Divided by Faith: Evangelical Religion and the Problem of Race in America by Christian Smith and Michael O. Emerson White Evangelicals’ tendency to individualize issues and dismiss systemic explanations is not happenstance; rather, it follows naturally and inevitably from their (our? my?) defining religious beliefs. When the only thing that matters is a personal saving relationship with Jesus, it’s difficult to view anything outside of the lens of accountable freewill individualism.
