Thread/provocation regarding the Loui Giglio video:

I’m persuaded that it is impossible to disentangle the racist reading of history that he endorsed from a particular understanding of the nature of divine “providence” and “favor.” 1/9

If “favor ain’t fair” and we can discern God’s providential care based on our material safety or prosperity, then clearly the past 400 years of injustice are an indication that God cares about me (his special chosen white people) in ways that he doesn’t care about black people.

If we are saying God plays favorites, and that we are capable of discerning what it might mean to be blessed, this racism seems to be a natural byproduct. I’m persuaded @taddelay is right, the only irreplaceable doctrine for white evangelicals is special election.

If one is willing to affirm that God has chosen to bless some and curse others not only in historical time, but also in eschatological time, this sort of reading of history seems inevitable.

Sure the last wil be first and first will be last, blessed are the poor, etc., but these claims about divine elevation or degradation justify people accepting whatever social strata they have been given as a (perhaps purgative, perhaps pleasant) blessing.

The great insight of liberation theology is that the poor are blessed and the rich are under a curse until such a time or situation as the meek are elevated and the lofty are brought low.

An entirely different conception of providence is required to understand a God that does not endorse, but rather opposes the idea of someone being “blessed” at another persons’ expense.

Finally, if one affirms the doctrine of eternal conscious torment, that is 100% worse than this attrotious reading of the history of slavery. Not only is God blessing some at others expense now, but He will continue to do so for eternity.

Absent a universalist eschatology, any doctrine of election seems to me to inevitably lead to this sort of acceptance of divine favor for particular affluent Christians at the expense of the rest of humanity (who have earned their destitution through original sin.) Fin.