Category Archives: Race

Mass Shootings, the 2nd Amendment, and How to Make Sense of It All

Joel Bowman joins Matt Tebbe on the Gravity Leadership podcast to chat about the recent rash of mass shootings and how they are grappling with how to understand and respond. This conversation personal and raw, as these friends cover terms like “dog whistle,” “states’ rights, “black-on-black violence,” and “redlining.” One amendment to the content ofContinue reading “Mass Shootings, the 2nd Amendment, and How to Make Sense of It All”

A Christian Perspective On Police Brutality

In this message, Joel Bowman expounds on 6 key Bible passages to present a biblical case against police brutality. The foundational principle is the imago dei- the belief that all humans are created in the image of God. Each image-bearer has inherent worth.

Responding to the receipts: The way forward for the Louisville Metro Police Department

What many of us have believed about the Louisville Metro Police Department has been confirmed by the U.S. Department of Justice. We now have the receipts! There is compelling evidence of systemic racism and other forms of discrimination that must be addressed. The police killing of Breonna Taylor in her home three years ago thisContinue reading “Responding to the receipts: The way forward for the Louisville Metro Police Department”

How Black Christians Must Respond to White “Christian” Nationalism

Black Christians are uniquely positioned to address the false gospel of white Christian nationalism. Learn the definition and examples of Christian nationalism and strategies for responding.

When Blue trumps Black: Why having Black police officers did not matter for Tyre Nichols

On Jan. 7, what should have been a “routine” traffic stop culminated in the brutal beating of Tyre Nichols involving five Black Memphis, Tennessee police officers. Attorneys for Nichols’ family indicated the “savage,” three-minute beating that resulted in the 29-year-old Black man’s death…

“I Have a Dream” by MLK Delivered by Joel A. Bowman, Sr.

I am happy to join with you today in what will go down in history as the greatest demonstration for freedom in the history of our nation. Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand today, signed the Emancipation Proclamation. This momentous decree came as a great beacon light ofContinue reading ““I Have a Dream” by MLK Delivered by Joel A. Bowman, Sr.”

The U.S. Capitol Insurrection, The Lost Cause and The Confederate Flag

On January 6, I was in quarantine recovering from COVID 19. As I read and watched TV to pass the time I began to see early reports of the attack on the U.S Capitol. I saw the events of that dreadful day unfold in real time. Former president Donald J Trump clearly incited an insurrectionContinue reading “The U.S. Capitol Insurrection, The Lost Cause and The Confederate Flag”

A Message to White American Evangelicals

Dear White American evangelical, I am compelled to deliver this message to you. My words come from a heavy heart, but I desire to speak the truth in love. Pease resist the temptation to immediately dismiss, deflect, or defend your position. You piously claimed to have a high view of scripture. However, you have beenContinue reading “A Message to White American Evangelicals”

White supremacy in blackface: The curious case of Herschel Walker

Billy Van, the monologue comedian, 1900. This image is available from the United States Library of Congress’s Prints and Photographs division under the digital ID var.1831 Blackface is one of the disgraceful aspects of American history. Popularized in the United States after the Civil War, blackface involved white performers playing characters that demeaned and dehumanized AfricanContinue reading “White supremacy in blackface: The curious case of Herschel Walker”