Recommended Reading

Understanding Race Issues: A Reading List

The following list is intended to sharpen one’s understanding of racial issues in our day. These are my (Steve Light’s) personal recommendations. Not all are written by Christians, nor do I agree with every point, but nonetheless they are included because I believe there is valuable insight in each. Though I strongly condemn the book as destructive worldly philosophy, I include Robin DiAngelo’s White Fragility as a primary source for Critical Race theory. I do recommend that Christians be familiarized with such leading sources of thought in our culture.

On Critical Race Theory

• White Fragility (2018), Robin DiAngelo (Read with great discernment)
• A brief critique of White Fragility by Denny Burk – https://www.dennyburk.com/why-white-fragility-fails/
• A pastoral word from Denny Burk – https://www.dennyburk.com/can-we-weep-with-those-who-weep/
• Summary of Critical Theory – https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/incompatibility-critical-theory-christianity/

Grappling with the Disparities and the Underlying Causes in American Society

• A classic treatment of the distortions in talk on racial disparity in America: Civil Rights: Rhetoric or Reality (1985), Thomas Sowell
• Please Stop Helping Us: How Liberals Make It Harder for Blacks to Succeed (2016), Jason L. Riley
• Video Interview and summary of Thomas Sowell on policies contributing to racial disparities:  https://www.aei.org/carpe-diem/thomas-sowell-on-the-legacy-of-slavery-vs-the-legacy-of-liberalism/
• Samuel Sey on Systemic Racism’s existence: https://slowtowrite.com/does-systemic-racism-exist/

Social Justice

• What Is the Mission of the Church (2011), Kevin DeYoung – particularly chapters 6 & 7 on social justice.
• Tom Ascol:  https://founders.org/2019/09/04/yes-the-social-justice-movement-is-a-threat-to-evangelicals/

Related

• Samuel Sey on black fatherhood:  https://slowtowrite.com/our-fathers-our-failures/
• The Evangelical Church’s Confused Witness on Race:
  • Part 1: https://www.excellentthought.net/the-evangelical-churchs-confused-witness-on-race/
  • Part 2: https://www.excellentthought.net/the-evangelical-churchs-confused-witness-on-race-part-2/
  • Part 3: https://www.excellentthought.net/the-evangelical-churchs-confused-witness-on-race-part-3/
• http://www.numberofabortions.com/  (Included to expose the worst societal injustice of our time)
• Corporate Apologies:  https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/kevin-deyoung/how-should-christians-think-about-corporate-apologies/

Publishers & Bookstores

• Banner of Truth Publications
• Christian Counseling and Educational Foundation Bookstore
• Great Commission Publications
• P & R Publishing
• Shepherd Press
• Westminster Bookstore

Organizations

• Mission to the World
• Mission to North America
• Covenant College
• Reformed University Fellowship
• Westminster Theological Seminary
• Christian Counseling and Educational Foundation

Online Resources & Blogs

• Westminster Confession of Faith
• Two Ways to Live
• Reformation 21
• Monergism
• Gospel Coalition
• Place For Truth

Conversations That Matter