One of the most consistent and enduring problems within our culture is racial strife – even within the body of Christ. In our latest episode of the Pinnacle Leaders Podcast, Overcoming Racism with the Gospel, one of our distinguished faculty members at Christian Life School of Theology Global (CLSTG), Dr. Melvin Johnson, shared how we can become powerful instruments in God’s service to bring about racial reconciliation and healing.
Dr. Melvin Johnson is a faculty member for Christian Life School of Theology Global and Pastor of Heart of Christ Community Church in Brazoria, Texas. He holds a bachelor’s degree in religious education, master’s degree in Christian counseling, and doctorate in theology. His professional background includes pastoring, church planting and public speaking. He has also authored many Christian articles and books including Junk Food in the Body of Christ, From Heaven to You, and Overcoming Racism with the Gospel.
Dr. Johnson will be teaching Biblical perspectives on racism in one of our newest online courses being released soon, Overcoming Racism with the Gospel.
As Christians, we know that the Bible is the sole source of authority for racial healing, acceptance and unity. Why, then, is this still a pervasive issue within the church? The race issue must be solved through the Word of God as the Gospel changes within the body of Christ. The power of God allows us to overcome any obstacles we come up against – including racism.
The origins or racial strife might not be what most people think. In Dr. Melvin’s CLSTG course, Overcoming Racism with the Gospel, he teaches that Darwin’s theory of evolution is actually the foundation for the racial strife we’re experiencing today. In 1859, Charles Darwin published the book On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection about the preservation of favored races and the struggle for survival. More than 1,200 copies of this book were distributed throughout England at that time containing pseudo-scientific claims that all other races were inferior to Caucasians. Darwin’s theory of evolution has no roots in Biblical truth.
Even early religious teachings have taught that different ethnic origins were inferior. As copies of the Bible became more widely available with the invention of the printing press, Christians began to realize that all people were entitled to hearing the gospel regardless of race. All of the Biblically misinterpreted things that were being taught (e.g. the curse of Cain as related to race and skin color, etc.) began to fade away. Arguments began to rise among the Christian community that salvation was for all people.
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