Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Home
Evangelical
How Have American Christian Churches Responded to Anti-Asian Racism?

How Have American Christian Churches Responded to Anti-Asian Racism?

Last updated on: February 27, 2023 at 10:35 am by Melissa Borja

0 Comments

How Have American Christian Churches Responded to Anti-Asian Racism? 2023-02-27T10:35:33-04:00 Melissa Borja

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Rally against anti-Asian racism and violence in Indianapolis, IN, March 2021.

Last month a college student at Indiana University Bloomington was stabbed in the face by a woman who later confessed to police that she had attacked the student because the student is “Chinese.” The assailant explained that she wanted “one less person to blow up our country.” The brazen attack, which occurred on a public bus in the middle of the day, offered a stunning reminder to Asian Americans that they continue to be viewed as threatening foreigners and, as such, remain vulnerable to horrific acts of anti-Asian racism and violence, which has escalated in recent years due to the Covid-19 pandemic and tensions between the United States and China.

Last July, upon the release of Stop AAPI Hate’s recent report about anti-Asian attacks, I asked how Asian American Christians have drawn on their faith in the fight against racism. Asian American Christians, I argued, have long been involved in racial justice work and are at the forefront of efforts to address the needs of the current moment. But what about American Christians more broadly? How have they addressed the problem of anti-Asian racism?

To study this question, I studied the public statements about anti-Asian racism issued by Christian denominations in the United States during the first eighteen months of the pandemic. Using the list of the denomination websites compiled by the Hartford Institute for Religion Research as a starting point, my research collaborator, Kayla Zhang, and I searched the websites and social media feeds of 84 religious denominations and organizations, including 72 Christian denominations and organizations. We looked specifically for institutional statements or messages that explicitly discussed the issue of racism and violence against Asian Americans. We shared our findings in an article published in the January issue of Theology Today.

Overall, we counted 43 statements and public commentary from religious groups that explicitly condemned anti-Asian racism and violence and expressed their commitment to support and show solidarity with Asian Americans. Among these statements, 36 statements were from Christian organizations, some of which issued more than one statement. In total, 25 denominations issued statements: 7 evangelical denominations, 2 historically Black Protestant denominations, 12 mainline Protestant denominations, as well as the Catholic Church, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the Church of Christ, Scientist, and the Unitarian Universalist Association. The major Christian ecumenical organizations—the National Council of Churches and the National Association of Evangelicals—also issued statements.

Although support for Asian Americans came from across the theological spectrum, Christian denominations did not engage in this issue equally. Among the 15 most populous Protestant denominations in the United States, the majority (9) issued statements, and those denominations were mostly mainline Protestant. Of the six that did not, all but one were evangelical. In addition, all the mainline Protestant denominations that we searched had issued statements, whereas a minority of the evangelical denominations that we searched had done so. Overall, mainline Protestants appear to have been more likely than evangelicals to speak publicly about anti-Asian racism.

Despite their diverse origins, the statements issued by the Christian denominations had much in common. First, they generally appeared at the same time. The issue of anti-Asian racism drew national attention early in the pandemic, and a few denominations—the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America, for example—spoke publicly about anti-Asian racism as early as spring 2020. However, most denominations that issued statements did so a year later, after the mass shooting in Atlanta in April 2021, suggesting that an incident of mass violence can serve as a pivotal moment in compelling Christian denominations to speak out about the issue of racism. Only one denomination—the Church of God in Christ, a historically Black Protestant denomination—issued a statement that mentioned the mass shooting at the FedEx in Indianapolis, and they connected it to other instances of gun violence that had ended the lives of Black and Brown people.

In addition, the statements drew explicitly on many of the same themes. Christian unity was one important theme, as illustrated by the open letter by the Episcopal Bishops of African Descent:

Just as we affirm our conviction in One Lord, One Faith, and One Baptism, let us prove our identity as One Beloved Community, One human Family with One Heartbeat, and raise each other to our full humanity in Christ! Out of many, we are one. We rise and fall together. Let us, therefore, suffer together and raise each other!

Many other statements emphasized the theme of love, especially love that honors diversity. Take, for example, the statement from the Seventh-day Adventist Church in North America:

“God calls us to love all His children, no matter our differences. Our diversity makes us stronger as a people, and the variety of cultures making up our territory are a direct reflection of His creative power. We need to celebrate our differences and embrace the uniqueness of each and every person. We want all Asian-Americans to know we stand with them and beside them during this season where they are being unfairly targeted.”

Where the denominational statements on anti-Asian racism diverged was in how they understood the problem of racism. Most denominations explicitly identified racism as a problem in the United States, and many described racism as a sin. However, they differed in their understanding of who enacted this sin. Some denominations framed racism as an individual sin. In contrast, other denominations—in particular, historically Black Protestant denominations and Black organizations within mainline Protestant denominations—discussed racism as an evil enacted by society and the nation as whole. The Episcopal Bishops of African Descent, for example, described racism as “a particularly insidious disease and sin that has corrupted our knowledge systems, our national identity, our institutions, and our very soul as a human community,” and the Progressive National Baptist Convention pleaded “that Americans stand against the original sin of America—White Supremacy!” Some groups, like the Friends General Conference, called attention to how racism intersects with other forms of oppression. They noted that the attack on the Asian American women in Atlanta was “both racist and sexist” and “also targeted low-wage workers, who are frequently treated as disposable in our society.”

If Christian denominations differed in how their interpretation of the problem of racism, there were also differences in what they proposed as solutions. Most statements framed racism as a problem that religious people could address through private, individual actions: loving acts of prayer, gestures of care for Asian American neighbors, gentle conversations with community members, and improved education about Asian American experiences. Denominations across the theological spectrum recommended these types of responses. The National Association of Evangelicals, for example, stated that it “encourages our communities of faith to seek understanding of the historical and contemporary facets of racism in our country, to enter into hard conversations, and to humbly listen to the hurt and pain of others.” The National Council of Churches urged Christians to “dedicate ourselves to changing the hearts, minds, and behaviors of people in our churches and society to bring healing and wholeness to all.”

But what about public, collective action? If, as many denominations argued, racism is America’s “original sin” and a systemic problem embedded in institutions, what public policy solutions did Christian denominations support, if any? Some denominations did indeed offer calls for government action, but what they recommended varied and reflected how their own concerns connected to the issue of anti-Asian racism*.* Several denominations, like the Disciples of Christ and the New Federation of Asian American United Methodists, urged Americans, including elected officials, to use responsible language about Covid-19 and avoid stigmatizing rhetoric that harms Asian and Asian American people. The Friends General Conference focused on working with government to improve public awareness of resources to promote community safety. And the Church of God in Christ emphasized gun violence and called for government officials to “swiftly implement immediate and impactful efforts to help cease the senseless killings of Americans at the hand of law enforcement and mass shooters.”

Ultimately, despite frequent appeals to the virtue of unity, there was no unified American Christian response to the issue of anti-Asian racism. This fact is evident in the very different statements that denominations issued on the issue, with some Christian groups prescribing individual action and others calling for government action and policy change. And, more significantly, there is the fact that many denominations did not say anything at all. While two dozen Christian denominations chose to issue a public statement about anti-Asian racism, the majority of the denominations we searched were silent on the matter.

Altogether, the different statements (or lack thereof) illuminate the substantial differences among American Christians about how to understand and respond to racism and other social problems. These differences relate, in turn, to the long-standing demographic, theological, and political diversity within American Christianity.

Asian Americans

Melissa Borja

Racism

Previous Post

February 24, 2023

How to Stop the Killing: Public Opinion and Racial Violence

Next Post

February 28, 2023 Why Tim Keller Stays out of the Culture Wars

Recent Comments

0 | Leave a Comment

"I've never thought of Constantine as a villain. Do Christians generally? Maybe the ones who ..."

stevewe

Defending Constantine

"The TV sitcom BEWITCHED was an old favorite of mine"

philipjenkins

How Scotland Gave Us Our Modern ..."

"From now on whenever I see a clipper ship, see a certain brand of Scottish ..."

Terry

How Scotland Gave Us Our Modern ..."

"There are no such things as witches. They were just unmarried or elderly women with ..."

Dot Newkirk

How Scotland Gave Us Our Modern ..."

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category abolitionism Abortion Abraham Joshua Heschel Abraham Kuyper Abraham Lincoln Academia Activism Adam Renberg Advent Adventist africa African American Religion Agnes Howard Albert Camus American History American Religious History American Revolution American West Anabaptists Ancient History Andrea Turpin Andrei Tarkovsky Anglicanism Annales Ansley Lillian Quiros anti-Catholicism Antisemitism Anxious Bench apologetics Apparitions Arash Azizi Archaeology archives art Artificial Intelligence Asia Asian Americans Augustine Authors Bad Bunny Baptism Baptists Barack Obama Battle of Hastings Benjamin Franklin Bernard-Henri Levy Beth Allison Barr Beth Moore Bethany Mannon Bible Bill Cunningham Billy Graham Black Music Bob Dylan Body Boenhoffer Books Breastfeeding Bruce Springsteen C.S. Lewis Calvinism Cancel Culture Capitalism Carmelites Catholicism Cedric Robinson Cesar Chavez Charismaticism charity Charles Dickens Charles Lindbergh Che Guevara Chicago Children Chinese Christianity Chris Gehrz Christ Christian death Christian Higher Education Christian life Christian Nation Christian Nationalism Christianity Today Christmas Church life Church Practice cinema Civil Religion Civil Rights Movement Civil War civility Classics Climate Change Cold War Colonial Mexico colonialism Comer Communism community complementarianism Conference on Faith and History Congregationalism Conspiracies Conspiracy Conversion Narratives Coronavirus Costa Rica Council of Nicaea Covid-19 Creation Critical Race Theory Crusades Culture culture wars Daniel K. Williams David Barton David Swartz Death Ways death with dignity DEI democracy Democratic Party Devotion Digital Age Diplomacy discipleship diversity Donald Trump Drama Dua Lipa Early Church early modern Early modern Catholicism Easter Eastern Christianity economic exploitation Education elections Elie Wiesel Elizabeth II Elizabeth Taylor emotions Empire Engineering England enslavement Entertainment Episcopal Church Erica Ramirez eschatology Eurocentrism Evangelicalism Evangelicals Exegesis Family Feminism Film Flannery O'Connor folk music Food Foreign Policy founding fathers Franciscans Franciscus Junius fundamentalism Funerals G.K. Chesterton Gender Genocide genre geography George W. Bush George Washington George Whitefield Global Christianity Global church Grief Guadalupe guest post Guest Post gun control gun violence Gustavo Gutierrez Hamid Dabashi Harold John Ockenga Harvest Hate Hawaiian Christianity Healing health care Heather Cox Richardson Hell Heresy Hermeneutics Higher Education Hinduism Hippocratic oath Historical Fiction Historical Methodology Historical Profession Historical Profession Historical Theology Historical Thinking historiography Holidays Holocaust horror movies Human rights Humanitarian Work humanities Hummingbirds Hungary hymns Imago Dei Immigration Injustice Interviews Iran Islam Islamophobia Israel Ivan's Childhood Jacob Randolph James Bratt Janine Giordano Drake Japanese history Japanese Literature Jean Paul Sartre Jesse Miranda Jesus Jesus Christ Jimmy Carter Joan Baez Joan Didion Joanne Freeman João B. Chaves Joao Chaves Joey Cochran John Calvin John Fea John Tillotson John Turner Johnny Cash Jonathan Edwards Jonathan Tran Joseph Smith Josh Howerton Journalism Jr. Judaism Jürgen Moltmann Just War Justice Justin Brierley Karl Barth Katelyn Beaty koi ponds Kris Kristofferson Kristin Kobes Du Mez Latin American Religious History Latino Americans Lectio Divina Leisure Lent Leonard Cohen liberal arts liberalism Liberation Theology Linda Ronstadt Lisa Clark Diller Literature Lou Reed Lynchings Lynneth Miller Renberg Mainline Protestantism Malcolm Foley Marilyn Monroe Maritime history Mark Noll Marriage Martin Luther Martin Luther King Martyrdom Marxism Mary Masih Alinejad mass shootings material culture medieval Christianity Medieval Ethiopia Melissa Borja memory Mennonites Mental Health Mental Illness Methodism Mexican Americans Mexicans Mike Madrid Miles Mullin Min Jin Lee Miscarriage Missionaries Mister Rogers Mitt Romney modernity Monasticism Mormonism Motherhood Mothers of the Church Moving Music Musicals Nadya Williams Nahua Christianity Native Americans Natsume Sōseki New Contributor New England New Year New York Nico Non-Violent Protest Orthodoxy pacifism Paleo Evangelicals Palestinians Parenting Patti Smith Paul Kingsnorth Pedro Calderón de la Barca Pentecostalism Philip Jenkins Phillis Wheatley physician-assisted suicide pilgrimage Pilgrims Piracy pluralism Plutocracy Poetry Politics Pope Francis Pope Leo XIV post-modernism prayer preaching Presbyterians prosperity gospel Protest Public Executions Public history Publishing Puritans purity culture Quakers race Race Massacres Racial Capitalism racial reconciliation racialization Racism Raha Bahloulipour Re-Enchantment reading Reformation Refugees religion and the university religion and war Religious Freedom Religious Nones Religious Pluralism Religious Symbols religious violence Republican Party Revival Rita Coolidge Ritual Roger Williams Roman Catholic church Royalty Russell Moore same-sex marriage Sarah Irving-Stonebraker Scandinavia Science Science and Technology Scopes trial Scriptural Interpretation secularism Selena Quintanilla seminary Seventh-Day Adventists sexual morality Sexuality Sikhs Silence slaveholders theology Slavery Slavoj Zizek social justice Social Media Southern Baptist Convention Southern Religion Spain Spiritual Autobiography Spiritual but not religious Spiritual Discipline Sports Stanley Hauerwas Suffering Summer Camps Sunday Night Odds and Ends Supernatural Supreme Court Syriac Christianity Tal Howard Taylor Swift Teaching Technology Television Thanksgiving The Beatles The Mission theater TheoBros Theology Thomas Dixon Thomas Jefferson Thomas Kidd Thomas Merton Tim Gloege Tim Walz Tom Holland Tourism tradition Tragedy Translation Transnationalism Travel Trump Ukraine Uncategorized Unitarians United Methodist Church US History Vanessa Chan Velvet Underground Verónica A. Gutiérrez Veronica Gutierrez Vikings Violence Virgin Mary Virtue Virtue ethics Visions Voting War WCTU Wendell Berry Westminster Assembly White Evangelicalism Wildfires Winnie the Pooh Witches women Women in Ministry Women's and Gender Studies Work Worship writing Yasunari Kawabata Zena Hitz

Select a Month October 2026 September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 June 2026 May 2026 April 2026 March 2026 February 2026 January 2026 December 2025 November 2025 October 2025 September 2025 August 2025 July 2025 June 2025 May 2025 April 2025 March 2025 February 2025 January 2025 December 2024 November 2024 October 2024 September 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What is the largest predominantly Catholic country in South America?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Mexico Peru Brazil Argentina