Before continuing along this journey of scratching at the surface of addressing the need for a liberating white theology such as Ruby Sales identifies, we must first work through the awareness of European-American history and its impact — both positive and negative — upon America, our families and ourselves.

Working through this awareness cannot be accomplished solely in the head using our intellect for purposes of shame and blame of the actions and beliefs of our ancestors, our family members, our friends, or even perhaps ourselves. Rather, it’s a reflective examination of conscience that weighs heavy on the heart, opening our hearts to acknowledging the hurt, destruction and darkness inflicted by such thoughts, beliefs and actions.

As we move from head to heart, from awareness to acknowledgement, our hearts open, our understanding opens and we begin to look back at our theological history and see that much of America’s theological history was founded on Puritan theology and thought where only the elect few were saved by God in his infinite mercy.

Perhaps it was that position of God’s Grace only shining upon the “elect few” that formed most of our white European history.

What was the criterion that made you a member or that elect few? Was it solely race? Solely class? Solely moral judgment against those who didn’t believe the way they did? Solely faith?

John 3:16 may have became the foundation stone verse for their understanding of salvation and redemption into that elect class for the few. But they did so with little consideration of John 3:17:

For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.