In this reflection, Bishop Rosemarie Mallett calls us back to our shared identity in Christ amidst a world fractured by racism. Drawing on Galatians and Dr King’s legacy, she urges persistent, hope-filled action for justice rooted in grace. She challenges us to reject divisiveness and embrace the truth that racial justice is God’s justice.
As I write this reflection, the freshness of the New Year is sadly fast waning, but the challenges that it has brought appear to be waxing, and the world feels even more fragile and fractious than last year. The whole world feels like it is being shaken to its core.
They know not, neither will they understand; they walk on in darkness: all the foundations of the earth are out of course.
Psalm 82:5
The challenge that looms large for many at the macro level is the threat of the collapse of the world order as we know it, and more locally in our country the tearing of the social fabric that binds communities, through increasing levels of bigotry and racial and ethnic exclusion being promoted in the way migration, identity, belonging, and nationhood are discussed. Relationships between countries, and between ethnic and religious groups, are being deliberately destabilised, and pertinent to this fracturing of relationships is the perniciousness of racism.
Marking an anniversary, renewing a call
In February, we will mark the 30th anniversary of Racial Justice Sunday, and this gives an opportunity for us to refresh our understanding of the importance of racial justice for peace and reconciliation in our world, to renew our call to rediscover our shared identity in Christ, and to reject the divisiveness that some on the political far right would wish to promote.
This divisiveness also includes the way in which, in recent months, the far-right political movement, led by figures such as Steven Yaxley-Lennon (aka Tommy Robinson), has used overt Christian symbolism on platforms and marches while preaching that the United Kingdom belongs to “native Britons”, and using the language of a Christian nation to justify exclusion, racism, and Islamophobia. Such actions and language generate both theological and social tension.
Scripture and racial justice
The defining text for racial justice in Galatians is summed up in Galatians 3:28:
There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
Galatians 3:28
It is absolutely clear that the biblical theology expressed in the letter to the Galatians directly opposes the Unite the Kingdom movement’s focus on ethnic and national selection. The central argument of Galatians is that no one is made right with God by “works of the law” but solely by grace. Because salvation is a gift, no race or ethnic group can claim superiority or “preference” from God.
The cross is a sign of sacrifice for the “other”, not a tribal marker. Using the cross to promote “ethnic exclusivity” is a direct offence against God and the way of Christ. Treating one race as superior and another as inferior is a “Christological heresy” because it suggests that Christ’s blood was not sufficient to bind all humanity together.
Justice as a gospel issue
It always intrigues me when “people” (that ubiquitous term that can mean anyone and everyone) want to dismiss work on racial justice by indicating that those who work on this issue are pursuing a secular political agenda. It is essential to understand that justice is not just a legalistic concept but a divine principle that permeates our actions and attitudes.
It should go without saying that racism is a gospel issue, for those who posit or display racist attitudes and behaviour contradict the work of Christ and God’s unwavering commitment to justice. God calls us to “act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with Him.” Advocating for justice means ensuring fairness, equality, and equity in all our communities.
Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
Galatians 6:9
This is not just a spiritual sentiment but a fact of being, for if you are in Christ, you are called to oppose systems of oppression that divide people into racialised categories, as lesser or higher, of insiders and outsiders.
Paul does not deny the existence of different races or cultures, but rather he insists they no longer determine a person’s standing before God. In the “new creation” (Galatians 6:15), these distinctions are celebrated rather than used as tools for division.
Learning from Galatians
If we look back at Galatians 2:11–14, we see that Paul rebukes Peter for withdrawing from eating with Gentile (non-Jewish) believers. Paul’s critique of Peter is that his behaviour was “not in step with the truth of the gospel”.
For Paul, this distinction being drawn by Peter indicates racial prejudice, which he sees as a form of hypocrisy that denies the sufficiency of Christ’s sacrifice for all. Peter’s withdrawal was rooted in a fear of his own ethnic group’s opinions. We all need to confront the social or political fears that prevent us from pursuing genuine racial reconciliation, and instead promote a message of hope and solidarity against division.
The gospel transcends borders and includes people from every nation and tribe.
Undaunted hope
2026 is also a milestone year for Martin Luther King Jr Day (MLK) in the USA, marking 40 years since its observance as a federal holiday. One of the themes for this year’s MLK Day is Undaunted Hope. It remains a holiday despite the rollback of various Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programmes.
The legacy of Dr King continues to serve as a source of undaunted hope in the ongoing pursuit of racial justice. Racial justice is God’s justice, and the Bible assures us that one day God will establish ultimate justice. King’s work emphasises that the “arc of the moral universe” does not bend toward justice on its own; it requires individuals to actively bend it through personal integrity and collective action.
Dr King’s vision of hope was not passive; it was a blueprint for active “new beginnings”. As he said, “the time is always right to do what is right.” We can’t solve all the injustices in the world, but we can act in our local context to help change the lives of the most vulnerable members of our community.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
Matthew 5:6
