Faith, Race, and COVID-19

By Jeanie Chang

For some Asian Americans, the recent increase in overt racism toward individuals of Asian descent has been shocking. How could the “model minority” suddenly become the target of such violence? For others, it comes as no surprise, as they have always recognized the precarious nature of our racial status. It’s important for the Asian American community to develop a common understanding of present realities in order to move forward effectively.  

Here is a sociological definition of race I find helpful: “Race is a concept which signifies and symbolizes social conflicts and interests by referring to different types of human bodies.” Unlike ethnic identification or culture, racial categories are based on arbitrarily assigned “biological” qualities. While racial categorization in itself seems meaningless, the effects of these categories persist due to the way they have been used throughout history. 

The problem with race is that its categorizations were created to justify the exploitation and oppression of people of color, or of non-white individuals and communities. (Note that ethnocentrism occurs universally, and racism is a specific, modern form of ethnocentrism). This elevation of white identity is defined as white supremacy. An example of this in Asian American history is when Asian Americans were excluded from naturalization because they were not white. 

As a second-generation Korean American, I grew up in the suburbs of Texas and did not have the language to describe the racial dynamics in my life until college. I joined a multiethnic campus ministry and, after a confusing conversation with a Black friend about how the Civil Rights movement didn’t end racism, I realized that I needed to learn more to better understand and love my Black and brown friends. As I took classes about white supremacy and the history of oppressed groups, I began to see how white supremacy has also affected the Asian American community and the way I understood myself and the gospel. 

Throughout my life, I was aware of not quite fitting in white spaces, even in Christian contexts. But I never knew how to express the dissonance between feeling excluded and the knowledge of Christ’s kingdom as a place of love and inclusivity. Growing in my understanding of my social identity has given me the language to articulate the brokenness I see and experience in our present world. Learning about God’s heart for the oppressed has given me vision for the kingdom to come.   

Arguably, the rise in anti-Asian racism in America is not solely due to anxiety around coronavirus. It’s a symptom of a society structured around white supremacy--as evidenced by how easily our place in society has shifted. 

Simply asking people to not be racist toward Asians will not make meaningful change in a system where people in power get to choose the narratives that define groups. Adequately addressing anti-Asian racism requires addressing the root sin: white supremacy. 

We must become aware of how our lives have been impacted by the centering of whiteness even before COVID-19 hit. Whose bodies set the standard of beauty? Whose history has defined our identity as Americans? Whose theology has shaped our understanding of shalom in our communities? 

Seeking shalom in this context will require us to be radically open to hearing about the experience of suffering in our communities and in communities we are unfamiliar with. This may include advocating for the welfare of our community and of those we may not fully understand or agree with. 

It’s impossible to understand white supremacy without learning about the history of Indigenous, Black, and brown communities. This takes time and intentionality; the history may feel different from what you learned in textbooks growing up. I invite you to prayerfully engage with these stories with an open heart. Furthermore, understanding the history of Asian Americans is crucial for racial and ethnic identity development. Unfortunately, our history is often not taught in schools and needs to be sought out. 

Learning how race is intertwined with my identity and the world has helped me name what told me that my body was ugly, diseased, or not welcome. My journey has taught me that truly loving my neighbors means being willing to listen and believe the stories of others, even if it means acknowledging that I have participated in and benefitted from a system of sin. It’s led me to seek the presence of the Counselor who weeps with us and the mighty King whose faithfulness gives us hope. Understanding and naming the consequences of white supremacy is not just a sociological endeavor--it gives language to the ways that sin has distorted how we see and treat bodies that were so wonderfully and beautifully made. 

I pray that the grace of God will give us the empathy to love ourselves and our neighbors, the hope of Christ, the courage to seek truth, and the power of the Holy Spirit to act boldly for justice. 

Questions to explore with Jesus and with others in your community:

• What is the relationship between faith and race for you?

• What does it mean to live out the gospel in the context of systemic oppression?

• What are tangible action steps that you can take to continue to seek shalom in your community?

Some helpful resources:

• A short video on the biblical meaning of justice

About racism:

• 13th (documentary available on Netflix) 

• Race: The Power of an Illusion (documentary)

• Race timeline 

• Reading list on racism

• Racial Formation in the United States by Michael Omi and Howard Winant

• How To Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi

About faith and race: 

• Definitions: https://mem.intervarsity.org/resources/multiethnic-ministry-definitions 

• The Heart of Racial Justice: How Soul Change Leads to Social Change by Brenda Salter McNeil

• The Christian Imagination by Willie James Jennings

• Beyond Colorblind by Sarah Shin

• The Death of Race by Brian Bantum

About Asian American Identity:

• Brief summary of Asian American history from a Christian perspective

• “Invisible Minorities” by Dr. Gregory Lee (lecture) and a panel discussion by Asian American therapists on how the history of Asian immigration has shaped their experience of Christianity, and the implications for mental health.

• Centered: Resources for the Asian American Church by Fuller Seminary

• Margins and Mainstreams by Gary Okihiro

• Yellow: Race in America Beyond Black and White by Frank Wu

• More Than Serving Tea: Asian American Women on Expectations, Relationships, Leadership and Faith edited by Tracey Gee, Nikki A. Toyama

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Jeanie Chang will be a Counseling Psychology doctoral student at Loyola University Chicago starting Fall of 2020. She received her bachelor's in Social Work from the University of Texas at Austin (hook'em) and her MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Wheaton College. Her clinical experiences include working with clients in both hospital and private practice settings and has a heart for serving the Asian American community. Her current research interests include Asian American experiences of immigration and internalized racism.