White Christians created racial categories to soothe guilt over slavery and genocide

Evidence

First, Anthea Butler and Jemar Tisby—both historians of race and Christianity—show that white Christians and white Christian communities were intimately involved in the creation of racial categories from the earliest moments of American history, contending that “white = good and Christian,” while “nonwhite or Black = bad and heathen.” Such theological work was necessary to assuage guilt or doubts that white colonists (and later Americans) might have for enslaving Africans or committing genocide against Native Americans. Rather, the Christian God was seen to have smiled on their efforts to create a new world. — Andrew L. Whitehead, American Idolatry, 145

Categorization

• XREF: Connects to the broader literature on race as ideology masking material exploitation — resonates with Robinson’s claims about racial ideology rationalizing pre-existing power. — connects to: Theology justified slavery and genocide by marking whiteness as Christian — Andrew L. Whitehead, American Idolatry, 145; White Christianity’s function was protecting white racial innocence — Robert P. Jones, White Too Long: The Legacy of White…, 69; Religious blessing of slavery severed white Christians’ natural moral restraint — Robert P. Jones, White Too Long: The Legacy of White…, 251 (+2 more)
• QUESTION: Worth chasing: how exactly did particular colonial theologians articulate ‘white = good and Christian’ — who were the key figures and texts?

Broader Connections

• White Christianity’s function was protecting white racial innocence #expands (0.85) — Robert P. Jones, White Too Long, 69
• Theology justified slavery and genocide by marking whiteness as Christian #expands (0.78) — Andrew L. Whitehead, American Idolatry, 145
• Religious blessing of slavery severed white Christians’ natural moral restraint #expands (0.76) — Robert P. Jones, White Too Long, 251
• White supremacy deflects blame from Christianity onto culture when exposed #expands (0.74) — Robert P. Jones, White Too Long, 70
• Slave codes invented white racial identity as a unifying political category #qualifies (0.72) — Nikole Hannah-Jones et al., The 1619 Project, 112