Pastoral theology, white privilege, and racism: Enduring change for a lifestyle of active resistance

This project is an examination of why the faith beliefs of well-intentioned Christians often are not reflected in faith actions. The focus is upon why white Christians continue in sinful complicity with racism. The pastoral theological method of revised critical correlation provides the framework for this examination. The revised critical correlation method supports a dialogue between theology and particular disciplines such as the social sciences. The conversation among liberative theologies, critical race theory, and interviews with persons engaged in resisting racism over a period of time offers theological, political, and experiential information for this study. Liberative theologies consider contexts and experiences of oppressed persons. Critical race theory informs these theologies with alternative definitions of white privilege and racism as well as revealing the political aspects of racism. A phenomenological qualitative research interview method is used to support focusing upon an interviewee's own perspective, including context and experiences within that context. The interview responses suggest that the commitment to actively resist racism over a period of time does not support the argument that exposure to liberative theologies or critical race theory is essential to maintain this commitment. The pastoral theological principles of living and working within diverse communities and valuing the contexts and experiences of those needing care are confirmed through the interviewee's stories.