Theologian: Bible, theology, Church, society and art permeated by racism

Theologian: combatting of racism is lacking in theology and Church

Colonialism may be history, but racism lives on in society and the church – this is demonstrated by Marita Anna Wagner's research on anti-racist theologies. In an interview, she also criticizes the term "native-language communities."

Western societies often see themselves as enlightened and tolerant. Racism and colonialism seem to be a thing of the past – including with regard to the church. Anti-racist theologies demonstrate that this is not the case. In an interview theologian Marita Anna Wagner explains what this means and where racism is still widespread in the church and society today. She is pursuing her doctorate at Paris Lodron University in Salzburg on decolonial and anti-racist approaches to theological knowledge production. She is currently researching these perspectives at the University of Cape Town in South Africa.

Question: Ms. Wagner, what is anti-racist theology?

Wagner: First, we need to clarify what racism is. The term refers not only to personal misconduct, but also to structures deeply rooted in our society. It categorizes people based on external characteristics such as skin color or origin and assigns them unequal value. This idea of hierarchy became particularly sophisticated during colonialism and has shaped us for over 500 years. Unfortunately, it didn't simply disappear because colonialism was formally abolished. Particularly fatal: In addition to conscious, overt racism, there are also unconscious, subversive forms: People with foreign names often have a harder time finding housing or on the job market. When applying for a job, language skills in English and Spanish are considered socially valuable, unlike Turkish or Arabic, which are often interpreted as an indication of difficulty integrating. There are clear hierarchies of which we must be aware. Not to denounce individuals as morally reprehensible, but to recognize that we live in a racist social system that shapes us from birth.

Question: And what is anti-racist theology?

Wagner: Anti-racist theologies question theological teachings, church structures, and biblical interpretations with regard to racist thought and power patterns. They analyze how theology has historically contributed to the legitimisation of racism and advocate for a just, inclusive practice of faith. The focus is on the perspective of people who experience racism and the demand for a theology that actively opposes racist structures. Even today, white-Western theology dominates, and other theologies are usually considered complementary. It was only during my study stay in Pretoria that I became aware that, in addition to Western-influenced theology, there are other schools of thought, for example, in Africa or Asia. That's why it's so important to speak of theologies in the plural and not just of one theology in the singular. During my studies in Germany, this gap was often not addressed. Instead, I attended lectures on Kant and Hegel without any mention of the fact that both were also co-founders of racial theory. So it's no wonder that racist thinking persists – even among those affected by colonial racism. A Black college friend in Pretoria once asked me to mediate in a community conflict because, as a white person, I was perceived as a theological authority. This shows how deeply such thought patterns persist. It takes a conscious effort to break through them.

Question: Where does racism still exist, for example, in the Bible and church art?

Wagner: One example is the white depictions of Jesus. Even here in Cape Town, despite intensive searching, I haven't found a church with a Black depiction of Jesus. White figures of Jesus are dominant all over the world. Yet Jesus wasn't white. The Bible also served as a justification for subjugating local societies in colonialism. The story of the conquest of Canaan, for example, comes from the Book of Joshua in the Old Testament. The people of Israel entered the Promised Land. European settlers and missionaries saw themselves as this chosen people. The supposedly backward and godless local population was disenfranchised and dispossessed. This reverberates to this day: 87 percent of land in South Africa is in white hands. The new myth of a white genocide in South Africa is thus a complete reversal of perpetrator and victim.

Question: How do the Protestant and Catholic churches compare? Which is further ahead in developing anti-racist theologies?

Wagner: Critical voices of racism have so far mostly been isolated voices – a systematic review in theology and the church is lacking. The Evangelical Church in Germany (EKD) has gone one step further in its historical review: It has acknowledged its role in the genocide of the Herero and Nama (1904–1908), asked for forgiveness, and initiated joint memorial sites. A comparable debate has so far been lacking on the Catholic side. I also see a need to catch up in both churches regarding the definition of racism: It is often reduced to right-wing extremism, which renders many forms of racism invisible. One example is the 2024 declaration of the German Bishops' Conference on ethnic nationalism. It also requires more than moral appeals—we must talk about genuine structural change.

"Critical thinking about racism must not be an appendix to Western theology. It should be a transversal, cross-sectional perspective that permeates all areas of theology."— Quote: Marita Anna Wagner

Question: How do you assess the German Catholic Prize against Xenophobia and Racism, which has been awarded every two years since 2015?

Wagner: The prize is certainly well-intentioned. But there is a risk that it will honor the commitment of individuals instead of understanding racism as a systemic-structural challenge. Furthermore, so far, it has primarily been awarded to white people. In this way, such prizes can have a system-stabilizing effect. It would be more important for the church to more consistently identify its own gaps. Initial steps are already being taken: aid organizations are beginning to question whether their partnership work is truly conducted face-to-face. There are specialist conferences on the topic. But even there, we mostly see white participants who talk about racism without truly including people who experience racism.

Question: But there is close cooperation and exchange with partners from the global church...

Wagner: The term "global church" means "all-encompassing," but is often used as a distinguishing feature. We are referring to the global South. People who come to us are thus seen more as support staff than as an integral part of the church. They are met with a well-meaning attitude of Christian charity, which once again threatens to become paternalistic. White colonial superiority still persists there – which is why discrimination-sensitive workshops and training courses need to be promoted. "Intercultural" services are often organized by white pastoral staff who ultimately don't attend. The term "native-language congregations" is also a foreign term, coined from outside and not originating from these congregations themselves. It reflects a structurally asymmetrical relationship with the local German church.

Question: Should anti-racist theology become a separate theological discipline?

Wagner: Making anti-racist theologies a separate discipline would mean outsourcing them – engaging with them would remain voluntary. But anti-racist thinking must not be an appendix to Western theology. It should be a transversal, cross-sectional perspective that permeates all areas of theology – from biblical studies to systematic theology. After all, anti-racist engagement is, in fact, the very essence of our Christian and theological message.

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