What do you think?
Rate this book
The Whitewashing of Christianity: A Hidden Past, A Hurtful Present, and A Hopeful Future
A timely narrative of how the Christian faith has presented in a culturally monolithic manner and the effects it has on generations. And a call for Christians to respond with truth and love rooted in the Gospel.
The Whitewashing of Christianity is informative, insightful and inspirational, telling a history that's often hidden, ignored, revised or unknown. Confrontational, but not combative, it details how the American church has helped create and maintain the false narrative that Christianity is a white man's religion and how it has presented almost every person in Scripture and most of Africa's theologians and martyrs as white men and women. You will be given countless references that chronicle what whitewashing is, how it has been maintained, the negative effects it has caused and more importantly, how we can stop it. The Whitewashing of Christianity:
*Takes you on a historical, sociological, judicial and religious journey of how Christianity has been whitewashed - Addresses the negative effects of whitewashing and how many view Christianity as a religion of oppression
*Presents a full narrative of redemptive history, which finds it roots in Africa
*Highlights African theologians, philosophers, teachers and martyrs
*Addresses claims from those that oppose Christianity with sources, Scripture and historical facts
*Equips people on how to engage inaccurate claims of Christian history and slavery
*Addresses the concerns of those that think Christianity is not an indigenous faith of people of African descent
*Equips churches and organizations with ways to combat whitewashing and move in unity
The Whitewashing of Christianity leaves us with hope that what's been done historically can be changed. It is compelling, not combative and written from a place of love and desire to fight for presenting Christianity in a diverse way and not a culturally monolithic one. Gay challenges popular views that are historically unfounded and issues a challenge that needs to take place within the Christian church. While challenging and eye-opening, you'll be made aware of a hidden past of accomplishments and contributions of Africa, confronted with a hurtful present of whitewashing effects and inspired by a hopeful future to move forward.
The Whitewashing of Christianity is informative, insightful and inspirational, telling a history that's often hidden, ignored, revised or unknown. Confrontational, but not combative, it details how the American church has helped create and maintain the false narrative that Christianity is a white man's religion and how it has presented almost every person in Scripture and most of Africa's theologians and martyrs as white men and women. You will be given countless references that chronicle what whitewashing is, how it has been maintained, the negative effects it has caused and more importantly, how we can stop it. The Whitewashing of Christianity:
*Takes you on a historical, sociological, judicial and religious journey of how Christianity has been whitewashed - Addresses the negative effects of whitewashing and how many view Christianity as a religion of oppression
*Presents a full narrative of redemptive history, which finds it roots in Africa
*Highlights African theologians, philosophers, teachers and martyrs
*Addresses claims from those that oppose Christianity with sources, Scripture and historical facts
*Equips people on how to engage inaccurate claims of Christian history and slavery
*Addresses the concerns of those that think Christianity is not an indigenous faith of people of African descent
*Equips churches and organizations with ways to combat whitewashing and move in unity
The Whitewashing of Christianity leaves us with hope that what's been done historically can be changed. It is compelling, not combative and written from a place of love and desire to fight for presenting Christianity in a diverse way and not a culturally monolithic one. Gay challenges popular views that are historically unfounded and issues a challenge that needs to take place within the Christian church. While challenging and eye-opening, you'll be made aware of a hidden past of accomplishments and contributions of Africa, confronted with a hurtful present of whitewashing effects and inspired by a hopeful future to move forward.
250 pages, Hardcover
Published June 28, 2021
13 people are currently reading
469 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
December 25, 2022
I thought this was a great book. I read a lot on the issue of race and Christianity, so I suppose that one book recommendation might get lost amongst others--but I thought this was a standout.
Jerome Gay, with whom I--frankly--likely agree on most theological issues--hits up history and theology, and there are way too many great quotes.
I think he did a great job in tackling trends in churches, especially reformed churches (we're both Reformed--so, yay, Gay, GO FOR IT, BRO).The sections on Reformed Christianity really standout. Anyone who is interested in reformed theology would find him poignant, I think.
He really makes a great point about how we tend to make certain historical excuses for things when talking about these BIG GUYS IN HISTORY: like, say, those Founding Fathers or, like Jonathan Edwards or Martin Luther (anti-Semite). He writes, "I'm amazed by the hermeneutical and exegetical gymnastics played to ignore their ethics in favor of their theology. Statements like, 'slavery was a cultural thing back then,' fornication is a culturally acceptable practice now, should we ignore the biblical ethic in favor of a cultural one? . . . [W]he these men dehumanized people while teaching sound doctrine, many turn their hermeneutical cheeks, thus undermining the orthodoxy they claim to hold dearly."
He's too hard on UNCLE TOM'S CABIN! I disagree.
I thought that his breakdown of Black people in culture was amusing?
--those who just assimilated: Carleton in FRESH PRINCE OF BEL AIR
--those who are culturally flexible and adaptable without being ethnically ambiguous or hostile: Denzel Washington (!)
--those who are culturally inflexible: Al Sharpton (and Pharisees in the Bible).
I liked his opposition to Cancel Culture.
Strong book.
November 15, 2021
This book was okay, but it wasn't the book I was expecting in terms of depth and topics. Perhaps that's on me rather than the author, but the title could have been clearer.
I appreciated the sections highlighting the role that African theologians have played in church history (e.g., Augustin, Origen, Tertullian, and Athanasius) and of the difficulty in witnessing/apologetics in contexts involving people of color. While not revelatory or new, those sections were useful and well-summarized. Perhaps more new to those engaged in racial justice work within the church would be the sections on Black Religious Identity Cults (BRICs), although the author's focus is on apologetics, not theological background explanations. Other sections on Jesus not being blond/white or on were basic, but perhaps lamentably necessary for some. The author seems to come from a Southern Baptist background, which is fine, but that also limits the applicability of some of his chapters, especially regarding Reformed(ish) theology.
I'd recommend reading the sections of it that are the most pertinent to your given situation or knowledge level.
(I also listened to this as an audiobook and the narrator gets points for laughing at the correct places for overall voice, but loses points for clearly mispronouncing theological terms that should be easier to pronounce correctly (e.g., Galatians).)
I appreciated the sections highlighting the role that African theologians have played in church history (e.g., Augustin, Origen, Tertullian, and Athanasius) and of the difficulty in witnessing/apologetics in contexts involving people of color. While not revelatory or new, those sections were useful and well-summarized. Perhaps more new to those engaged in racial justice work within the church would be the sections on Black Religious Identity Cults (BRICs), although the author's focus is on apologetics, not theological background explanations. Other sections on Jesus not being blond/white or on were basic, but perhaps lamentably necessary for some. The author seems to come from a Southern Baptist background, which is fine, but that also limits the applicability of some of his chapters, especially regarding Reformed(ish) theology.
I'd recommend reading the sections of it that are the most pertinent to your given situation or knowledge level.
(I also listened to this as an audiobook and the narrator gets points for laughing at the correct places for overall voice, but loses points for clearly mispronouncing theological terms that should be easier to pronounce correctly (e.g., Galatians).)
November 10, 2021
Absolutely necessary take on the destructive facet of a white-washed Christian faith. There is nothing wrong in being of fairer skin but promoting a white Jesus in a world where white men sought to colonize the 'unknown' world and enslave the known one thus creating imagery of Christianity that is not historically accurate and one which reduces the gospel to a slavers religion.
So often, we reduce ourselves to believing that our theology, namely, European theology is correct and everything around it is measured by Luther, Calvin, and Edwards. The problem is we skip over nearly 1500 years of non-white Christian history and this is an intentional effort by global white supremacy to reduce this colorless faith, which accepts all peoples, to a white man's faith.
This is why so many pan-African apologists and African Nationalist activists call Christianity a white man's religion or a slave holder's religion, it is because these people and their white counterparts have believed the lies of white-washed Christianity.
The author states that Christianity reached and thrived in Africa for nearly four hundred years before it ever reached Europe but our Christian history, systematic theologies, and so on, only cater to European theologians as if our African church fathers never existed.
We must deconstruct the white supremacy from our Christian faith if our faith is to survive this disease of racial superiority complex so many believers have fallen victim to over the years.
Great book. Well written. Informative. And yes, redemptive.
So often, we reduce ourselves to believing that our theology, namely, European theology is correct and everything around it is measured by Luther, Calvin, and Edwards. The problem is we skip over nearly 1500 years of non-white Christian history and this is an intentional effort by global white supremacy to reduce this colorless faith, which accepts all peoples, to a white man's faith.
This is why so many pan-African apologists and African Nationalist activists call Christianity a white man's religion or a slave holder's religion, it is because these people and their white counterparts have believed the lies of white-washed Christianity.
The author states that Christianity reached and thrived in Africa for nearly four hundred years before it ever reached Europe but our Christian history, systematic theologies, and so on, only cater to European theologians as if our African church fathers never existed.
We must deconstruct the white supremacy from our Christian faith if our faith is to survive this disease of racial superiority complex so many believers have fallen victim to over the years.
Great book. Well written. Informative. And yes, redemptive.
November 3, 2024
I listened to this audiobook. Now I need to buy the Kindle book so I can underline and share probably half the book. As a Christian educator I'm excited that this work is being done. The author has a very systematic approach that does a great job what presenting the problem and the ramifications along with tons of information and a hopeful charge to do better. I am now on a quest for resources that I can use in my classroom as a fifth and 6th grade teacher Bible teacher to a beautifully diverse group of students.
August 14, 2024
“The ones who believe Christianity is the white man’s religion have actually believed the white man’s narrative.” — Jackie Hill Perry
This was recommended to me about 2 years ago by a pastor (thanks Caleb!) and I regret waiting this long to read it! While I knew some of the basic history, the details and analysis were priceless. Gay covers the rich African history of Christianity that predates European adoption, from the many pivotal African biblical figures to early church fathers, the erasure of that history within white theological spaces, the weaponization of white Jesus, the indoctrination of black inferiority during the slave trade and the extents slave traders and owners went to keep the full Bible and Christian message from their subjects.
Gay's overall message: "whitewashing contributes to lostness." Therefore, the white-washing of Christianity ought to be staunchly refuted and the church must adopt "color engagement" over "color-blindness."
I highly recommend!
This was recommended to me about 2 years ago by a pastor (thanks Caleb!) and I regret waiting this long to read it! While I knew some of the basic history, the details and analysis were priceless. Gay covers the rich African history of Christianity that predates European adoption, from the many pivotal African biblical figures to early church fathers, the erasure of that history within white theological spaces, the weaponization of white Jesus, the indoctrination of black inferiority during the slave trade and the extents slave traders and owners went to keep the full Bible and Christian message from their subjects.
Gay's overall message: "whitewashing contributes to lostness." Therefore, the white-washing of Christianity ought to be staunchly refuted and the church must adopt "color engagement" over "color-blindness."
I highly recommend!
February 6, 2023
This is a must read. Jerome Gay explains so well the damage that whitewashing Jesus and our faith has done. It’s eternal damage for some and souls are at stake. We can no longer ignore this issue. For the sake of our neighbors we must be equipped to rebuke the lie that Christianity is the white mans religion.
April 3, 2023
This is an important piece that addresses many points that were new to me. I've long been aware of the fact that portraits of Jesus have historically represented Jesus as being white when that simply can't be accurate, but that is just the tip of the iceberg.
I've heard before the rationalization that was made by white slave owners in our US history that they were somehow doing God's work by bringing Christianity to the African American population. That of coarse is ludicrous. What I had missed int that narrative is the fact that many people in Africa had actually been exposed to Christianity long before the man stealers came to take slaves to America.
There are more people of African descent in Scripture than there are of European descent. Jerome Gray introduces us to a sample list of some of the influential philosophers and theologians who embraced the Christian faith thousands of years before the slave trade and "have given us theological terms, monasteries, books, and hermeneutical brilliance that are still in use today.”
There is a lot of valuable information here and I would highly recommend it to Christians of all colors. It is not written from a divisive point of view. Jerome Gay is clearly a uniter .... not a divider... To my friends who feel a bit shell shocked from having been in an environment where you felt that you were having the finger pointed at repeatedly for being racist when in you heart you are certain that is not true ... I would say that you will find this a safe book that may be helpful in bringing about some awareness of issues that may have flown under your radar ..... and will help see what things look like from another person's point of view.
I've heard before the rationalization that was made by white slave owners in our US history that they were somehow doing God's work by bringing Christianity to the African American population. That of coarse is ludicrous. What I had missed int that narrative is the fact that many people in Africa had actually been exposed to Christianity long before the man stealers came to take slaves to America.
There are more people of African descent in Scripture than there are of European descent. Jerome Gray introduces us to a sample list of some of the influential philosophers and theologians who embraced the Christian faith thousands of years before the slave trade and "have given us theological terms, monasteries, books, and hermeneutical brilliance that are still in use today.”
There is a lot of valuable information here and I would highly recommend it to Christians of all colors. It is not written from a divisive point of view. Jerome Gay is clearly a uniter .... not a divider... To my friends who feel a bit shell shocked from having been in an environment where you felt that you were having the finger pointed at repeatedly for being racist when in you heart you are certain that is not true ... I would say that you will find this a safe book that may be helpful in bringing about some awareness of issues that may have flown under your radar ..... and will help see what things look like from another person's point of view.
January 30, 2023
While this book introduces some interesting and powerful challenges to our current Christian culture, it lacks the substantive teeth to do so. Claims are made yet nothing is truly backed up. Ideas are presented but no evidence is provided. I believe Gay raises a red flag on many issues that need to be addressed, but lack of engagement with sources and references was pretty disappointing.
Not even withstanding his lack of engagement with the complexity of men like Abraham Lincoln, citing James Cone to showcase Lincoln’s racism. While the quote pulled from Cone is legitimate, it’s lacking in any true historical context (Lincoln’s quote came many years before his ascent to the presidency) and grace-filled complexity (can men evolve or be more complicated that we give them credit for?).
Some interesting insights, some good questions to consider, but at the end of the day, “The Whitewashing of Christianity” just doesn’t paint the picture it wants to.
Not even withstanding his lack of engagement with the complexity of men like Abraham Lincoln, citing James Cone to showcase Lincoln’s racism. While the quote pulled from Cone is legitimate, it’s lacking in any true historical context (Lincoln’s quote came many years before his ascent to the presidency) and grace-filled complexity (can men evolve or be more complicated that we give them credit for?).
Some interesting insights, some good questions to consider, but at the end of the day, “The Whitewashing of Christianity” just doesn’t paint the picture it wants to.
June 15, 2023
Buddy read with Jeananne. This was excellent - of course I knew some of "white Christianity" was ridiculous, like obviously Jesus and his disciples weren't a bunch of European men, when most of the Bible takes place in the Middle East and northern Africa, duh. But Gay talking about some of Christianity's original thinkers and how they are misleadingly presented as white despite being African was kind of mind-blowing. And it should not have been as big of a surprise that Christianity flourished in Africa and other Eastern countries long before anywhere western.
I also want to think more about this idea about someone being a "product of their time" especially when giving the benefit of the doubt to white people over other races of people, and how that can be a type of whitewashing.
Definitely recommend. It got a little in the weeds in later chapters, but overall I found this to be very useful and interesting.
I also want to think more about this idea about someone being a "product of their time" especially when giving the benefit of the doubt to white people over other races of people, and how that can be a type of whitewashing.
Definitely recommend. It got a little in the weeds in later chapters, but overall I found this to be very useful and interesting.
May 21, 2024
I find it sad that the emphasis of this book is on skin color. Jerome repeatedly refers to a blonde Jesus. I personally have never seen a depiction of
Jesus as a blonde man but more likely an olive skinned man with brown hair that glows from the light shining from the man of Christ who is the light of the world. Can we not move beyond the divisiveness if skin color and be brought together by the Grace of God and the forgiveness of Jesus Christ. He came to save all men who believe in Him. Believe that He was divinely born and came to earth fully man and fully God. Was crucified for our sins, died, was resurrected and ascended into heaven where He now sits at the right hand of God as our mediator. He will return and call us who believe in Him home to Home.
Jesus as a blonde man but more likely an olive skinned man with brown hair that glows from the light shining from the man of Christ who is the light of the world. Can we not move beyond the divisiveness if skin color and be brought together by the Grace of God and the forgiveness of Jesus Christ. He came to save all men who believe in Him. Believe that He was divinely born and came to earth fully man and fully God. Was crucified for our sins, died, was resurrected and ascended into heaven where He now sits at the right hand of God as our mediator. He will return and call us who believe in Him home to Home.
April 11, 2025
This author lists sources and example after example of how damaging whitewashing Christianity has been and shined a light on the intentional hiding and discrediting of African Christianity that pre-dates Eurocentric Christianity on a thorough, responsible and urgent way.
Although I no longer call myself a Christian I’ve spent 2 decades in evangelical spaces and I don’t think American Christians bother to learn the history of their faith or wrestle with how the broader evangelical machine has no room for voices that don’t assimilate to their preferences. I also don’t think American Christians who should read this book will. I hope they do, but what we see in present day and in the examples of this book make me more cynical than hopeful.
Although I no longer call myself a Christian I’ve spent 2 decades in evangelical spaces and I don’t think American Christians bother to learn the history of their faith or wrestle with how the broader evangelical machine has no room for voices that don’t assimilate to their preferences. I also don’t think American Christians who should read this book will. I hope they do, but what we see in present day and in the examples of this book make me more cynical than hopeful.
July 12, 2022
I really enjoyed this read! Jerome Gay does a great job of showing the historic importance of African brothers and sisters in developing what we know as orthodoxy and celebrating all of who Christ is. My eyes were opened to the how African the Christian faith has always been, and how the modern church (and specifically my corner of the reformed world) is guilty of downplaying or even erasing the massive contributions of African brothers and sisters to our faith.
What I most appreciate about this book is how Jerome Gay offers helpful imperatives and practical steps to incorporate into our lives that can help to celebrate Africa’s legacy in Christianity and to fight the false narrative of a “white Christianity” that has been propagated.
What I most appreciate about this book is how Jerome Gay offers helpful imperatives and practical steps to incorporate into our lives that can help to celebrate Africa’s legacy in Christianity and to fight the false narrative of a “white Christianity” that has been propagated.
June 26, 2024
This book is incredible! I would encourage everyone interested in learning the reason, truth, and background behind the whitewashing of Christianity to read this! Wow! Great citations and research done here! I plan to use it for helping to defend the faith but it also even was great to learn some many amazing facts about how African and Black people have been so important to the development of the Christian faith. Very much an eye opener and Mr. Gay did amazing work! The truth is Yeshua, or Jesus, is and has always been for everyone! Yes, I definitely would recommend this book!!
September 13, 2022
This is a good, entry-level book to the issue of the racial propaganda of whitewashing history, especially as it concerns the church. Many good issues are touched on, though the depth to which each of those issues are explored tends not to be great. That being said, you can tell that the author has a lot of exposure to modern discussions, as he quotes from a number of individuals and sources that are high quality. So he's done a great job of distilling the issue down.
February 15, 2022
A necessary topic that reminds us that the whitewashing of Christianity must be challenged with the gospel itself and then the history of Christianity's movement among black and brown people prior to reaching Europe and thus, helping readers appreciate the way in which the Jesus movement truly refuses to cherish one group of people at the expense of others.
April 13, 2023
This book made me think about my faith. A very good read.
September 17, 2023
Really enjoyed the look into historic African Christianity and the effect that diminishing their impact on theology is worse for everyone.
June 16, 2024
I've never been a huge fan of apologetics, but this book presented a new perspective on them to help me understand the importance.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews