My latest thoughts on
faith, family, disability,
privilege, and healing
Rectifying Educational Injustice: My Bumbling Journey
In mid-April, the disparity between my kids’ experience of education and the kids in neighboring towns and cities began to feel unconscionable. Yes, the pandemic
S3 E8 | Equality, Equity, and Education with Subira Gordon
What is the difference between equality and equity and how does that affect education? Subira Gordan, executive director of ConnCAN, talks with Amy Julia about
Love for a Thousand Generations
“For a thousand generations…” There’s this phrase that comes up a lot in the Old Testament. It’s a promise, or maybe, even more, a declaration—that
S3 E7 | Conversations About Whiteness with Cara Meredith
How does “color blindness” actually enable blindness to racism and the system of whiteness? Cara Meredith, author of The Color of Life: A Journey Toward
AJB Recommends: Breaking Ground
There’s an embarrassment of riches on the new website Breaking Ground. This site has a threefold purpose: to learn from the past to see what
S3 E6 | Now Is the Time for Justice with Jemar Tisby
How do we find hope, particularly in white American churches, when our history and identity is intertwined with racism? How does knowing who we were—and
In Honor of John Lewis
Civil Rights activist and longtime Congressional Representative John Lewis died earlier this week. His life was a testimony to the power of love. For anyone
Forgiveness, Racial Healing, and Justice
What role does forgiveness play in the work of racial healing and justice? On my podcast this week, I am replaying an interview with my
S3 E5 | Why I Wrote White Picket Fences
When it comes to the enduring legacy of racism, what place is there for forgiveness, humility, and healing? On today’s episode, Amy Julia’s friend Niro
AJB Recommends: Resources About Antiracism, the Enneagram, and Church in the 1960s
#Blacklivesmatter. Cancel culture. Free speech. Antiracism. Marxism. Classical liberalism. Democracy. These are the ideas, words, themes that have been swirling in my brain for the
What Should We Do About Segregated Sunday Mornings?
The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. famously said that 11 a.m. on Sunday morning was “the most segregated hour of the week” across the
S3 E4 | Challenging Comfort, Acknowledging Power, and Using Privilege with Natasha Robinson
Natasha Sistrunk Robinson began her career as a United States Marine and later worked in the Department of Homeland Security. She is now an author,
Continuing the Conversation: Penny and Black Lives Matter
In this week’s podcast, I interviewed all three of our kids about their experiences over the past few years of reading diverse books, traveling to museums
Continuing the Conversation: William and Growing Up to Be a White Man
In this week’s podcast, I interviewed all three of our kids about their experiences over the past few years of reading diverse books, traveling to museums
Continuing the Conversation: Marilee and Ruby Bridges
In this week’s podcast, I interviewed all three of our kids about their experiences over the past few years of reading diverse books, traveling to
S3 Bonus | Talking with Our Kids About Race, Justice, Love, and Privilege
How do we talk with kids about race, justice, and privilege? In this follow up to last week’s interview with Patricia Raybon, Amy Julia interviews
Christianity Today Essays: Racial Healing Within the Church
Six years ago, I decided to run a series of essays on my blog at Christianity Today about racial reconciliation and healing within the church.
AJB Recommends: Reckoning with Our American Identity
As Americans across the nation gather (or don’t gather, as we are in a time of global pandemic!) to celebrate the 4th of July, many
The Radical Generosity of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Hamilton
Tonight at 7pm EST, Disney Plus will release a film version of the megahit Broadway musical Hamilton. Our whole family will gather in our playroom
Uncomfortable, Beautiful, Disruptive Change
Institutions change slowly. Individuals change slowly. If I change my diet and exercise patterns, it takes weeks for that change to register on a scale.
A Black Lady Talks to a White Cop
“A black lady talks to a white cop.” That was the title of the essay Patricia Raybon wrote as a guest author on my blog
S3 E3 | Our Different Stories Divide Us with Patricia Raybon
How do white parents talk with their children about race and racism? Why do white evangelical and Black Christians seem so socially and politically divided?
Five Next Steps Toward Racial Healing
I resisted offering “action items” for white people (like me) who wanted to DO something about injustice and inequity in our nation for a long
S3 E2 | Living into the Really Real with Micha Boyett
How can we talk about race and disability without conflating the two? How can white, able-bodied, neurotypical people enter into this conversation? What is the
The Difference Between White Fragility and Vulnerability
Robin DiAngelo’s book White Fragility has soared to the top of the non-fiction bestseller list. If you haven’t heard of it before, here’s a podcast
Penny Heads to High School
This week we celebrated the end of Penny’s years in middle school with a car parade through campus, a dinner out—for the first time in
I Didn’t Know About Juneteenth…
I started hearing and learning about Juneteenth a few years ago as a holiday where African Americans celebrated emancipation from slavery. I was a white
Privilege, Monuments, and Healing
Twenty-one years ago, I moved to Monument Avenue, in Richmond, Virginia. The monuments that line the center of this thoroughfare that connects downtown Richmond to
S3 E1 | Waking Up to Privilege with David Bailey
Race, class, and the kingdom of God all come up in this conversation between Amy Julia and David Bailey, Director of Arrabon, a ministry to
Using My Head, My Heart, and My Hands to Consider Defunding the Police
Defunding the police? Support and thank the police? Criticize the police? Commend the police? There’s a long list of names of Black men and women
