What Does Scripture Mean In Paul's Letter To The Galatians?

Exploratory Essay Revision “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” – Galatians 3:28

In Paul’s letter to the Galatians, he makes it abundantly clear that, under Christ, the Church is a unified body. Why is it then that such cannot be said about the Church of today? Rather than unity, the church is split across a racial line, black on one side, white on the other. According to a statement by Martin Luther King Jr., Sunday mornings are the most segregated time in America. As a Christian myself, this is an alarming fact and it has led me to take into new consideration the Christian position on race. What does scripture as a whole have to say about matters of race? Has the Church’s behavior reflected such understandings? If not, what form of action should be taken in response?

Therefore, it is important to first garner a clear understanding of its position on race. Thus, to begin, what does the Bible, in particular, have to say about racism? Are there passages in the New Testament that might point toward a diverse church as the ideal? Some that come to mind are the entirety of Luke, a Gospel known for its emphasis on inclusivity, and Revelation, which points toward a universally diverse church. In turn, are there passages in the Old Testament that could, using proper context, express support toward this idea of diversity and inclusiveness? What is to be said about those verses that would appear, at first understanding, to support things such as slavery? Is the slavery in the Bible to be understood in the same way as the slavery through racial subjugation seen in more recent history? Or, rather, is it different in some way? Is God depicted as showing support or disdain for this Biblical