
  5. Grey’s Anatomy clip from Season Fourteen, Episode Ten — Implicit Bias
  6. What Kind of Asian Are You?
  7. Short videos from RaceForward that you have permission to use:
    1. Wealth Gap
    2. Employment
    3. Housing Discrimination
    4. Government Surveillance
    5. Incarceration
    6. Drug Arrests
    7. Immigration Policy
    8. Infant Mortality

Scriptural Passages from Which to Build Sermons

  1. Story of Esther facing injustice at its worst — Esther 4:14
  2. Jesus begins His ministry condemning ethnic barriers — Luke 4: 16-28
  3. Jesus and the centurion — Matthew 8:5-13
  4. Jesus the Syrophoenician Woman and implicit bias — Mark 7:24-30
  5. Peter’s dream crossing the cultural barriers — Acts 10 - 11:18
  6. Peter reprimanded for his prejudice — Galatians 2:11-14
  7. Parable of the Lost Sheep — Luke 15:3,4
  8. When one part of the body hurts — 1 Corinthians 1:26
  9. Let justice roll on like a river — Amos 5:24

Lake Union Herald Vimeo Broadcasts

  1. Bearing Witness Against Racism: The Church’s Role
  2. Prophetic Adventism and Healthcare Justice

Internet Articles and Blogs

  1. What the Bible Says About Advocacy
  2. What Is the Biblical Response to Injustice
  3. White Lies and Racism
  4. 5 Reasons Adventists Stink at Social Justice
  5. Let Justice Roll, What Pastors can do about Systemic Racism.
  6. The Gospel and Social Justice
  7. The Cooper Conundrum and American Adventism 

Additional Resources

  1. Anti-Racism Resource list compiled by Sarah Sophie Flicker, Alyssa Klein

* More resources may be added to this list as they become available.

Downloadable Infographics

Adventist History

Books discussing race and justice

Scripture

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