On Monday, January 26, 2026, Pastor Matt Erickson was joined by Dr. Vincent Bacote of Wheaton College at our quarterly Eastbrook Forum to discuss the intersection of faith and racial identity around his new documentary, Black + Evangelical.
Black + Evangelical is a feature-length documentary that profiles the history, struggles, and contributions of African American evangelicals. Taking us to the crossroads of faith and racial identity, Black + Evangelical is filled with candid interviews and eye-opening portraits of the resilient men and women who find themselves straddling the often clashing worlds of Black and white evangelicalism in America. Black + Evangelical challenges us to hear anew the voices of these men and women whose unique theological and social journeys have much to say about challenges faced by today’s church.
Narrator and co-creator Vincent Bacote, Ph.D., is Professor of Theology and Director of the Center for Applied Christian Ethics at Wheaton College in Wheaton, IL. Learn more at blackevangelicals.com.
Additional Reading:
- Be the Bridge: Pursuing God’s Heart for Racial Reconciliation by Latasha Morrison
- The Beautiful Community: Unity, Diversity, and the Church at Its Best by Irwyn Ince
- Beyond Colorblind: Redeeming Our Ethnic Journey by Sarah Shin
- Color-Courageous Discipleship: Follow Jesus, Dismantle Racism, and Build Beloved Community by Michelle Sanchez
- Divided by Faith: Evangelical Religion and the Problem of Race in America by Michael O. Emerson and Christian Smith
- Know Own Change: Journeying Toward God’s Heart for Reconciliation by Josh Clemons and Hazen Stevens
- Living Undivided: Loving Courageously for Racial Healing and Justice by Chuck Mingo and Troy Jackson
- More Than Equals: Racial Healing for the Sake of the Gospel by Spencer Perkins and Chris Rice