Documentaries on Race and Christianity Explore Slavery, Offer Modern Solutions
The issue of racism in the Christian church in America is not a new one, though it has been in public awareness for a large part of 2020 — particularly as churches and church leaders confronted race and their stance on Black Lives Matter.
Streaming service Amazon Prime contains three documentaries by Black creators that delve into the history of racism in the church, back to the origin of slavery in the U.S. and often further. Each takes a different focus, whether White Jesus, BLM or the structure of worship services.
These are the documentaries, their highlights and shortcomings.
The Color of Compromise
Video Study, 12 episodes, approx. 20 minutes each
“The Color of Compromise” was adapted from the nonfiction book of the same name, originally published in 2019. The book’s author, Jemar Tisby, serves as narrator of the project which traces from colonial America to the modern day Black Lives Matter movement. It seeks to show the history of racism within the Christian church, with a focus on how “compromise” — or inaction in the fight against racism — is just as harmful as direct racism.
The first few episodes cover material that at times feels more like a retroactive callout of founding slaveowners than enlightening history.
Overall, the series offers a thorough analysis, particularly with in-depth looks at Billy Graham, Jerry Falwell, the Moral Majority and MLK Jr.
The series’ best credit is that it doesn’t make narrow accusations by focusing on only White Christians or Southern Christians. Instead, Tisby takes time to address racism in the North and compromise from Black Christians. It becomes clear that his intention is not to condemn a particular type of person, but to seriously address a problem he sees in the church.
MOST INTERESTING TAKEAWAY: If you watch just one episode for history, watch episode five, entitled “Defending Slavery at the Onset of the Civil War.” It shows the church’s most active role in perpetrating racism: Tisby discusses primarily that Methodist, Baptist and Presbyterian congregations split over the support of slavery.
If you watch just one episode for practical, modern problem solving, watch episode 11, entitled “The Fierce Urgency of Now.” In it, Tisby presents his framework for encouraging Christians to get involved in racial justice — which he calls the A.R.C. method — and discusses the implications of strategies like reparations and the removal of Confederate statues.
**Note: “Color of Compromise” isn’t currently included with a Prime membership, but it’s still available for rent or purchase.
Holy Hierarchy
Movie, 1 hour 22 minutes
“Holy Hierarchy” isn’t an anti-racism documentary; it’s an anti-religious one. It was released in 2019, and features interviews from Robin DiAngelo (author of famed book “White Fragility”) and other academics. It handles the concepts of superiority and inferiority as it unpacks the influence of Christianity on slavery and modern racism.
The movie is no technical feat, using cluttered music cues and b-roll that doesn’t always align with what’s being narrated. Laws and cases are referenced from the Antebellum South and adjacent eras but never listed in any official titles, making it difficult to use as an educational resource. General statements and vague platitudes, including statements beginning with “we’ve all seen/heard this,” are used often.
Interviewers at times argued against the existence of God or at least adopted agnostic views, and the documentary places the bulk of the blame for past slavery and modern White supremacy on Christianity. It’s not a documentary for Christians who are hoping to retain their faith and fight racism at the same time, but rather for Christians close to sacrificing their beliefs or aggressive non-believers.
The ultimate conclusions of the documentary feel complex and convoluted, particularly as a person of faith, but they can be summed up into a somewhat chronological sequence: God doesn’t exist, and was therefore created by men with racist intentions. Therefore, statements in the Bible about Jews being God’s “chosen people” are inherently racist — so is the division of light and dark in the Creation narrative. White people therefore believe being White is good and blessed by God, which they imposed on Black slaves. This was exacerbated by American and European art traditions, which show Jesus as White and Blacks as inferior. That’s why slavery was so terrible, and why America still struggles so much with racism.
As a result, as DiAngelo says, it’s impossible to separate Christianity, patriarchy and White supremacy.
The documentary says the same thing about Black Christians, at one point calling them “blind or indifferent” if they support Christian movies with White casts. One message of this movie is that it’s not Black Christians’ fault for being Christians; their ancestors were forced into it, and the brainwashing has continued through generations. The logical conclusion of that is to forfeit Christianity. It’s recklessly insensitive toward people of faith, and in several places presents Bible verses as proof removed entirely from context.
MOST INTERESTING TAKEAWAY: If there’s one thing this documentary can offer to the discussion of Christian racism, it’s on the subject of White Jesus. The documentary is relentless about the influence that seeing only White Jesus can have on children and churches, saying that these depictions contribute to racism (and White supremacy) by suggesting that God is White and White is best. It’s not an incorrect idea.
However, the solution to this problem is not to diversify Jesus — it’s to get rid of Christianity altogether. The documentary patronizes Black Christians and those who paint Black Jesus by emphasizing that they must not know any better or that they can’t be blamed for being Christians because of the way they were coerced into it. It’s still religiously insensitive.
White Savior: Racism in the American Church
Movie, 1 hour 1 minute
“White Savior” is a 2019 documentary that focuses on the intersection of racism and Christianity with more of a focus on modern events and church practices. It’s what “Holy Hierarchy” should be, with a similar message and respect for people of faith and Christianity. It includes interviews with clergy, seminary leaders and other people of faith.
Those interviewed and information the documentary presents say that racism and White supremacy are part of the American church, but these things are a result of bad theology and outer political and economic influence rather than a blanket pitfall of religion. Data is presented to show the way people of color are often at a disadvantage and how the church can contribute to that.
Its most controversial point for Christians will likely be that the documentary supports intersectionality and the Black Lives Matter organization — which many Christians don’t. It doesn’t offer much in the way of reconciling the two beliefs or addressing why so many Christians disagree with that ideology or have neglected to support BLM for this. If intersectionality crosses the line, “White Savior” won’t leave a positive impression.
But, for what it’s worth, both ideology and religion are treated with the utmost respect and presented in an educational and interesting way. It’s worth the watch.
MOST INTERESTING TAKEAWAY: In a discussion about why so many churches remain self-segregated (i.e. majority White or majority Black), the documentary goes beyond blaming a lack of diverse leadership or welcoming spaces. What follows instead is an interesting discussion of church services, and how culture and tradition shape everything from worship to sermon length. Several Black interviewees listed how they felt unfulfilled at White church services. It would be great to hear more of that from both sides and put practical solutions in place for making services more broadly appealing — it doesn’t serve as a call to action until then. But it offered an extra nice piece of nuance.
Jillian Cheney is a Poynter-Koch fellow for Religion Unplugged who loves consuming good culture and writing about it. She also reports on American Protestantism and evangelical Christianity. You can find her on Twitter @_jilliancheney.