Ethnic narcissism: Hidden danger in modern church culture

Ethnic narcissism has infiltrated modern church culture, and it’s much more insidious than those who embody or celebrate it seem to understand.

“I think we can celebrate our differences, but when you’re talking amongst the brethren, we don’t need to ignore our ethnic differences, but we also don’t need to elevate them to a level of what I would call ethnic idolatry or narcissism — ethnic narcissism,” Christian content creator April Chapman tells BlazeTV host Allie Beth Stuckey on “Relatable.”

Chapman explains that “ethnic narcissism” is where you view the world through an ethnic lens.

“Why are you looking at the world in that way? That is something that the pagans do, the unbeliever, because they don’t have an identity that’s hidden in Christ. They don’t have their sins atoned for,” she says.

While we can acknowledge that we’re different, Chapman explains, elevating something like race to “an unhealthy level” where “we’re now levying charges of sin against others who look different than us” is not right — and Stuckey wholeheartedly agrees.

“I just remember seeing this a lot in 2020 from the pulpit. There was one message of guilt that was given to white congregants and one message that was given to black congregants, and that message was one of alleviating any responsibility for anything at all that they themselves have done,” Stuckey recalls.

“And then for the white congregants, it wasn’t only responsibility for what you have done, but also, you should feel some level of shame and guilt for what some people — not even related to you, but that kind of maybe looked like you — 200 years ago did,” she continues.

“I just thought, okay, I don’t see a biblical basis for that, especially when we’re talking about justice, which is inherently supposed to be blind,” she adds.

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