Content - Race Ethnicity Category

Four Indigenous Authors Reflect on Native American Heritage

Sat, 01 Nov 2025 01:47:00 GMT

In this article, four authors share wisdom from their stories, cultures, and faith journeys. T. Christopher Hoklotubbe, Terry Wildman, Randy Woodley, and H. Daniel Zacharias offer reflections on what they treasure most about their heritage, what they wish others understood, and why Indigenous wisdom is vital for the future of the church and the world.

What do you most treasure about your culture and background?

Terry Wildman, project manager for the First Nations Version (FNV): Even though I often mourn growing up outside of my Native ancestry and culture, I deeply value what I have been able to learn and reclaim over the last twenty-five years. The guidance of mentors who are deeply connected to their tribal roots has shaped my path. Two naming ceremonies and several sweat-lodge ceremonies centered around Creator Sets Free (Jesus) have been especially meaningful.

I deeply value my relationships with dear Native friends, which—along with the five years I spent living on the Hopi reservation—have given me spiritual insights and a relational understanding of Creator that the Western culture I was raised in simply could not offer.

I’ve come to value how Native culture brings faith into a holistic relationship—with the land, the people, and the stories that carry wisdom across generations. That way of living and believing has deeply shaped my journey and my work on the First Nations Version, as I try each day to walk Creator’s good road, led by his Son and Spirit.

Randy Woodley, author of Living in Color: The foundational worldview, which is an understanding that we’re related to all of creation—that’s the treasure I come back to daily. On our farm, this isn’t abstract theology; it’s how we live. When we save seeds or tend the soil or watch eagles circle overhead, we’re engaging with relatives, not resources. My mother taught me this before I had words for it, and my wife, Edith, and I now live it out on every acre of Eloheh Indigenous Center for Earth Justice and Eloheh Farm & Seeds. This worldview holds the antidote to the extractive, exploitative relationship with creation that’s killing the planet. It’s sophisticated wisdom that Euro-Western cultures desperately need. What I treasure most is that this way of being is resilient—it survived genocide, forced assimilation, and centuries of attempts to erase it. It’s still here, and it still works. And we all need an Indigenous worldview to survive well into the future.

H. Daniel Zacharias, coauthor with T. Christopher Hoklotubbe of Reading the Bible on Turtle Island: The worldviews and lifeways of my cultural heritage provide me with something essential to every human being—a place of belonging and rootedness, and cultural tools to process life and, in my case, to live out Christian faith in a way that honors who I am.

T. Christopher Hoklotubbe: I appreciate the Chata (Choctaw) hymns, many of which were sung along the trail of tears. For the Choctaw people, who pride themselves on embodying the values of faith, family and culture, all three come together in the traditional singing of these hymns.

What is one thing in particular that you wish others knew or better understood about Native American history and culture?

Terry Wildman: I wish people understood that Native identity is not a relic of the past, but a living journey. Tribal nations are still here—often overlooked—and many of us are working to reclaim as much as we can of what was lost. Our ceremonies, our languages (even those being recovered), and our spiritual perspectives are gifts from our Creator and treasured gifts to society if they have ears to hear.

The truth—both historically and today—is that many Native people have been forced to live in two worlds in order to survive. Recognizing that tension can lead to deeper understanding and respect for the resilience and wisdom within Native communities.

Randy Woodley: We're still here, and we’re not a historical footnote. Too many people relate to Indigenous peoples in the past tense, as if we died out with the buffalo or got absorbed into some romantic sunset. While it’s true that I actually don’t have that much Native American blood, I cherish the worldview my ancestor’s held and try to make them proud. But, the violence didn't end in the

1800s—it continues in environmental racism, in the epidemic of missing and murdered Indigenous women, in the ongoing theft of Native land and water rights. At the same time, we’re not just victims of tragedy. We’re scientists developing climate-resilient seeds, we’re theologians reimagining Christianity outside colonial frameworks, we’re artists and activists and farmers. We’re your neighbors—and yes, some even have wifi on the rez now. (That’s a joke). The Indigenous future isn’t about returning to a romanticized past; it’s about applying ancient wisdom to contemporary crises in ways that could save us all. That’s what people miss: Indigenous knowledge isn’t museum material, it’s survival technology for a planet in crisis. Turns out our ancestors were the original environmentalists, and they didn’t need a Patagonia jacket to figure it out. Oh, and also we have a really good sense of humor…some of us anyway.

Danny Zacharias: In terms of history, people just need to know the history of Indigenous peoples in their country. History on this continent did not begin when Columbus was found lost on our shores, and it is not a “woke” agenda to teach and remember the full history of a place, the good and the bad.

For instance, one part of understanding the history of these lands is knowing that modern state divisions are arbitrary. I currently reside in Mi’kma’ki, the ancestral and unceded territory of the Mi’kmaq peoples. Mi’kma’ki encompassed all of Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island, part of Newfoundland and Labrador, part of New Brunswick, part of Quebec, and part of Maine. Canadian provincial borders, nation-state borders, and US state borders are relatively recent in the history of these lands. As we discuss Native American Heritage Month, we need to learn that these modern borders broke up territories of the First Peoples, and we need to also know that Canada celebrates Indigenous History Month in June, with my current home province celebrating Mi’kmaq history month in October.

In terms of culture, on the whole Indigenous cultures are much more holistic and balanced than modern Western culture. Indigenous people can be your teachers and bring healing to our very fractured and disintegrated lives.

Chris Hoklotubbe: I wish others knew that they were invited into the dance, so to speak. Pow wows are generally open to all people and there are many inter-tribal dances where non-Indigenous people are invited to join. While there are many inspiring and challenging stories to learn about Indigenous culture and history on Turtle Island, I think the most transformative learning will only come after authentic relationships and friendships have been made.

In what new or unique ways would you like to see Native American Heritage Month observed?

Terry Wildman: I hope this month can become a time of shared storytelling in both Native and Christian communities. I’d love to see churches invite Native elders, storytellers, and translators—not only to share cultural heritage but also to talk about how they live their faith today. Including traditional voices alongside Christian ones helps us recognize the common ground in our stories, worldviews, and spiritual perspectives.

I would also like to see Christian leaders become advocates for Native voices—offering their platforms and choosing to listen, especially to how the message of Creator Sets Free (Jesus) was distorted through the church’s collaboration with government policies and boarding schools. I believe this kind of listening could foster healing, rebuild trust, and open new pathways toward restored relationships.

Randy Woodley: I’d like to see Native American Heritage Month move beyond the tired images of feathers and drums—though those are beautiful in their proper context—and into something that actually costs settlers something. What if churches and organizations used November to examine their own land relationships? Who lived on the land you occupy before you got there? What treaties were broken to make your presence possible? Better yet, what if Heritage Month became a catalyst for returning land to Indigenous communities or establishing conservation easements in partnership with local tribes? Observation without action is just performance. Let’s make it about repair, restoration, and right relationship. And maybe invite actual Native people to lead these conversations, not just attend a commemorative service where we’re trotted out like historical artifacts.

Danny Zacharias: That’s a big question to ask an Indigenous person, with responses that can happen at many levels. At the most basic level, Christians just need to care – care about the lands they live in, care about its history, and recognize the people that God originally gave the lands to. These are storied places, and settlers have very rarely chosen to place themselves into these stories and live well by them.

I would invite people to learn about the land they are on. Learn about the Indigenous people and stewards who traditionally called it home and territory, the treaties that were made (or broken) that allowed settlers to make new homes, and the ecosystems and watersheds that sustain it. With that knowledge, I’d invite people to re-engage the land around them with a prayer of gratitude and for eyes to see how you can leave it a little better than they found it as a good neighbor.

Chris Hoklotubbe: I would invite people to learn about the land they are on. Learn about the Indigenous people and stewards who traditionally called it home and territory, the treaties that were made (or broken) that allowed settlers to make new homes, and the ecosystems and watersheds that sustain it. With that knowledge, I’d invite people to reengage the land around them with a prayer of gratitude and for eyes to see how you can leave it a little better than they found it as a good neighbor.

If you could offer one piece of encouragement to Indigenous people right now, what would it be?

Terry Wildman: As someone who continues to walk the path of reclaiming my Native ancestry, I want to encourage you to hold onto and preserve whatever you have of your Indigenous identity. That identity is a sacred gift from our Creator and reflects his beauty and purpose in ways that are uniquely yours.

The world needs your voice, your prayers, your leadership, and your cultural wisdom. Stand firm in who you are—you carry something incredibly sacred that the wider culture has failed to recognize but deeply needs.

Randy Woodley: Your own people have survived worse than this, and the wisdom that carried them through is still alive in you. Whether you grew up on the rez or in the city, whether you speak your language or don’t, whether you know your clan or you’re still finding your way home—you belong to a story of resilience that spans millennia. The dominant culture will try to convince you that Indigenous ways are backward or irrelevant, but they’re lying to themselves as much as to you. The world is waking up to what our ancestors always knew about living in balance with creation. Your voice matters. Your presence matters. The way forward isn’t about perfectly reconstructing the past; it’s about carrying forward the essence of who we’ve always been and letting it speak to this moment. Don’t let anyone convince you that being Indigenous is about nostalgia. It’s about the future. And remember—we’ve been predicting the apocalypse for five hundred years; we’re the experts at surviving it.

Danny Zacharias: Continue to live as who you are and who Creator made you to be. Some of us did not have our culture or heritage passed on and have done the work of reclamation, while others have been steeped in their culture since birth. Continue to be proud and to be fierce. We belong to Creator, and we belong to these lands—it is who we are.

Chris Hoklotubbe: The path to healing and reconciling is through restoring relationships: with Creator, the land, and among ourselves. I encourage you to pray for the Holy Spirit to guide your consideration in how you might walk alongside Indigenous people as a good ally and friend in our work to restore land, protect water, build healthy communities, and revitalize traditional lifeways and languages.

Autores de IVP hablan sobre el Mes de la Herencia Hispana, la diversidad y qué es lo que las comunidades hispanas y latinas necesitan escuchar en estos momentos.

Fri, 05 Sep 2025 18:29:00 GMT

¿Cómo es que típicamente reconoces y celebras el Mes de la Herencia Hispana?

Natalia Kohn Rivera, coautora de Hermanas: Mi familia y yo participamos de muchas celebraciones étnicas. Como una latina casada con un hombre latino de primera generación, atesoramos nuestras raíces y celebramos nuestras culturas latinas de manera innata. No es muy diferente de septiembre a octubre. Yo disfruto comprar productos hechos por latinos y apoyar negocios pequeños latinos.

Robert Chao Romero, autor de Iglesia mestiza: Me alegra ver como las contribuciones olvidadas de la comunidad hispana en los Estados Unidos son reconocidas, especialmente en las ciencias, las artes y la academia. Aun así, honestamente, siempre hay algo de tensión para mí porque los otros 11 meses del año nuestra comunidad tiende a ser ignorada, y no somos invitados a la mesa de conversación.

Kristel Acevedo, autora de Un camino en el desierto: Tratamos de ser intencionales en nuestro hogar al celebrar nuestra cultura a lo largo del año y no solo en un mes específico, pero lo lindo del Mes de la Herencia Hispana es que nuestra ciudad típicamente tendrá varias celebraciones y festivales en los que participamos. Es tan lindo ver como nuestra cultura es presentada de manera grande y aprender sobre otros países latinoamericanos porque todos somos tan diferentes. ¡Es hermoso!

¿Cómo se ve el balance entre la conmemoración y la acción durante el Mes de la Herencia Hispana?

Marlena Graves, autora de Para subir hay que bajar: Los puertorriqueños, mi herencia, están siempre celebrando y conmemorando su cultura y herencia todo el año. Somos un pueblo predominantemente divertido, cariñoso, cálido y audaz. Yo creo que debemos demandar nuestros derechos de los EE. UU. en vez de dejar que nos usen cuando les es conveniente. Tenemos ciudadanía hasta cierto punto. Nos pueden quitar aun esos derechos.

Robert Chao Romero: En la iglesia, significa que debemos ir más allá de la inclusión superficial. Significa dar la bienvenida y apreciar las perspectivas distintivamente hispanas y el liderazgo como un regalo de Dios al cuerpo de Cristo.

Kristel Acevedo: Conmemoramos y tomamos acción a lo largo del año, pero creo que es importante para mi familia celebrar de una manera particularmente grande durante el Mes de la Herencia Hispana. Tratamos de enfocarnos en la belleza de la cultura latinoamericana: la música, la comida, la danza, la historia. Se siente como una gran oportunidad para pausar y respirar y celebrar.

¿Qué deseas que otros sepan sobre la historia o cultura hispana y latina? ¿Cómo podría informar hoy su manera de pensar?

Kristel Acevedo: Yo deseo que la gente sepa lo variados y diversos que somos. No somos un monolito. Nuestra comida, nuestra música, nuestra etnia, aun la manera en que hablamos el español puede variar de país a país. En vez de agruparnos a todos juntos, celebren lo que nos hace a cada uno único.

Robert Chao Romero: En los Estados Unidos, las perspectivas sobre la comunidad latina son influenciadas mayormente por los medios de comunicación y la política. Los medios de comunicación y la política han mostrado a los latinos de una manera negativa y estereotípica por muchos años. Una manera dominante de ver a la comunidad latina es a través de la «narrativa de riesgo latino»: que somos extranjeros perpetuos y criminales y que no nos importa este país. Esto es doloroso. Tenemos 500 años de historia rica y moderna en las américas, y miles de años de historia antes de eso para quienes comparten ascendencia indígena o son ellos mismos indígenas.

Natalia Kohn Rivera: Hay mucho que quiero que otros sepan, pero de verdad sepan, sobre la cultura latina. Una de esas cosas es nuestra calidez. Es una de mis cosas favoritas sobre la cultura hispana. Las amistades se pueden volver en familia rápidamente. Nos encanta reír, ser ruidosos y tener grandes momentos con nuestros amigos y familia. En general, damos la bienvenida, somos hospitalarios y somos generosos. Me encanta la calidez que puedes sentir al entrar en un hogar latino o cuando estás con una familia latina. Yo creo que nuestra calidez puede ser tan poderosa y puede ayudar a traer sanidad a otros que quizás no han experimentado la calidez en sus propias comunidades.

Marlena Graves: Quiero que la gente sepa que la cultura no es un monolito. Algunas similitudes son las variedades del español y la gran influencia del catolicismo romano. Sin embargo, cada país y región tiene su propia cultura e historia y palabras para cosas diferentes. Sería un error agruparnos a todos juntos y caricaturizarnos. Es como los Estados Unidos y el Reino Unido; hablamos el mismo idioma, una versión del inglés, pero nuestras culturas difieren de maneras muy claras.

¿Qué preguntas debería hacer la gente alrededor del Mes de la Herencia Hispana que históricamente no han preguntado? ¿Cómo contestarías esas preguntas?

Kristel Acevedo: Creo que la gente debería preguntarse de donde viene la palabra hispano y por qué alguna gente tiene dificultades en sentir conexión con esa palabra. Yo respondería esa pregunta compartiendo que la palabra en realidad vino de la Oficina del Censo de los Estados Unidos. La mayoría de los latinoamericanos se identifican de manera más fuerte con su país de origen que con una palabra general como hispano. Es muy importante mostrar curiosidad hacia las historias específicas de la gente.

Marlena Graves: Con respecto a nuestros hermanos y hermanas mexicanos, sería fantástico si personas no mexicanas preguntaran sobre la naturaleza de la frontera de Estados Unidos con México. Cómo comenzó y cómo cambió. Yo contestaría que la frontera ha cambiado mientras algunas gentes han permanecido en las mismas tierras por más tiempo que las fronteras han estado en su sitio. También recordaría a la gente que casi todo el suroeste y oeste de los Estados Unidos era México: California, Utah, Nevada, Nuevo México, Arizona, y partes de Wyoming, Kansas, Colorado y Oklahoma. ¡Y mucha de esa tierra era originalmente indígena!

Robert Chao Romero: ¿Cómo es que, como latinas y latinos, reflejamos de manera única la imagen de Dios a través de nuestras culturas diversas dadas por Dios, por el bien del reino de Dios y para beneficio del cuerpo entero de Cristo? ¿Cuáles son «las riquezas y el honor» (Apocalipsis 21:26) distintivamente nuestras, y por qué tiene valor para la iglesia?

Si pudieras decirle una cosa a la comunidad hispana y latina ahora, ¿qué sería?

Natalia Kohn Rivera: ¡Necesitamos fuerza en esta hora! Necesitamos fuerza del cielo para mantener la esperanza viva, para pelear contra estas injusticias y para seguir orando por la redención del Señor. Sigamos apoyándonos en Jesús por nuestras necesidades y las de nuestra comunidad.

Marlena Graves: Actuemos con solidaridad y sin un gramo de superioridad entre nosotros con respecto a nuestros hermanos y hermanas indocumentados en los Estados Unidos.

Kristel Acevedo: Abraza tu identidad latina, porque te la dio un Dios bueno y creativo que es intencional y no comete errores. Dios usa nuestra identidad étnica y hace cosas grandes e increíbles a través de nosotros. También diría que nuestra identidad en Cristo es donde estamos arraigados firmemente, y que tiene más importancia que cualquier otra identidad que tenemos. Esto alivia la presión que quizás ponemos en nuestra identidad étnica para que podamos recordar que es algo bueno, pero no es un fin en sí mismo. ¡Celebra la manera en que Dios te ha creado y dale la gloria a Dios!

Robert Chao Romero: También somos hijos e hijas de Dios. Somos una de las tribus del Apocalipsis. Así como Dios estuvo con Moisés y los israelitas por 40 años en el desierto, así también Dios ha estado con nosotros por 500.

IVP Authors Discuss Hispanic Heritage Month, Diversity, and What Hispanic and Latino Communities Need to Hear Right Now

Thu, 04 Sep 2025 18:29:00 GMT

What does recognizing and celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month typically look like for you?

Natalia Kohn Rivera, coauthor of Hermanas: My family and I do quite a lot of ethnic celebrations. As a Latina married to a first-generation Latino man, we cherish our roots and celebrate our Latino cultures very innately. September to October is not too different. I enjoy buying Latino-made products and supporting Latino small businesses.

Robert Chao Romero, author of Brown Church: It makes me happy to see the often unsung contributions of the Hispanic community to the United States be recognized, especially in the sciences, arts, and the academy. Honestly though, there’s always some tension for me because, during the other 11 months of the year, our community tends to get ignored, and we are not invited to the table of conversation.

Kristel Acevedo, author of A Way in the Wilderness: We try to be intentional in our home to celebrate our culture throughout the year and not just in a specific month, but the nice thing about Hispanic Heritage Month is that our city will typically have several celebrations and festivals which we participate in. It’s so nice to see our culture on display in a big way and to learn about other Latin American countries because we are all so different. It’s beautiful!

What does the balance of commemoration and action look like during Hispanic Heritage Month?

Marlena Graves, author of The Way Up Is Down: Puerto Ricans, my heritage, are always celebrating and commemorating their culture and heritage year-round. We are a predominantly fun, kind, warm, and feisty people. I think we need to demand our rights from the US instead of allowing ourselves to be used when it is merely convenient. We have citizenship up to a point. Even those rights could be stripped away.

Robert Chao Romero: In the church, it means that we need to go beyond tokenism. It means the welcoming and appreciation of distinct Hispanic perspectives and leadership as a God-given gift to the body of Christ.

Kristel Acevedo: We commemorate and take action throughout the year, but I think it’s important for my family to celebrate in an especially big way during Hispanic Heritage Month. We try to focus on the beauty of Latin American culture: the music, the food, the dancing, the history. It feels like a great time to pause and breathe and celebrate.

What do you wish that others knew about Hispanic and Latino history or culture? How might it inform their thinking today?

Kristel Acevedo: I wish people knew how varied and diverse we are. We are not a monolith. Our food, our music, our ethnicity, even the way we speak Spanish can vary from country to country. Instead of grouping us all together, celebrate what makes each of us unique.

Robert Chao Romero: In the United States, perspectives about the Latino community are shaped most by media and politics. Media and politics have framed Latinos in a negative, stereotypical light for many years. One dominant framing is that of the Latino Threat Narrative—that we are perpetual foreigners and criminals and do not care about this country. This is painful. We have a rich, 500-year modern history in the Americas and thousands of years of history before that for those who share Indigenous ancestry or are Indigenous themselves.

Natalia Kohn Rivera: There’s a lot I wish others knew, and I mean really knew, about the Latino culture. One of those things is our warmth. It’s one of my favorite things about the Hispanic culture. Friends can become family quickly. We love to laugh, be loud, and have a great time with our friends and family. Generally speaking, we are welcoming, hospitable, and generous. I love the warmth you can feel entering into a Latino home or with a Latino family. I believe our warmth can be so powerful and help bring healing to others who may not have experienced warmth in their own communities.

Marlena Graves: I wish people knew the culture is not monolithic. Similar commonalities are shades of Spanish and the widespread influence of Roman Catholicism. However, every country and region has their own culture and history and words for different things. It would be a mistake to lump us all together and caricature us. It’s like the US and Britain; we speak the same language, a version of English, but our cultures differ in very clear ways.

What questions should people be asking around Hispanic Heritage Month that historically they have not asked? How would you answer those questions?

Kristel Acevedo: I think people should ask themselves where the term Hispanic came from and why some have a hard time connecting with that term. I would answer that question by letting them know that the term actually came from the US Census Bureau. Most Latin Americans identify more strongly with their country of origin rather than a general term like Hispanic. Showing curiosity for people’s specific stories goes a long way.

Marlena Graves: In terms of our Mexican brothers and sisters, it would be fantastic if non-Mexicans asked about the nature of the US/Mexican border. How it came to be, and how it changed. I would answer that the border has changed, while certain peoples have been on the same lands longer than the border has been in place. I would also remind people that almost the entire southwestern and western portion of the US was Mexico: California, Utah, Nevada, New Mexico, Arizona, along with parts of Wyoming, Kansas, Colorado, and Oklahoma. And much of that land was originally Indigenous!

Robert Chao Romero: How do we as Latinas/os uniquely reflect the image of God through our diverse, God-given cultures, for the sake of the kingdom of God and for the benefit of the entire body of Christ? What is our distinct “glory and honor” (Revelation 21:26), and why does it matter for the church?

If you could say one thing to the Hispanic and Latino community right now, what would it be?

Natalia Kohn Rivera: Fuerza in this hour is needed! We need strength from heaven to keep hope alive, to keep fighting against these injustices, and to keep praying for the Lord’s redemption. Let’s keep leaning into Jesus for what we and our community need.

Marlena Graves: Let us act in solidarity and not have any ounce of superiority among us when it comes to our undocumented brothers and sisters in the US.

Kristel Acevedo: Embrace your Latino identity, because it was given to you by a good and creative God who is intentional and makes no mistakes. God uses our ethnic identity and does great and wonderful things through us. I would also say that our identity in Christ is where we are firmly rooted, and it takes precedence over every other identity we carry. This relieves the pressure we may put on our ethnic identity so that we can remember that it is a good thing and not an ultimate thing. Celebrate who God has created you to be and give God the glory!

Robert Chao Romero: We are God’s children, too. We are one of the tribes of Revelation. Just as God journeyed with Moses and the Israelites for forty years in the desert, so has God journeyed with us for 500.

From a Mother’s Heart to the World: Tara Hackney on Rewriting a Timeless Classic for Today's Children

Tue, 17 Jun 2025 11:00:00 GMT

From a Mother’s Heart to the World: Tara Hackney on Rewriting a Timeless Classic for Today's Children

An Interview with the Author of "Swing Low"

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An Interview with the Author of "Swing Low"

A Conversation with the Editors of "The New Testament in Color"

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A Conversation with the Editors of "The New Testament in Color"

What Is Juneteenth? How Christians Can Engage with Black History

Thu, 30 May 2024 14:39:00 GMT

What Is Juneteenth? How Christians Can Engage with Black History

6 Ways Academics Can Care for Each Other Well

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Navigating Evangelical Academia as an Ethnic Minority Scholar

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A Conversation on Christian Abolitionist History with Douglas M. Strong and Albert G. Miller

Tue, 20 Feb 2024 16:08:00 GMT

A Conversation on Christian Abolitionist History with Douglas M. Strong and Albert G. Miller

A Conversation on Asian American Identity & Faith

Thu, 20 Apr 2023 15:08:00 GMT

A Conversation on Asian American Identity & Faith

21 Poems by Black Authors

Mon, 27 Feb 2023 12:00:00 GMT

Curated by Nilwona Nowlin, IVP Associate Editor

I attended an elementary school where we sang "Lift Every Voice and Sing" at the beginning of every assembly and "Eyes on the Prize" was a normal part of the curriculum. As an adult, I discovered that this was not a common experience for others in my age group. Looking back, I know that this uncommon learning experience was partly influenced by one specific teacher on staff, Mrs. Mamie Till Mobley. She was committed to ensuring that we knew our history because one simply can't move forward without that knowledge.

There are many variations of the idea that if you don't know where you came from, you can't know where you're going. The version I hold to is the concept of sankofa, which is a West African word that loosely translates as "looking back to move forward." This practice encourages me both as a Christ follower and as a Black woman. While I have learned much valuable history from documentaries and books, I love connecting to Black history through the arts. Because Black history is U.S. history, I encourage you to take time this Black History Month to explore works of art by Black creators.

For me, growing up Black meant memorizing and reciting the works of Black poets. These poems have shaped how I see God, myself, and others. Even now, I can easily recite entire poems or sections of poems by Langston Hughes, Maya Angelou, Nikki Giovanni, and Chicago's own Gwendolyn Brooks—to name a few!

This Black History Month, I invite you to explore Black history and culture each day through the words of Black poets. I've provided twenty-one poems, and I challenge you to choose seven poems on your own to read the last week of the month.

Terry Wildman on the Making of the "First Nations Version," a New Indigenous Bible Translation

Fri, 21 Oct 2022 15:34:00 GMT

Years ago, Terry Wildman encountered a version of the New Testament in Hopi, but he could not find anyone who could read it. For so many Natives, understanding their own languages is a skill that has been lost because of colonization, yet reading the Bible in modern-day translations still leaves something to be desired. That experience planted a seed in Terry that eventually became the First Nations Version of the New Testament that reflects the oral storytelling of Native cultures. In this interview, you’ll learn about the collaboration between representatives from multiple Native tribes and better understand why certain words resonate more strongly for Native readers (or can even potentially cause trauma and need to be avoided).

Can you tell us the origin story of how you came to translate the First Nations Version?

Terry Wildman: As I began to learn about my Native heritage and visit places where Native people were, Creator called me out into the Arizona-New Mexico area, and I connected with a ministry up on the Apache Reservation. I was so surprised that there seemed to be extraordinarily little of the culture in the Native churches on the reservation. It was like the only thing Native about them seemed to be that some of them spoke their language. Then we got an invitation to pastor an American Baptist church, on the Hopi Indian Reservation, at a mission that was over 100 years old. It had been founded about 100 years earlier. I found myself living more closely among very traditional people, and I felt I had a lot to learn. But one thing I learned as the pastor was that we had a storage room in the fellowship hall. And in the storage room, I opened a box. I got curious, snoopy; you know? “What's in here?” Because we were reading the NIV (New International Version) Bibles in our churches. And we used to joke about it: NIV, "New Indian Version." Because so many of the Native churches were using the NIV Bible. But what happened was, I found a box of New Testaments translated into the Hopi language. And I was so excited. I thought, "Oh, man, I wonder how this translation works. I'll get somebody to read it for me."

I found a box of New Testaments translated into the Hopi language. And I was so excited. I thought, "Oh, man, I wonder how this translation works. I'll get somebody to read it for me." And that was an awakening right there. Because I discovered that no one could read it.

And that was an awakening right there. Because I discovered that no one could read it. No one in our church could read it. No one in other churches could read, I couldn't find anyone. And I discovered later the reason was that in the boarding schools, they never taught us, Hopi, they taught us English. They didn't teach us how to read these translated Bibles. Later, we found out that across Turtle Island, which we call North America, this was true. Most of our Native people cannot don't speak their language, let alone read their language. I talked to a traditional or, a friend who's a Native Navajo. And he told me that 1-2%, maybe 1%, could read the Bible in Navajo. That was the beginning of, wow, you know, this is eye-opening. And so, the seeds of an idea that we needed a translation in English began to germinate you know, be planted, I should say. They weren't germinating yet, but it was planted.

Can you give us a little insight into what it was like for you to work with a translation council to produce this version?

Wildman: So, what happened was the President and CEO at OneBrook Wayne Johnson, contacted us, and we agreed to work together. We began a partnership with this Canadian organization, which is a member of the Wycliffe Global Alliance of translators. They suggested that we put together a council. So, we decided on twelve Native people, and because Darlene and I had been traveling for years and years on the road, making relationships across this Turtle Island, North America, I knew a lot of people.

When we got the council involved, I had to submit all my work to the council. We had to work together and figure out how we were going to word things. And because there are so many different tribes and so many different tribal cultures, we had to figure out commonalities between all our tribal people and use some of the more common ways of speaking more traditionally, as the elders might speak. We went through over 100, almost 200, key terms, and we decided together, here's how we're going to say those in English. Here's how we're going to translate "kingdom." Here's how we're going to translate "sin." Here's how we're going to translate "priest,". It’s still in English, but here are the word choices we're going to use that relate to our Native people.

Can you give an example of some of that?

Wildman: Absolutely. One of the things that's happened because of the boarding school experiences and the church involvement in those boarding schools there are some words that trigger a defensiveness for Native people. And those words have to do with, for example, "church." So, we said, okay, we don't want to use the word "church." And besides, does anybody know what the word "church" means? Where did that word come from anyway, even in English? Does anybody know "c-h-u-r-c-h" it only has meaning because we grew up as believers knowing, that it wasn't the building, it's a gathering of people. People don't know that, and the word "church" has colonial baggage attached to that. So, instead, we decided on a relational term for this ecclesia, this gathering we're the called-out ones, we're being called out of the world into a family. So, we call the church the "sacred family," Creator's sacred family. And in the back of the translation, we have a glossary of why we translated a lot of these especially important words.

The reality of Christian publishing, and publishing more broadly, is that Native voices are still so underrepresented. Can you give us your thoughts on how the writing and publishing journey might be different for Native authors?

Wildman: You know, that's an amazing question. And I don't even know if I have the answer for you for that. I do know that a lot of Native people have a lot to share. And that our sharing has been undervalued within the body of Christ. And our culture has been undervalued. And so, I think what it will take to work with Native people, and Native authors is humility. It requires the dominant culture to say, "We don't know who you are; we are depending on you to tell us who you are. And we're not going to tell you how to do that. We're going to let you do it in the way that's most meaningful to you." And that's one thing I appreciated when InterVarsity Press decided to publish this. They assured me that they would not be trying to reword it for us, they would let us do the wording. They would only look at sentence structure, for any errors. And if they found anything, they would just ask questions, and let us make the decision. And that's exactly what happened.

Five Authors Discuss Black History, Faithful Justice, and Hope for the Future

Sat, 30 Jan 2021 02:47:00 GMT

Learn from Black Voices During Black History Month and Beyond

These five IVP authors share their ideas for new ways we can be celebrating Black History Month as well as their hopes for the future of racial reconciliation in America.

What stories should be covered this year during Black History Month that you feel might be overlooked? Why is it important to address these issues?

Barbara Peacock, author of Soul Care in African American Practice: Persons from the African diaspora, enslaved and free, provided labor that built the White House, the United States Capitol, numerous government buildings, and the basic infrastructure of American institutions, which inherently bear the hands and hearts of African Americans. African Americans have not only picked cotton on plantations and nurtured Euro-American families but we must also be acknowledged for the intellectual, highly skilled creative and artistic acumen that founded colleges and universities; the invention of products consumed daily without thought; insight and contribution to the fields of science, medicine, law, the military, business, theology, finance, and architecture, etc.

An intentional effort to educate and make others aware of this rich history must be shared with all of American society and not confined to the segregated entities of Black families, communities, and churches on Sunday morning. African American history extends beyond February, which has officially been designated as Black History Month. Our history is integral to the whole of American history and needs to be recognized as such.

MelindaJoy Mingo, author of The Colors of Culture: Stories that highlight the accomplishments and achievements of Blacks and not just the struggles and pain. These stories often get overlooked in light of current events that only highlight racism and despair. The history of the Black church and its vital spiritual impact and leadership of the Black culture and nation as a whole is rich in historical contexts that deeply explain the faith of Blacks.

Terence Lester, author of I See You and When We Stand: There is a tendency to focus on the "one-in-a-million" stories, the stories that inadvertently reinforce the harmful idea that equal opportunities are available for all if only you worked hard enough to succeed. They often spotlight those who are considered model minorities, throwing the rest out of focus, diminishing the disproportionate struggles of racial inequality that affect people of color.

Just because one BIPOC person has been successful, we need not use that person's success to discredit the millions of other people who suffer from systemic issues. During Black History Month, I believe more stories of current people working to lift up their communities should be highlighted and those who dedicate themselves to speaking up for those whose voices have been silenced. Jesus honored every story of those he was proximate to! We should do the same.

Have recent events changed your perspective about faithful justice? If so, how?

Antipas Harris, author of Is Christianity the White Man's Religion?: The social uprising of 2020 signaled that faithfulness to justice must be a long-term commitment to systemic change. We must not assume that because a racial problem like the killing of an unarmed black person is not the national optic, the problem has subsided.

Racial injustice is far more of an American problem than the sustained attention to it reveals. The recent events alerted me to the fierce urgency of now. Another generation is battered with the same historic racial tensions that previous generations endured. I am afraid that the world we leave behind will be far worse than the current state of injustice. We have work to do. This is more than a notion.

MelindaJoy Mingo: The events of 2020 changed my perspective about faithful justice. I had a personal awakening that some things have changed in our society for good in areas of justice, but in so many ways some things remain the same. The winds of adversity and injustice swept through our nation, and there were so many painful images and instances of disunity and misunderstanding that my perspective of faithful justice is that it still is not the foundation of our country. We are still having some of the same conversations about race and justice that we've had for over a decade. I am hopeful, and I am also sobered. Many people of color are invited to sit at tables where they have not been invited before to talk about their experiences and share stories, but it's not enough to invite people to the table to talk about issues unless they have real honor to bring their lived experiences, giftings, and insights so that lasting change in the area of racial reconciliation can occur.

Terence Lester: The events in 2020 increased my desire to show up on the frontlines like Jesus. If we really think about it, Jesus was a frontline worker. He came close to lepers, healed the sick, and grieved with people who lost loved ones. He was the embodiment of what it means to show up for neighbors struggling with a crisis as it relates to injustice.

Jesus addressed issues of justice not with a highlighter but with his life. In a year full of unprecedented trauma, pain, and historically significant events, the embodiment of this dedication to justice was more vital than ever. Striving for faithful justice is much more than giving talks or writing opinion pieces to highlight critical issues. Instead those striving for faithful justice must focus on real-life work on the ground where it is needed most. Faithful justice means action now.

What does faithful justice mean to you?

A. D. "Lumkile" Thomason, author of Permission to Be Black: Faithful justice considers all who are made in the image of God as worthy of equitable treatment, and it is about people being willing to put themselves in harm's way to see that reality manifested.

Terence Lester: Faithful justice means fighting for what is right even when it is not popular or given attention. Faithful justice means showing up in lament and standing up regardless of popularity, convenience, cost, and even calculated risk. This is what Jesus did. Even when it was not popular, Jesus ate with tax collectors, affirmed women, and was proximate to those religious leaders who were shunned. Jesus came for the poor to preach good news to those who were oppressed, and he did this without thought to the target it made him. If we are to be faithful in this way, we get a chance to identify with the one that came and set the standard for humanity—our Savior. We must emulate his struggle and strive toward faithful justice unwaveringly because it is simply in our makeup as believers.

MelindaJoy Mingo: Faithful justice is an intentional and conscious act of being true to the heart of what I believe, and it has always been our Father's desire for all people, especially the marginalized and oppressed, to have human dignity and intrinsic value. Genuine and faithful justice is giving a voice to those who don't normally have a voice in society, such as the poor and oppressed. It is both continued and deliberate actions when it is not the popular thing to do and when it goes against the norm of the culture.

Faithful justice is when I allow my character and heart to be intentional in being aligned to God's system of justice, which is actually the fullness of mercy and grace, unbiased, and producing true repentance. It is loving the other, the foreigner, the stranger, the oppressed, and a willingness to right inequities not just for one instance or circumstance that occurs in society but rather a faithful commitment to truly be an image bearer of Christ and to do his will.

Antipas Harris: Faithful justice is not merely a struggle for personal fulfillment. It is when each of us participates in a constant pursuit of a world in which all people are viewed and treated in such a way that lifts them to equal personhood with all others. Faithful justice is, moreover, a commitment to contributing our gifts and resources to the concern for the common good. This includes advocacy for the weak and vulnerable members in society. It involves ongoing efforts for sustaining equity in community, treating each other fairly, resolving disputes and grievances, distributing resources according to common need, upholding the dignity of the human person, promoting peaceful interaction, enhancing political and economic participation, and encouraging a sense of stewardship for the natural world.

What questions should people be asking around Black History Month that historically they have not asked? How would you answer those questions?

Barbara Peacock: As I ponder history, I ask myself, What are some aspects of African American history that need to be highlighted during African American History Month? Is it the Black Lives Matter protests of 2020 as a result of the injustices and murders of persons like Trayvon Martin, Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, and numerous others? Should we highlight movements that sought justice under the leadership of people like Medgar Evers, Malcolm X, Martin Luther King Jr., and John Lewis? Should we focus on knowledge and growth with the invention of peanut butter by George Washington Carver, the vision to celebrate Black history with Carter G. Woodson; leaders in the entertainment and sports industries like Michael Jackson or Michael Jordan; or the founding of historically Black colleges and universities?

The people, events, inventors, and discoveries that need to be highlighted in Black history are innumerable and cannot be summarized or effectively acknowledged in merely one month.

MelindaJoy Mingo: While Black History Month is so misunderstood by some and the question is asked, Why do we need a Black History Month? I believe that the greater questions are, Why have the historical achievements and struggles of Blacks been so overlooked, and how can we remedy that misunderstanding and lack of information in 2021?

I believe one key question that can be asked is, What can I learn that will allow me to see my Black brothers and sisters as equal? and lastly, How do I position myself as a learner during Black History Month so I can learn from the lived experiences of Blacks in this country? Even though I may not understand or relate to any of the experiences, I will not discredit the pain and struggles of a people who have been instrumental in the shaping of this nation through inventions, etc.

A. D. "Lumkile" Thomason: We need to acknowledge the contribution of African Americans to this country, and one month should not be the starting and stopping point. Black History Month is just a wake-up call.

What is your hope for the future when it comes to the idea of racial reconciliation?

Terence Lester: Our focus for the near future should be on racial justice, rather than skipping steps to rush to racial reconciliation. Many White Christians think that racial reconciliation solves many of the injustices that persons of color face. I think there needs to be a robust education of the differences between the two because they are not the same. Making the distinction between the two is vital because reconciliation and progress cannot organically come without first acknowledging and rectifying the historical systems that have disadvantaged Black and Brown people. There can be no forgiveness without lament and repentance.

When overlooked or hastened as a way to assuage guilt, this can result in more significant harm through putting a superficial Band-Aid on issues that require more extensive surgery to achieve long-term change.

MelindaJoy Mingo: My hope for the future in the area of racial reconciliation is that followers of Christ will grasp the idea that reconciliation begins first in our personal lives as we look deeply within and sincerely identify any areas that can hinder us from seeing others as people of value, worth, and dignity. As believers, we have already been given the ministry of reconciliation, and we can move from reconciliation to racial righteousness. It is righteous to walk in humility and love toward our brothers and sisters of all races. It is the right thing to do in the eyes of God.

Antipas Harris: I hope that America pauses to reconsider its history for the purpose of lamenting the racial problem and revisioning a more just path forward. We need a focus on conciliatory strategies. Because there is no point in America's past that models how things should be, the challenges we face require a creative ethical imagination. This involves all of society and all of the systems, structures, and attitudes that have privileged Whites and oppressed people of color. The responsibility of conciliatory racial vision and action rest on White people as well as people of color. We must work together as one people joined by a common Creator, a common life, and a common destiny.