Spiritual Formation & White Racial Identity Development

Spiritual director and story coach, TJ Poon, sits down with
Rachael Clinton Chen to explore the intersection of spiritual
formation and White racial identity development. 


We’ll begin by saying that we are approaching this conversation
with a deep sense of responsibility and humility, honoring the
voices of people of color who have led the way and are aware that
two White people are not experts on racism. This is a complex
topic and there will be missteps. Even when the conversations are
difficult, we at the Allender Center know that the realities of
racism and White supremacy cannot be ignored, and we are
committed to holding a space to engage them.


In today’s episode, TJ and Rachael consider how White-bodied
people understand their stories, how their stories and spiritual
formation have been influenced by systems of Whiteness, and the
challenge of feeling anchored and connected to family histories.
They also acknowledge that on this journey of personal and
collective healing, White people will inevitably need to confront
anxiety, shame, and humiliation in their pursuit of restoration,
with a commitment to what TJ calls “joyful anti-racist action.”


We hope you’ll join us in this conversation with curiosity,
compassion, and courage, understanding that ongoing dialogue,
learning, and formation are vital to our work with trauma on
behalf of the kingdom of God.


We invite you to also listen to:




Racial Trauma and White Supremacy




Becoming an Anti-Racist, Part One




Becoming an Anti-Racist, Part Two




The Violence of Marginalization