Many white Americans approach racism as an age-old human problem that history has never been able to surmount. In this course, Dr. Ivy Forsythe Brown and the Rev. Dr. Thomas Ferguson show us that on the contrary, while hostility to the Other has been a problem throughout human history, racism began with the transatlantic slave trade. Racism is a human construct -- and not even a very old one -- developed specifically for the purpose of oppression.

The bad news: our culture has allowed this construct to drive most of our social systems, from politics to housing to healthcare. Racism is interwoven into most of what we have done and built as a society -- including our churches.

The good news: since racism is a human construct rather than a failing of human nature, we can deconstruct it. We can remove it from our communities and build better ones. And that is exactly what Christ calls us to do, in our societies and in our churches.

Designed for study over a period of six weeks, this curriculum teaches participants how systemic racism has been integrated into U.S. culture from the very beginning and the Episcopal Church’s history of active participation in systemic racism. It offers clear guidance on learning from this history and building toward what Presiding Bishop Michael Curry describes as “the Beloved Community of God.”

The curriculum centers on six video sessions, each roughly 25 minutes long. They include:

Race, Privilege, and Beloved Community
Building a Firm Foundation
Systemic Racism in the U.S.
Race and the Episcopal Church
Racial Reconciliation and Personal Empowerment
Actively Building Beloved Community

The course is funded by the grants from the Episcopal Church’s Presiding Officers’ Advisory Council on Becoming Beloved Community and the Diocese of Michigan.

For Groups

This course is designed for group study. We've formatted the material so that you can begin at the next step - then pause at the end of each video lecture and talk about what you've learned. Pick and choose the videos you want or proceed in the sequence we've designed - your call.

Included are two manuals you may find helpful - a Facilitator's Curriculum Guide and a Participant's Curriculum Guide. Both contain helpful material for your learning, including tips, prayers and discussion questions for each lecture. You may want to print these up and make copies before you proceed. You will notice that each video features a brief introduction, which the leader or someone else might want to read before each lecture.

This course is ideal for anyone with questions about what prayer is and ways to engage it.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long will it take me to complete this course?
It will take an average student about 45 minutes to complete this course. You can pause at any time and come back. You can even re-take lessons. Each course features 3-6 video lectures that are from 5-7 minutes in length. Also included are downloadable MP3s of each lecture.

Who’s teaching this course?
Our instructors come from a variety of traditions, mostly mainline Christianity - Baptist, Episcopal, Methodist, Presbyterian. They meet two criteria: 1) they are well-studied, even experts, in their fields, 2) they offer a moderate viewpoint.

How long will I be able to access the course material?
Those who purchase individual courses (for $10) can access all the course materials for 6 months from the date of purchase. Those who purchase individual subscriptions ($9/mo unlimited) can the course materials for all of our courses as long as their membership is current.

Is this course downloadable?
The Facilitator's Guide is. However, the video lectures are only accessible online. To take the course in a small group, feel free to hook your computer up to a projector or big screen.

Can I cancel my subscription anytime?
You bet. It's easy, look for instructions as well as answers to more questions in our FAQ section.Also, a technical note:Our learning platform works best with certain browsers. If you find yourself running into problems, please go to the Trouble-shooting section of our Frequently Asked Questions section and ensure that the browser you are using is one that works well with our course.

","short_description":"Learn how racism has been a constant, pervasive force in U.S. history and the history of the Episcopal Church. concrete steps we can take to build a better culture going forward.","categories":[],"image":null,"cover_image":"https://cdn.filestackcontent.com/OVUOIa5xQZ6eG004fsEb","thumb":"https://pathwright.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.filestackcontent.com%2Fapi%2Ffile%2FOVUOIa5xQZ6eG004fsEb%3Fsignature%3D888b9ea3eb997a4d59215bfbe2983c636df3c7da0ff8c6f85811ff74c8982e34%26policy%3DeyJjYWxsIjogWyJyZWFkIiwgInN0YXQiLCAiY29udmVydCJdLCAiZXhwaXJ5IjogNDYyMDM3NzAzMX0%253D?dpr=1&fit=crop&h=232&ixlib=python-1.1.0&w=310&s=e071753e153a82ab65b29d7a8c9ebdd2","thumb_2x":"https://pathwright.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.filestackcontent.com%2Fapi%2Ffile%2FOVUOIa5xQZ6eG004fsEb%3Fsignature%3D888b9ea3eb997a4d59215bfbe2983c636df3c7da0ff8c6f85811ff74c8982e34%26policy%3DeyJjYWxsIjogWyJyZWFkIiwgInN0YXQiLCAiY29udmVydCJdLCAiZXhwaXJ5IjogNDYyMDM3NzAzMX0%253D?dpr=2&fit=crop&h=232&ixlib=python-1.1.0&w=310&s=8559da247a70eb00017fb63afc93052b","icon":"https://pathwright.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.filestackcontent.com%2Fapi%2Ffile%2FOVUOIa5xQZ6eG004fsEb%3Fsignature%3D888b9ea3eb997a4d59215bfbe2983c636df3c7da0ff8c6f85811ff74c8982e34%26policy%3DeyJjYWxsIjogWyJyZWFkIiwgInN0YXQiLCAiY29udmVydCJdLCAiZXhwaXJ5IjogNDYyMDM3NzAzMX0%253D?fit=crop&h=35&ixlib=python-1.1.0&w=35&s=bd674625acddba30ca8f6cf11f90efbb","background_image":"https://pathwright.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fpathwright-static-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fdefault-image-set-v1%2Fcover-image-30.png?balph=40&blend=666666&blur=500&bm=screen&fit=max&fm=jpg&high=-80&ixlib=python-1.1.0&q=100&w=1400&s=d61cfd87b1aacce8525c5b48776b1be4","background_overlay":null,"background_image_blurred_cdn":"https://pathwright.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fpathwright-static-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fdefault-image-set-v1%2Fcover-image-30.png?balph=40&blend=666666&blur=500&bm=screen&fit=max&fm=jpg&h=250&high=-80&ixlib=python-1.1.0&q=100&w=250&s=469da9d1441a9e481729dcaecb87c96d","background_type":5,"authors":[],"created":"2022-08-02T14:21:21.565648-04:00","url":"https://dioca.pathwright.com/library/becoming-beloved-community-understanding-systemic-racism-for-groups-only-choose-if-leading-a-small-group-186525/","offering_counts":{},"resource_type":10,"resource_type_display":"Course","slug":"becoming-beloved-community-understanding-systemic-racism-for-groups-only-choose-if-leading-a-small-group-186525","trailer_embed_code":"","list_order":null,"total_registration_count":null,"sum_registration_count":8,"lowest_public_offering_price":null,"highest_public_offering_price":null,"curriculum_offering":null,"num_offerings":1,"visibility_level_override":null,"licensing_enabled":false,"license_offerings":[],"licensed_from_resource":174527,"certificate_generator_class":"","lowest_price_currency_display":null,"highest_price_currency_display":null,"discussion_enabled":true,"licensed_from_school":960,"highest_visibility_level":5,"certificate_json":{}},"offering":{"id":438305,"name":"Group: Becoming Beloved Community: Understanding Systemic Racism For Groups","access_starts":null,"access_ends":null,"enrollment_starts":null,"enrollment_ends":null,"description":"","visibility":5,"price":0.0,"seats":null,"seats_filled":8,"seats_available":-1,"currency_display":"$0","include_in_subscription_plans":[],"include_with_products":[],"is_subscription_only":false,"resource_id":186525,"path_id":5273547,"permissions":{"can_participate":false,"can_access":false,"can_edit":false,"can_edit_resource":false,"can_facilitate":false,"can_view_analytics":false,"can_invite_editor":false,"can_invite_teacher":false,"can_invite_moderator":false,"can_invite_student":false,"can_invite_observer":false},"due_dates_enabled":false,"is_group_offering":false,"step_counts":{},"is_curriculum":false,"url":"/library/becoming-beloved-community-understanding-systemic-racism-for-groups-only-choose-if-leading-a-small-group-186525/438305/","invite_urls":{},"access":{"is_full":false,"has_registration_ended":false,"has_registration_started":true,"has_access_started":true,"has_access_ended":false},"analytics_visibility":5,"resource_license":{"id":63104,"license_offering":{"id":2253,"resource":174527,"display_description":"","cost_per_seat":0.0,"minimum_seat_count":0,"minimum_license_duration":null,"include_in_subscription_plans":[],"include_with_products":[],"include_creator_seat":false,"currency_display_cost_per_seat":"$0","register_creator_as":10,"licensing_mode":2},"resource_offering":{"id":438305,"name":"Group: Becoming Beloved Community: Understanding Systemic Racism For Groups","url":"/library/becoming-beloved-community-understanding-systemic-racism-for-groups-only-choose-if-leading-a-small-group-186525/438305/path/"},"owner":{"id":1522267,"username":"amyc@diocal.org","first_name":"Amy","last_name":"Cook","full_name":"Amy Cook","email":"amyc@diocal.org","profile":{"image":"https://pathwright.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.filestackcontent.com%2Fapi%2Ffile%2FlcZb7qpRhaiL474yOcss%3Fsignature%3D888b9ea3eb997a4d59215bfbe2983c636df3c7da0ff8c6f85811ff74c8982e34%26policy%3DeyJjYWxsIjogWyJyZWFkIiwgInN0YXQiLCAiY29udmVydCJdLCAiZXhwaXJ5IjogNDYyMDM3NzAzMX0%253D?crop=faces&fit=crop&h=600&ixlib=python-1.1.0&w=600&s=d194c1caae164b30c70950cfe04772cf","title":"","bio":"Canon for Faith Formation in the diocese of California, the Episcopal Church in the San Francisco Bay Area","location":"Episcopal Church in the Bay Area, CA","image_thumb":"https://pathwright.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.filestackcontent.com%2Fapi%2Ffile%2FlcZb7qpRhaiL474yOcss%3Fsignature%3D888b9ea3eb997a4d59215bfbe2983c636df3c7da0ff8c6f85811ff74c8982e34%26policy%3DeyJjYWxsIjogWyJyZWFkIiwgInN0YXQiLCAiY29udmVydCJdLCAiZXhwaXJ5IjogNDYyMDM3NzAzMX0%253D?crop=faces&fit=crop&h=250&ixlib=python-1.1.0&w=250&s=e30454af3c5dc8e6f4168d126aba4c1d","image_circle":"https://pathwright.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.filestackcontent.com%2Fapi%2Ffile%2FlcZb7qpRhaiL474yOcss%3Fsignature%3D888b9ea3eb997a4d59215bfbe2983c636df3c7da0ff8c6f85811ff74c8982e34%26policy%3DeyJjYWxsIjogWyJyZWFkIiwgInN0YXQiLCAiY29udmVydCJdLCAiZXhwaXJ5IjogNDYyMDM3NzAzMX0%253D?crop=faces&fit=crop&h=250&ixlib=python-1.1.0&mask=ellipse&w=250&s=2c61ab85a8342903af91cec4ad23a490","image_face_data":"https://pathwright.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.filestackcontent.com%2Fapi%2Ffile%2FlcZb7qpRhaiL474yOcss%3Fsignature%3D888b9ea3eb997a4d59215bfbe2983c636df3c7da0ff8c6f85811ff74c8982e34%26policy%3DeyJjYWxsIjogWyJyZWFkIiwgInN0YXQiLCAiY29udmVydCJdLCAiZXhwaXJ5IjogNDYyMDM3NzAzMX0%253D?crop=faces&faces=1&fit=crop&fm=json&ixlib=python-1.1.0&s=496ca90d18679c069c24690b3970694a","background_image":"https://pathwright.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.filestackcontent.com%2Fapi%2Ffile%2FlcZb7qpRhaiL474yOcss%3Fsignature%3D888b9ea3eb997a4d59215bfbe2983c636df3c7da0ff8c6f85811ff74c8982e34%26policy%3DeyJjYWxsIjogWyJyZWFkIiwgInN0YXQiLCAiY29udmVydCJdLCAiZXhwaXJ5IjogNDYyMDM3NzAzMX0%253D?balph=40&blend=666666&blur=500&bm=screen&fit=crop&fm=jpg&h=400&high=-80&ixlib=python-1.1.0&q=100&w=600&s=446d4bc255fd5d7689f6959c44bf783b","fb_id":null,"avatar":"https://cdn.filestackcontent.com/lcZb7qpRhaiL474yOcss"},"is_superuser":false,"date_joined":"2022-01-31T17:17:34.865315-05:00","date_joined_timestamp":1643667454,"display_name":"Amy C.","membership":{"membership_type":30,"is_school_admin":true,"can_create_course":true,"can_manage_school":true}},"seat_count":0,"seats_filled":8,"expiration_dtime":null,"subscription":null,"ignore_seat_count":true,"is_group_licensing":false,"is_school_licensing":true,"is_belltower_school_licensing":false},"discussion_enabled":true,"parent_offering_id":null,"created_by_id":1522267,"status":1,"analytics_disabled":false}}

Loading Register for Becoming Beloved Community: Understanding Systemic Racism For Groups (only choose if leading a small group) from The Episcopal Diocese of CA...