Jemar Tisby

"O where are the sympathies of Christians for the slave and where are their exertions for their liberation? . . . It seems as if the church were asleep."David Ingraham, 1839In 2015, the historian Chris Momany helped discover a manuscript that had been forgotten in a storage closet at Adrian College in Michigan. He identified it as the journal of a nineteenth-century Christian abolitionist and missionary, David Ingraham. As Momany and a fellow historian Doug Strong pored over the diary, they realized that studying this document could open new conversations for twenty-first-century Christians to address the reality of racism today. They invited a multiracial team of fourteen scholars to join in, thus launching the Dialogue on Race and Faith Project.Awakening to Justice presents the groundbreaking work of these scholars. In addition to reflecting on Ingraham's journal, chapters also explore the life and writings of two of Ingraham's Black colleagues, James Bradley and Nancy Prince. Appendixes feature writings by all three abolitionists so readers can engage the primary sources directly.Through considering connections between the revivalist, holiness, and abolitionist movements; the experiences of enslaved and freed people; abolitionists' spiritual practices; various tactics used by abolitionists; and other themes, the authors offer insight and hope for Christians concerned about racial justice. They highlight how Christians associated with Charles Finney's style of revivalism formed intentional, countercultural communities such as Oberlin College to be exemplars of interracial cooperation and equality.Christians have all too often compromised with racism throughout history, but that's not the whole story. Hearing the prophetic witness of revivalist social justice efforts in the nineteenth century can provide a fresh approach to today's conversations about race and faith in the church.

Racism is one of the most polarizing conversations in our world and in the church. But it's a topic that the church can and must take part in. In this twelve-session study, Jemar Tisby will guide you and your group through deeper reflections and concrete solutions for improved race relations and a racially inclusive church.Based on the teachings of his bestselling book, The Color of Compromise, Tisby will take you deeper into the topic, so that you'll:Learn more about the history of racism in America - from the colonial era through the Civil Rights movement.Develop a stronger ability to see the role that the American church has played in that abuse.Consider what gospel-inspired role you and your church can play in the important work of racial healing.The Color of Compromise Study Guide asks that participants acknowledge some challenging truths - about themselves and their nation - but it also makes space for you to articulate how you feel about confronting these truths. Throughout the twelve sessions, you'll take part in a number of activities, including:Video teachings from JemarWritten responses and personal reflections.Scripture readings and prayers.Group discussion questions.Before you embark, remember that peace among racial and ethnic groups is not something that we have to achieve by our own wisdom and strength. The foundation of all reconciliation was accomplished by Jesus on the cross. Through Christ's power, the church can become a model of racial unity in our country.This study guide has everything you need for a full personal or group experience.The study guide itself - with thoughtful introductions, questions for personal reflection and application, and discussion questions for leading a group or team. An individual access code to stream all video sessions online. (You don't need to buy a DVD!)Sessions and video run times: The Color of Compromise (17 min)Making Race in the Colonial Era (23 min)Understanding Liberty in the Age of Revolution and Revival (20 min)Institutionalizing Race in the Antebellum Era (24 min)Defending Slavery at the Onset of the Civil War (19 min)Reconstructing White Supremacy in the Jim Crow Era (16 min)Remembering the Complicity in the North (19 min)Compromising with Racism during the Civil Rights Movement (26 min)Organizing the Religious Right at the End of the Twentieth Century (20 min)Reconsidering Racial Reconciliation in the Age of Black Lives Matter (24 min)The Fierce Urgency of Now (20 min)Be Strong and Courageous (5 min)Streaming video access code included.Access code subject to expiration after October 8, 2029. Code may be redeemed only by the recipient of this package. Code may not be transferred or sold separately from this package. Internet connection required. Void where prohibited, taxed, or restricted by law. Additional offer details inside.

Take the next step to confronting racism in relationships and in everyday life.This 10-session, video-based study guide (DVD/video streaming sold separately) provides groups and individuals with practical tools and suggestions, actionable items, and real-world examples of change, to enable you to become proactive and effective in the fight for racial justice.In his bestselling book, How to Fight Racism, Jemar Tisby urged readers to move beyond talking about racism and start equipping ourselves to fight against it. This study guide is the next step on that journey for small groups, churches, classes, and individuals.Tisby unpacks his "A.R.C." model for racial justice, developing each of its stages in practical and empowering ways:Awareness (sessions 2 - 4) focuses on racial history, identity, and the image of God.Relationships (sessions 5 - 7) presents effective ways to do reconciliation, make friends, and build diverse communities.Commitment (sessions 8 - 10) concentrates on how to work for racial justice in your life, community, and country.You'll be encouraged to reject passivity and become active participants in the struggle for human dignity across racial and ethnic lines.This video study guide has everything you need for a full personal or group experience.The study guide itself - with thoughtful introductions to each session, questions for personal reflection and application, and discussion questions for leading a group or team.An individual access code to stream all video sessions online. (You don't need to buy a DVD!)Sessions and video run times:How to Fight Racism (15 min)How to Explain Race and the Image of God (30 min)How to Explore Your Raciel Identity (19 min)How to Study the History of Race (18 min)How to Do Reconciliation Right (20 min)How to Make Friends (17 min)How to Build Diverse Communities (17 min)How to Work for Racial Justice (16 min)How to Fight Systematic Racism (26 min)How to Orient Your Life to Racial Justice (17 min)Conclusion (4 min)Stream video access code included.Access code subject to expiration after [insert 5 years after OSD]. Code may be redeemed only by the recipient of this package. Code may not be transferred or sold separately from this package. Internet connection required. Void where prohibited, taxed, or restricted by law. Additional offer details inside.

From New York Times bestselling author Jemar Tisby, I Am the Spirit of Justice uses lyrical text and moving illustrations to take children on a journey through the history of the United States of America, highlighting the ways people have been fighting for justice from the very beginning.The fight for civil rights in America didn't begin in the 1960s--Black Americans have been working for justice, freedom, and equality since the first slave ships came to its shores. In I Am the Spirit of Justice, Jemar Tisby demonstrates that that arc of history bends toward equality. Throughout, the spirit of justice is personified as it moves through time, loving the oppressed and supporting the freedom fighters. The poetic text not only informs readers of the countless and often nameless people who have taken up the fight, it also inspires them to continue working for equality for all.I Am the Spirit of Justice is the picture book companion to Jemar Tisby's The Spirit of Justice and is cowritten by author and poet Malcolm Newsome with art by illustrator and activist Nadia Fisher. This beautiful and sweeping book is a great introduction to the history of civil rights for the youngest readers and an important addition to the libraries of anyone working for justice.I Am the Spirit of Justice is ideal for: Introducing children to important figures in the history of the civil rights movementInspiring young readers to see the importance of justice in our worldTeachers and librarians looking for resources for civil rights education, with an included bibliography and suggestions for further reading

New York Times bestselling author Jemar Tisby collects the true, impactful stories of figures from across history--from the well-known to those often forgotten--who resisted racism and created a legacy of hope and perseverance. Each short biography is paired with an illustration to help inspire young readers to continue to work toward justice today.We are living in the civil rights movement of our day. But the challenges of the present call us to remember the past. Throughout American history, there has always been a resilient group of people who, motivated by their faith, resisted oppression and pushed for greater equality and liberty for all. From well-known figures like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks, and Harriet Tubman, to those time has nearly forgotten, all these people tapped into an abiding spirit of justice to pursue the dignity of all people.Stories of the Spirit of Justice is the companion book for young readers ages 8-12 to Jemar Tisby's The Spirit of Justice and tells the story of the justice movement through short biographies of the figures who did the work. With illustrations depicting the people profiled and practical tips connecting readers to the continued fight for justice, this is essential reading for everyone who still dreams of a land where all are truly free.Stories of the Spirit of Justice: covers the colonial era to the present dayincludes inspiring takeaways from each person's life and a bibliography for further readingroots each story in the historical moment, with descriptions of the state of justice in different eras in American historycan be used by families and church or school groups to start meaningful conversations with kids

The Black History You Never Knew: Uncovering Unsung Heroes in the Struggle for Racial Justice.The Spirit of Justice reveals the stories of the people who fought against racism and agitated for justice--and what we can learn from their example, their suffering, their methods, and their hope.How is it that people still work for change after continuously seeing the worst of humanity and experiencing the most demoralizing setbacks? What keeps them going? It is that spirit of justice that rises up "like a war horse," as Myrlie Evers-Williams famously said. It is a sense in the hearts of people who hunger and thirst for righteousness.In this book, award-winning author Jemar Tisby will open your eyes to the "pattern of endurance" in the centuries-long struggle for Black freedom in America. Through a historical survey of the nation from its founding to the present day, this book gives real-world examples of people who opposed racism, how they did it, what it cost, and what they gained for themselves and others.For those who were galvanized by Tisby's call to action in his acclaimed The Color of Compromise, this book will inspire you to see past the complicity of the church and gain the determination to join the fight for racial justice, no matter the cost.As Tisby writes, "The Spirit of justice is always at work to inspire followers of Christ to undertake acts of liberation and bear witness to the good news of their savior."

For African Americans who have experienced the trauma of colonization, displacement, enslavement, and race-based violence, lament has long been a form of cultural expression that creates space to process these experiences. Lament and Justice in African American History: By the Rivers of Babylon explores the theme of lament in African American history from a theological perspective. In part one of this edited volume, scholars examine historical examples of African Americans’ use of lament as a framework for engaging both historical memory and social action. Part two offers examples of the incorporation of lament as a pedagogical tool in classrooms and other educational settings. Readers of this book will appreciate the importance of lament in the African American Christian tradition and will come away challenged to connect their own lament with the pursuit of justice.

Winner of the 2022 ECPA Christian Book Award for Faith & CultureHow do we effectively confront racial injustice? We need to move beyond talking about racism and start equipping ourselves to fight against it.In this follow-up to the New York Times Bestseller the Color of Compromise, Jemar Tisby offers an array of actionable items to confront racism. How to Fight Racism introduces a simple framework—the A.R.C. Of Racial Justice—that teaches readers to consistently interrogate their own actions and maintain a consistent posture of anti-racist behavior.The A.R.C. Of Racial Justice is a clear model for how to think about race in productive ways:Awareness: educate yourself by studying history, exploring your personal narrative, and grasping what God says about the dignity of the human person.Relationships: understand the spiritual dimension of race relations and how authentic connections make reconciliation real and motivate you to act.Commitment: consistently fight systemic racism and work for racial justice by orienting your life to it.Now with a new preface and additional content, Tisby offers practical tools for following this model and suggests that by applying these principles, we can help dismantle a social hierarchy long stratified by skin color. He encourages rejection passivity and active participation in the struggle for human dignity. There is hope for transforming our nation and the world, and you can be part of the solution.

A bracing examination of a force that imperils American democracy Most Americans were shocked by the violence they witnessed at the nation's Capital on January 6th, 2021. And many were bewildered by the images displayed by the insurrectionists: a wooden cross and wooden gallows; "Jesus saves" and "Don't Tread on Me;" Christian flags and Confederate Flags; even a prayer in Jesus' name after storming the Senate chamber. Where some saw a confusing jumble, Philip S. Gorski and Samuel L. Perry saw a familiar ideology: white Christian nationalism. In this short primer, Gorski and Perry explain what white Christian nationalism is and is not; when it first emerged and how it has changed; where it's headed and why it threatens democracy. Tracing the development of this ideology over the course of three centuries—and especially its influence over the last three decades—they show how, throughout American history, white Christian nationalism has animated the oppression, exclusion, and even extermination of minority groups while securing privilege for white Protestants. It enables white Christian Americans to demand "sacrifice" from others in the name of religion and nation, while defending their "rights" in the names of "liberty" and "property." White Christian nationalism motivates the anti-democratic, authoritarian, and violent impulses on display in our current political moment. The future of American democracy, Gorski and Perry argue, will depend on whether a broad spectrum of Americans—stretching from democratic socialists to classical liberals—can unite in a popular front to combat the threat to liberal democracy posed by white Christian nationalism.

Kids deal with racism and social justice issues every day; give them the tools to effectively fight injustices using Christian principles and practical tools. In this adaptation of?How To Fight Racism, Dr. Jemar Tisby helps young readers ages 8-12 understand how everyday prejudice affects them, what they can do to create social change, how to maintain an anti-racist mindset, and make a positive difference in the world. Racism is pervasive in today's world, and in the wake of protests and a call for change, many kids are eager to confront it but aren’t always sure how. Jemar Tisby, author of?How to Fight Racism?and?The Color of Compromise, believes we need to move beyond mere discussions?about?racism and begin equipping young people with the practical tools to fight against it. In?How to Fight Racism Young Reader’s Edition,?Dr. Tisby uses history to explore how racism has affected America since before its founding and how it’s continued to grow, as well as examines how true social justice is rooted in the Christian faith. In a format that provides kids with a handbook for pursuing racial justice, readers ages 8-12 will discover: hands-on suggestions and real-world examples of?change they can put into action practical ideas for confronting racism and social injustice in their?everyday lives, and how they can use Christian values to change the narrative around race the ARC of racial justice—Awareness, Connection, and?Relationships—that help form an anti-racist mindset ways to evaluate their actions and promote biblical principles Throughout, kids will learn how to ask questions of themselves and their communities as they stand up to racism in all its forms. This book is for anyone who believes it is time to courageously confront the racism we see in our society today. How to Fight Racism Young Reader’s Edition: Is ideal for any young person wanting to make a?difference in today’s world Can be used by families and church groups to start?meaningful conversations with kids Provides practical tools and advice for how to deal with social justice and racism Is written at a level kids in grades 4 through 6 and?beyond can understand Can be used in a small group setting to develop discussions of diversity, racism, social justice, and more

In the wake of the 1992 Los Angeles riots, Fuller Seminary theologian William Pannell decried the sentiment among white evangelicals that racism was no longer an urgent matter. In The Coming Race Wars? he meticulously unpacked reasons why our nation—and the church—needed to come to terms with our complicity in America's racial transgressions before we face a more dire reckoning. Pannell was among a small number of Black evangelical leaders at the time who called the evangelical church to account on issues of racial justice. Now, nearly thirty years later, his words are as timely as ever. Some would even argue that the "race war" he predicted has arrived. In The Coming Race Wars: A Cry for Justice, from Civil Rights to Black Lives Matter, Pannell revisits his provocative book with an expanded edition that connects its message to current events. With a new introduction by bestselling historian Jemar Tisby and a new afterword by Pannell, this compelling, heartfelt plea to the church will help today's readers take a deeper look at the complexities of institutional racism and the unjust systems that continue to confound us. This new edition of The Coming Race Wars will inspire you to open your eyes wider, discover a more holistic view of Christ's gospel, and become an active participant in addressing America's racial injustices.

Take the next step to confronting racism in relationships and in everyday life.This 10-session, video-based study guide (DVD/video streaming sold separately) provides groups and individuals with practical tools and suggestions, actionable items, and real-world examples of change, to enable you to become proactive and effective in the fight for racial justice.In his bestselling book, How to Fight Racism, Jemar Tisby urged readers to move beyond talking about racism and start equipping ourselves to fight against it. This study guide is the next step on that journey for small groups, churches, classes, and individuals.Tisby unpacks his "A.R.C." model for racial justice, developing each of its stages in practical and empowering ways:Awareness (sessions 2—4) focuses on racial history, identity, and the image of God.Relationships (sessions 5—7) presents effective ways to do reconciliation, make friends, and build diverse communities.Commitment (sessions 8—10) concentrates on how to work for racial justice in your life, community, and country. You'll be encouraged to reject passivity and become active participants in the struggle for human dignity across racial and ethnic lines.The study guide—along with the video study—offers participants the opportunity to be part of the solution to racial problems and suggests that the application of these principles can offer us hope that will transform our nation and the world.Designed for use with How to Fight Racism Video Study (9780310113249), sold separately.

Racism is one of the most polarizing conversations in our world and in the church. But it's a topic that the church can and must take part in. In this twelve-session study (DVD/streaming video sold separately), Jemar Tisby will guide you and your group through deeper reflections and concrete solutions for improved race relations and a racially inclusive church.Based on the teachings of his bestselling book, The Color of Compromise, Tisby will take you deeper into the topic, so that you'll:Learn more about the history of racism in America—from the colonial era through the Civil Rights movement.Develop a stronger ability to see the role that the American church has played in that abuse. Consider what gospel-inspired role you and your church can play in the important work of racial healing.The Color of Compromise Study Guide asks that participants acknowledge some challenging truths—about themselves and their nation—but it also makes space for you to articulate how you feel about confronting these truths. Throughout the twelve sessions, you'll take part in a number of activities, including:Video teachings from Jemar (The Color of Compromise Video Study, sold separately).Written responses and personal reflections.Scripture readings and prayers.Group discussion questions.Before you embark, remember that peace among racial and ethnic groups is not something that we have to achieve by our own wisdom and strength. The foundation of all reconciliation was accomplished by Jesus on the cross. Through Christ's power, the church can become a model of racial unity in our country.Designed for use with The Color of Compromise Video Study (9780310102205), sold separately.

ECPA Top Shelf Book Cover Award "So what are you?" Chandra Crane knows what it's like to get that question. She has a Thai birth father, a European American mother, and an African American father who adopted her when she was five. With this mixed multiethnic and multicultural background, she has keenly felt the otherness of never quite fitting in. Where do people of mixed ethnicity belong? Those of us with multiethnic backgrounds may have pain surrounding our mixed heritage. But we also have the privilege and potential to serve the Lord through our unique experiences. Crane explores what Scripture and history teach us about ethnicity and how we can bring all of ourselves to our sense of identity and calling. Discover the fullness of who you are. Find out how your mixed identity can be a blessing to yourself and to the world around you.

A New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestseller!An acclaimed, timely narrative of how people of faith have historically--up to the present day--worked against racial justice. And a call for urgent action by all Christians today in response. The Color of Compromise is both enlightening and compelling, telling a history we either ignore or just don't know. Equal parts painful and inspirational, it details how the American church has helped create and maintain racist ideas and practices. You will be guided in thinking through concrete solutions for improved race relations and a racially inclusive church.The Color of Compromise:Takes you on a historical, sociological, and religious journey: from America's early colonial days through slavery and the Civil WarCovers the tragedy of Jim Crow laws, the victories of the Civil Rights era, and the strides of today's Black Lives Matter movementReveals the cultural and institutional tables we have to flip in order to bring about meaningful integrationCharts a path forward to replace established patterns and systems of complicity with bold, courageous, immediate actionIs a perfect book for pastors and other faith leaders, students, non-students, book clubs, small group studies, history lovers, and all lifelong learnersThe Color of Compromise is not a call to shame or a platform to blame white evangelical Christians. It is a call from a place of love and desire to fight for a more racially unified church that no longer compromises what the Bible teaches about human dignity and equality. A call that challenges black and white Christians alike to standup now and begin implementing the concrete ways Tisby outlines, all for a more equitable and inclusive environment among God's people. Starting today.

As conversations abound on social media platforms and in the news media, more people are beginning to wonder why ethnic and cultural diversity is increasing in our cities, yet it is not reflected in our churches. Has it ever been reflected? What caused such separation? Are there cultural and relational barriers that prove too difficult to climb for those different than ourselves?An honest assessment of ourselves could demonstrate that the reason most of our churches remain homogenous in diverse cities is because all are not welcome. Differences tend to separate. Therefore it is easiest to gather with those who are similar, but is that the call of the Great Commission, and is that the outworking of the gospel we observe in the books of Acts? All Are Welcome is an attempt to have (and continue) the conversation that looms in our communities. Each contributor in this edited volume is an ethnic minority. These are the voices that are often overlooked, yet they provide ideas and answers for how to create a much more welcoming environment for all people in our local congregations. If you've ever wondered about the discussions that occur between ethnic minorities as we pontificate how to create a more welcoming environment in our churches, All Are Welcome is a discussion you don't want to miss.