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Articles

Teaching your kids about race and reconciliation

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December 7, 2016

If we believe that the topics of race, racial reconciliation and the unity found in the gospel are important, then in many ways, the conversation and study of these topics should begin and have prominence at home. Adults have a wonderful opportunity and responsibility to shape the minds of children around these topics so that they learn the glorious truths found in the scriptures regarding God’s cosmic plan of salvation and the beautiful reality of the diversity that will make up the new heavens and earth.

Recently, Lindsay Swartz, managing editor of content at the ERLC, conducted a roundtable interview on children and race for Light Magazine’s newest issue. Here are my complete answers to her questions regarding teaching kids about race and racial reconciliation. 

Lindsay Swartz: As children witness instances of racism in the news, at school, in their own families and on the streets, how would you help them understand and process what they are seeing? 

Trillia Newbell: I think we start by teaching kids that God has made each and every person. We need to make sure children understand that God is the Creator of all and that he delights in his creation. We should teach kids that Jesus died for every tribe and tongue and nation—that the gospel is for all people. Make sure your children know that because of sin, people do mean and evil things. They need to know that we all need a Savior. So, when our kids see evil in this world, our hope is that they will be grieved and sorrowful, but not surprised. An important starting point for them is to understand the basics of our faith and the depravity of man.

Swartz: How would you advise parents to respond to a situation where their families are out and about, and their children make a comment about someone's race? 

Newbell: Kids are kids and will likely say something like, “She’s brown, Mommy” or “Why does she have a dot on her forehead?” There’s no reason to be embarrassed by this. And we need to make sure that we don’t shame kids—hushing them and making them feel like they’ve done something awful. In other words, part of our own problem is that we think it’s strange to talk about culture and ethnicity, and our fears actually divide and alienate us further. Instead, when these situations arise, simply say, “Yes, she is brown. I love how God made all of us with various colors” or “She wears a dot on her forehead because of the cultural traditions in her country,” etc. Let’s take the weird out of it and try to teach (and at times, celebrate!) the differences.

Swartz: What are some real-life, practical ways that you've helped your children engage with people of different ethnicities and cultures? 

Newbell: I’m at a bit of an advantage when it comes to introducing my kids to various cultures because our home is made up of two different ethnicities—I am black, and my husband is white. But I believe it’s important for our kids to know about the beautiful diversity of God’s creation beyond black and white. So, for example, this summer my kids and I cooked dishes from various countries, listened to their music and learned about their history and culture. That was just a simple way to introduce them to a variety of cultures and people groups. (I cooked an Ethiopian dish called, doro wat. Delicious! Give it a try!). We also make sure to engage our neighbors who are from various backgrounds and countries.

Swartz: What are some ways parents can mark off moments—holidays, anniversaries, news stories—to talk about race? 

Newbell: You know, this is an interesting question for me. I love that we have a month designated to black history, and yet I also cringe that we have to have a month like this. I believe wholeheartedly that we should be learning about various cultures and people throughout the year. But it’s hard to nail down dates unless we focus solely on teaching our kids about black culture. I have a conviction and desire for our kids to be exposed to as many cultures and people as possible. So, I could say that dates on the calendar like Black History Month, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday, etc. are where we should focus, but I think that’s too narrow. Yes, use those various and significant dates to teach your kids about history and culture. Please! But don’t limit it to just those dates—every day is a good day to teach our children about others.

Swartz: What/who are some good resources in the discussion and ministry of racial reconciliation? 

Newbell: I think that parents need to be equipped to teach children. In other words, I don’t necessarily have many resources for kids, but I do have a few for adults. Some that come to mind are: The Front Porch site, the Reformed African American Network, the resources at ERLC.com, The Gospel for Life: Racial Reconciliation, edited by Russell Moore and Andrew Walker. And, if I may, I would also recommend my book United: Captured by God’s Vision for Diversity. There are many more, but this is a good start.

To read the full roundtable article and check out the rest of the magazine, download the newest issue of Light Magazine here.

Trillia Newbell

Trillia Newbell is the author of several books including A Great Cloud of Witnesses, Sacred Endurance, If God Is For Us, Fear and Faith,and the children’s books, Creative God, Colorful Us and  God’s Very Good Idea. When she isn’t writing, she’s encouraging and supporting other writers as an Acquisitions Editor at Moody … Read More

Article 12: The Future of AI

We affirm that AI will continue to be developed in ways that we cannot currently imagine or understand, including AI that will far surpass many human abilities. God alone has the power to create life, and no future advancements in AI will usurp Him as the Creator of life. The church has a unique role in proclaiming human dignity for all and calling for the humane use of AI in all aspects of society.

We deny that AI will make us more or less human, or that AI will ever obtain a coequal level of worth, dignity, or value to image-bearers. Future advancements in AI will not ultimately fulfill our longings for a perfect world. While we are not able to comprehend or know the future, we do not fear what is to come because we know that God is omniscient and that nothing we create will be able to thwart His redemptive plan for creation or to supplant humanity as His image-bearers.

Genesis 1; Isaiah 42:8; Romans 1:20-21; 5:2; Ephesians 1:4-6; 2 Timothy 1:7-9; Revelation 5:9-10

Article 11: Public Policy

We affirm that the fundamental purposes of government are to protect human beings from harm, punish those who do evil, uphold civil liberties, and to commend those who do good. The public has a role in shaping and crafting policies concerning the use of AI in society, and these decisions should not be left to those who develop these technologies or to governments to set norms.

We deny that AI should be used by governments, corporations, or any entity to infringe upon God-given human rights. AI, even in a highly advanced state, should never be delegated the governing authority that has been granted by an all-sovereign God to human beings alone. 

Romans 13:1-7; Acts 10:35; 1 Peter 2:13-14

Article 10: War

We affirm that the use of AI in warfare should be governed by love of neighbor and the principles of just war. The use of AI may mitigate the loss of human life, provide greater protection of non-combatants, and inform better policymaking. Any lethal action conducted or substantially enabled by AI must employ 5 human oversight or review. All defense-related AI applications, such as underlying data and decision-making processes, must be subject to continual review by legitimate authorities. When these systems are deployed, human agents bear full moral responsibility for any actions taken by the system.

We deny that human agency or moral culpability in war can be delegated to AI. No nation or group has the right to use AI to carry out genocide, terrorism, torture, or other war crimes.

Genesis 4:10; Isaiah 1:16-17; Psalm 37:28; Matthew 5:44; 22:37-39; Romans 13:4

Article 9: Security

We affirm that AI has legitimate applications in policing, intelligence, surveillance, investigation, and other uses supporting the government’s responsibility to respect human rights, to protect and preserve human life, and to pursue justice in a flourishing society.

We deny that AI should be employed for safety and security applications in ways that seek to dehumanize, depersonalize, or harm our fellow human beings. We condemn the use of AI to suppress free expression or other basic human rights granted by God to all human beings.

Romans 13:1-7; 1 Peter 2:13-14

Article 8: Data & Privacy

We affirm that privacy and personal property are intertwined individual rights and choices that should not be violated by governments, corporations, nation-states, and other groups, even in the pursuit of the common good. While God knows all things, it is neither wise nor obligatory to have every detail of one’s life open to society.

We deny the manipulative and coercive uses of data and AI in ways that are inconsistent with the love of God and love of neighbor. Data collection practices should conform to ethical guidelines that uphold the dignity of all people. We further deny that consent, even informed consent, although requisite, is the only necessary ethical standard for the collection, manipulation, or exploitation of personal data—individually or in the aggregate. AI should not be employed in ways that distort truth through the use of generative applications. Data should not be mishandled, misused, or abused for sinful purposes to reinforce bias, strengthen the powerful, or demean the weak.

Exodus 20:15, Psalm 147:5; Isaiah 40:13-14; Matthew 10:16 Galatians 6:2; Hebrews 4:12-13; 1 John 1:7 

Article 7: Work

We affirm that work is part of God’s plan for human beings participating in the cultivation and stewardship of creation. The divine pattern is one of labor and rest in healthy proportion to each other. Our view of work should not be confined to commercial activity; it must also include the many ways that human beings serve each other through their efforts. AI can be used in ways that aid our work or allow us to make fuller use of our gifts. The church has a Spirit-empowered responsibility to help care for those who lose jobs and to encourage individuals, communities, employers, and governments to find ways to invest in the development of human beings and continue making vocational contributions to our lives together.

We deny that human worth and dignity is reducible to an individual’s economic contributions to society alone. Humanity should not use AI and other technological innovations as a reason to move toward lives of pure leisure even if greater social wealth creates such possibilities.

Genesis 1:27; 2:5; 2:15; Isaiah 65:21-24; Romans 12:6-8; Ephesians 4:11-16

Article 6: Sexuality

We affirm the goodness of God’s design for human sexuality which prescribes the sexual union to be an exclusive relationship between a man and a woman in the lifelong covenant of marriage.

We deny that the pursuit of sexual pleasure is a justification for the development or use of AI, and we condemn the objectification of humans that results from employing AI for sexual purposes. AI should not intrude upon or substitute for the biblical expression of sexuality between a husband and wife according to God’s design for human marriage.

Genesis 1:26-29; 2:18-25; Matthew 5:27-30; 1 Thess 4:3-4

Article 5: Bias

We affirm that, as a tool created by humans, AI will be inherently subject to bias and that these biases must be accounted for, minimized, or removed through continual human oversight and discretion. AI should be designed and used in such ways that treat all human beings as having equal worth and dignity. AI should be utilized as a tool to identify and eliminate bias inherent in human decision-making.

We deny that AI should be designed or used in ways that violate the fundamental principle of human dignity for all people. Neither should AI be used in ways that reinforce or further any ideology or agenda, seeking to subjugate human autonomy under the power of the state.

Micah 6:8; John 13:34; Galatians 3:28-29; 5:13-14; Philippians 2:3-4; Romans 12:10

Article 4: Medicine

We affirm that AI-related advances in medical technologies are expressions of God’s common grace through and for people created in His image and that these advances will increase our capacity to provide enhanced medical diagnostics and therapeutic interventions as we seek to care for all people. These advances should be guided by basic principles of medical ethics, including beneficence, non-maleficence, autonomy, and justice, which are all consistent with the biblical principle of loving our neighbor.

We deny that death and disease—effects of the Fall—can ultimately be eradicated apart from Jesus Christ. Utilitarian applications regarding healthcare distribution should not override the dignity of human life. Fur- 3 thermore, we reject the materialist and consequentialist worldview that understands medical applications of AI as a means of improving, changing, or completing human beings.

Matthew 5:45; John 11:25-26; 1 Corinthians 15:55-57; Galatians 6:2; Philippians 2:4

Article 3: Relationship of AI & Humanity

We affirm the use of AI to inform and aid human reasoning and moral decision-making because it is a tool that excels at processing data and making determinations, which often mimics or exceeds human ability. While AI excels in data-based computation, technology is incapable of possessing the capacity for moral agency or responsibility.

We deny that humans can or should cede our moral accountability or responsibilities to any form of AI that will ever be created. Only humanity will be judged by God on the basis of our actions and that of the tools we create. While technology can be created with a moral use in view, it is not a moral agent. Humans alone bear the responsibility for moral decision making.

Romans 2:6-8; Galatians 5:19-21; 2 Peter 1:5-8; 1 John 2:1

Article 2: AI as Technology

We affirm that the development of AI is a demonstration of the unique creative abilities of human beings. When AI is employed in accordance with God’s moral will, it is an example of man’s obedience to the divine command to steward creation and to honor Him. We believe in innovation for the glory of God, the sake of human flourishing, and the love of neighbor. While we acknowledge the reality of the Fall and its consequences on human nature and human innovation, technology can be used in society to uphold human dignity. As a part of our God-given creative nature, human beings should develop and harness technology in ways that lead to greater flourishing and the alleviation of human suffering.

We deny that the use of AI is morally neutral. It is not worthy of man’s hope, worship, or love. Since the Lord Jesus alone can atone for sin and reconcile humanity to its Creator, technology such as AI cannot fulfill humanity’s ultimate needs. We further deny the goodness and benefit of any application of AI that devalues or degrades the dignity and worth of another human being. 

Genesis 2:25; Exodus 20:3; 31:1-11; Proverbs 16:4; Matthew 22:37-40; Romans 3:23

Article 1: Image of God

We affirm that God created each human being in His image with intrinsic and equal worth, dignity, and moral agency, distinct from all creation, and that humanity’s creativity is intended to reflect God’s creative pattern.

We deny that any part of creation, including any form of technology, should ever be used to usurp or subvert the dominion and stewardship which has been entrusted solely to humanity by God; nor should technology be assigned a level of human identity, worth, dignity, or moral agency.

Genesis 1:26-28; 5:1-2; Isaiah 43:6-7; Jeremiah 1:5; John 13:34; Colossians 1:16; 3:10; Ephesians 4:24