Helpful or Hurtful—How Practicing Christians View Race’s Impact on Their Lives

When it comes to “getting ahead” in life, do practicing Christians think of their race as something that has helped or hindered them?

This article features recent data from Beyond Diversity, a study conducted in partnership with Dr. Michael O. Emerson and the Racial Justice and Unity Center, exploring whether or not practicing Christians from various racial backgrounds think their race offers them an advantage in life, as well as how they feel when the term “white privilege” is mentioned.

Over One-Third of White Practicing Christians Says Their Race Has Given Them an Advantage
Recent research from Beyond Diversity shows that white practicing Christians are generally hesitant to think about their own race, hesitant to say racial minorities face discrimination—and, likewise, they are hesitant to say that being white gives them a boost.

Meanwhile, Black practicing Christians are the most likely racial group to acknowledge a disadvantage due to their race. In fact, the proportion of Black practicing Christians who say being Black has hurt their ability to get ahead (39%) roughly equals that of white practicing Christians who perceive their race has helped them (36%). Though Hispanic practicing Christians are the minority group most likely to report some advantage, 28 percent still acknowledge some obstacles due to their racial identity. For the most part, Asian practicing Christians have no strong feeling on the topic; 51 percent say being Asian has neither hurt nor helped them in life.

Just over one-third of white practicing Christians (36%) says their race has given them advantages. Only 5 percent say that being white negatively impacts their ability to get ahead. The next lowest figure on this side of the scale is among Asian Christians, 21 percent of whom say that being Asian holds them back at least a little bit.

As in other points of the Beyond Diversity study, among white practicing Christians, younger generations are more likely to say being white gives them some ability to get ahead. One in four white practicing Christian Millennials (25%) says their race has helped them “a lot.” Though the white practicing Christian Gen Z segment is too small to report on here, the early pattern in their responses suggests they strongly feel the same as Millennials. Gen X and Boomers are largely neutral on whether this advantage exists.

Anger Noted as Top Emotion When “White Privilege” Is Mentioned
Though the term “white privilege” is now relatively mainstream, it provokes mixed feelings in respondents. Black and Hispanic Christians experience anger over white privilege, a feeling both this survey and focus groups suggest is tied to fear, powerlessness or frustration that unfairness exists. Meanwhile, white practicing Christians also express anger, but this relates to feeling judged or sad over this reference to their potential privilege; nearly one-third selects each of these emotions, respectively. In focus groups conducted for this study, some white adults felt confused or upset about “reverse racism” when white privilege is brought up.

Overall, most white participants are reluctant to agree they have received greater opportunity because of the color of their skin. Interestingly, this is the case even if they acknowledge the inverse, that Black, Hispanic or Asian people are treated in a negative way because of their racial identity.