![]() His critique of the church is rooted in his disapproval of the black-and-white, us-versus-them mentality that it so often (though not always) advances, a disapproval that he does not singularly reserve for Christianity. Although much of Baldwin’s thinking is influenced by the Christian virtues he grew up with, The Fire Next Time largely focuses on the religion’s divisive qualities. On the other hand, though, with its long history of conquest and enslavement, Christian ideology was also used by white people to reinforce racist agendas. Many Christian groups-such as the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, to name just one-were foundational to the Civil Rights Movement, basing their calls for equality within the framework of Christianity’s celebration of love and kindness. The early sixties were a time of heated debate regarding racial segregation, and much of that debate was inflected by religion. ![]() ![]() The Fire Next Time was published in 1963, 100 years after the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation. ![]()
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