In light of yesterday’s post:

This is a perfect place to talk about the idea of systemic evil. “Systemic evil” = a system of people, systems, laws, rules, practices, etc., that harms people, that promotes evil ends.

Systemic evil exists in our world today. Examples are the abortion industry, human trafficking and the porn industry, much of the trans agenda, etc. Christians should stand up against those systems while loving and blessing the people involved; this is a difficult but necessary balance to pursue.

But why do we believe in systemic evil in some cases–issues regarding sexuality, systems that seek to marginalize Christians’ voices–and refuse to believe in it in other cases?

After the US Civil War, systems arose, some legal, others civil (I’m not sure “civil” is the best term) that kept black Americans from enjoying their full rights as citizens. I believe that those legal systems have been dismantled and done away with, by and large.

But fixing the civil systems has taken much longer. As part of civil rights legislation, a compromise was made, with the support of southern Democrats, to allow southern states to determine how the laws were applied in their states.

For example:

• Redlining is officially outlawed but still an unofficial practice in mortgage lending in some places; see the Wells Fargo in St Louis, the Ameris settlement in Jacksonville FL in 2023, etc. Redlining keeps black Americans from buying real estate in “protected” neighborhoods. Black Americans who apply for mortgages in these areas find their applications for mortgages etc. turned down, even though they qualify in every other way.
• The GI Bill gave veterans money for college and preferential access to loans to purchase houses, but did not require that colleges accept black students or that lenders approve mortgages. And in some states (the examples I have seen were from New Jersey), the vast majority of black veterans who applied for mortgages were turned down, while applications from white veterans with equal qualifications were approved.

Please correct me if I’m wrong about these examples. I welcome more information here.

But assume I’m right for the moment. If I’m right:

In a country where home ownership is the primary path to building wealth, a system that closes the door (or partially closes the door) to home ownership based on race is an incontrovertible example of systemic evil.

We (American Christians) are quick to believe in a system that’s out to get us. We BELIEVE in systemic evil.

How then can we refuse to consider the existence of such a system that supports racism?

If I’m right about these examples, this is clearly part of what Paul has in mind in Ephesians 6.12, a system of laws & practices & individuals in authority who together act to maintain unequal outcomes based on race.