PUTTING RACE TO THE SWORD

PRIVILEGE. OPPRESSION. POWER. INEQUALITY. Racial Discrimination. Hot-button concepts as these drive a current polarization in America which has split even family members into viciously competing political blocs and threatened to plunge an entire nation into civil war. This division has by no means avoided the Church. What is most troubling, however, is that too often Christians are found arguing their positions on race as "God's truth" without resorting to any direct Scriptural references to Biblically support their convictions. And without reliance on the absolute truth of God's Word to judge even the smallest differences, Christians are left in perpetual conflict with each other, something which does nothing to help a lost world of unrest find the answers for which it is looking. That being said, does God's Word actually address the issue of race/racism that plagues our nation today? In Putting Race to the Sword, author Lexis J. Sullivan takes us on a comprehensive "Bible study" to reveal how God does address matters regarding race. Using a paradigm of sociological theory, Lexis targets Christian college students/scholars, social activists, and church leaders in particular, showing how God's Word can be interpreted and applied to adequately explain many of the hot-button concepts of racial divisions today, all of this being rooted in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Lexis presents a complex read with ideas that will challenge everyone, making people on all "sides" uncomfortable. His hope is, though, this study will provide readers a firm foundation rooted in the Word, by which to come together and engage in constructive discussion and debate on race/racism, at the very least, and spur pragmatic solutions to issues of social injustice as a consequence. If you are ready, Lexis invites you to grab a Bible and join him on this journey today!

Consider the following scenario: you stop by a local diner and encounter a crowd watching a football game. Each spectator is white. You are black. While this is going on, one of the spectators murmurs that “black” QBs cannot pass but only run, at which point most of the spectators erupt in laughter in agreement. What goes through your mind at this moment? How do you make sense of this moment Biblically, and from this, how do you respond? On the other hand, suppose in this scenario, you are one of the spectators. You see the black person seated off to the side while all of this takes place. What goes through your mind? Do you care about how he may or may not take in this moment? Why or why not? How do you respond? Are you embarrassed, dismissive of the entire moment as just “fun,” or totally ignorant of the possibility of there being anything wrong happening in this scenario? Also, how do you make sense of this moment Biblically, and from this, how do you respond? 

Putting Race to the Sword will try to answer these kinds of questions in three ways. First, you will receive foundational knowledge on the Biblical history of what can be characterized racist behavior in general, showing you how the kinds of issues you are dealing with are nothing new from a human perspective. Second, you will be directed on how to Biblically recognize injustices regarding anything associated with race, as well as see the consequences of such injustices, allowing you to have a moral foundation from which to react. Finally, you will be directed on how you should consider responding in order to best glorify God in terms of race-associated scenarios. In a nutshell, all of this is at the heart of what Putting Race to the Sword is about. If you are interested in expanding your way of thinking and behaving when it comes to race and Christian living, you are invited to purchase your copy today! 

As of this writing, Lexis J. Sullivan has spent his entire life in the Philadelphia area where he was born. Having grown up in a staunchly evangelical, conservative family in which he was homeschooled, Mr. Sullivan developed a serious passion for social issues and race upon attending Eastern University, a local Christian liberal arts college which introduced him to the field of sociology. Following the completion of his undergraduate program with honors, Mr. Sullivan stayed on to earn his Master's degree in Urban Studies, a feat which involved his completion of a research project of a local, suburban-Philadelphia church where he studied the vibrant multicultural congregation in order to present a Biblically supported sociological model for racial integration. Undoubtedly, it was this sociological work, along with a remaining interest in politics, the Bible, and social justice, that propelled him to continue writing on race afterwards. Notwithstanding, today Mr. Sullivan considers sociology and writing to be merely a "hobby on the side" as he frequently finds himself distracted with many other interests, including his love of sports, nature, and music; his everyday work as a business professional; and, of course, his relationship with the Lord. Yet Mr. Sullivan always remains curious as to what God would have him do next in life, being open to whatever new calling God places before him. Please pray that God would bless his continued work, using this book, and whatever else Mr. Sullivan does, to ultimately bring honor and glory to Jesus' name!