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Moving Beyond Christian Nationalism To A Spiritual Reconstruction

photo of rev. dr. william j. barber II and jonathona wilson-hartgrove
Courtesy of Jonathon Wilson-Hartgrove

At an Easter dinner gathering in 2016, JonathanWilson-Hartgrove’s teenage son and his grandfather began to butt heads. The topic was the upcoming election and then-candidate Donald Trump. While his conservative, Christian grandfather supported the idea of “Making America Great Again,” his black son questioned whether or not his grandfather understood what that meant. In an attempt to reconcile these worlds Wilson-Hartgrove wrote “Reconstructing the Gospel: Finding Freedom from Slaveholder Religion” (IVP Books/2018).

The book sheds light on the history of the Gospel after the Civil War and how racism was infused into sermons, songs and the culture of Christianity. The book breaks down how hymns like “Amazing Grace” are nothing more than tributes to white supremacy and sermons that justify slave ownership. Host Frank Stasio talks with Wilson-Hartgrove about his examination of Christianity’s racist roots. Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II, who penned the book’s forward, joins the conversation to talk about religious reconstruction. 

 

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Longtime NPR correspondent Frank Stasio was named permanent host of The State of Things in June 2006. A native of Buffalo, Frank has been in radio since the age of 19. He began his public radio career at WOI in Ames, Iowa, where he was a magazine show anchor and the station's News Director.
Dana is an award-winning producer who began as a personality at Rock 92. Once she started creating content for morning shows, she developed a love for producing. Dana has written and produced for local and syndicated commercial radio for over a decade. WUNC is her debut into public radio and she’s excited to tell deeper, richer stories.
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