The Long History of White Supremacy in American Christianity




KQED's Forum show

Summary: In his new book, “White Too Long: The Legacy of White Supremacy in American Christianity,” author Robert P. Jones examines how Christian religious organizations have promoted and enabled racism in America. While Christians proclaim a message of love and salvation, Jones argues that Christian denominations have historically rationalized anti-black policies and beliefs such as slavery and Jim Crow laws. The book also looks at how President Donald Trump garnered support from White evangelicals by using “law and order” rhetoric and exploiting racist tropes. Jones serves as CEO and founder of the Public Religion Research Institute, a non-profit research organization. We’ll talk with Jones about how his new book relates to the current reckoning on institutional racism.